Oreo | Miniature American Shepherd | Westlake Village, Ca | In Training
- wendyoffleashsocal
- Dec 7, 2025
- 19 min read
Updated: Dec 29, 2025
Meet Oreo! He’s a 4-month-old Miniature American Shepherd from Westlake Village, California, and he’s joined us for our 3-week Puppy Board and Train Program. Oreo is an adorable, sweet, and curious little pup who’s eager to explore the world around him.
He comes to us with very minimal knowledge of basic commands, no leash-walking experience yet, and the typical puppy play-biting. Over the next 21 days, Oreo will learn to become a well-mannered and obedient companion through consistent, clear communication and balanced training—both at home and while discovering new people, places, and experiences.
We can’t wait to help this little guy grow into his full potential!
Pupdate 12/07/25
Hello and welcome to your first Oreo Pupdate! Today was Oreo’s very first day with us, and he did such a great job settling in! After picking him up, we took a drive back to my home. Oreo handled the car ride well—just a few little whimpers at the start, but the traffic on the 405 rocked him right to sleep.
Once we arrived, I introduced Oreo to my assistant dog, Dottie, our friendly Golden Retriever. The moment they sniffed each other, both tails started wagging. It was wonderful to see such an immediate, positive connection.
After their introduction, we headed out for a short stroll around the neighborhood. Oreo isn’t quite sure about the leash yet, but I kept everything upbeat and positive. Even though he’s still learning, he did a great job for his very first walk.
Back at home, Oreo had some time to explore and settle in. I introduced him to his crate using treats to make sure he understood it was a safe, comfortable space. He accepted it beautifully—so much so that after a few minutes of quiet time, he took a little nap.
Before dinner, we went out for a potty break and another short walk. Oreo is already starting to understand the leash a bit more. He can be a little jumpy at times, but he’s walking more confidently with each step. We even practiced a couple of “sit” commands, and he picked them up quickly. This little guy is smart—we’re going to have a lot of fun together!
Potty Training Progress:
Oreo has only gone once so far, which is completely normal. Being in a new environment can make puppies a bit timid during the first day or two. We’ll continue to monitor his progress closely and provide more updates soon.
Pupdate 12/08/25
Today we took a trip to Whittier Narrows in Rosemead, where Oreo had the chance to socialize with other pups and trainers from Off Leash. He was very excited to explore a new environment and meet new people. Oreo is definitely a social little guy with tons of energy!
During our outing, we continued reinforcing the “SIT” command and introduced “PLACE” using treats and positive reinforcement. Oreo picked up on the gesture very quickly—he’s such a smart pup! With a bit of repetition, the command became much easier for him. Yay Oreo!
What is “PLACE”?
“Place” teaches your pup to relax on command and gives them a designated spot to settle, especially around things they might find scary (like the vacuum) or when they need help containing their energy.
Today was Oreo’s first formal introduction to “PLACE,” and he was very receptive. We practiced the command several times and incorporated “SIT” as well. He’s catching on incredibly fast—I’m so proud of him!
Oreo is also doing wonderfully with Dottie. The two of them are really enjoying each other’s company. Dottie has taken on a big-sister role and loves playing with him. When it’s time to rest, Oreo switches right into relax mode and falls asleep peacefully.
For his first overnight, Oreo did great. No issues at all! He was comfortable in his crate, and we continued reinforcing it as a positive, safe space.
Overall, Oreo is making excellent progress. Yay Oreo!
Pupdate 12/09/25
Today we introduced Food Manners to Oreo. Since he is naturally energetic and hyper, it takes him a little time to settle into a solid sit—especially when he realizes his food is coming! His excitement often leads him to jump toward his dish, so this exercise is helping him understand that he must remain calm and hold a SIT before he’s allowed to eat.
During training, the moment Oreo saw the dish in my hand, he began jumping with excitement. I asked for a SIT, and once he sat, I began to lower the bowl. However, Mr. Oreo decided to break his position—and up he went again! We repeated this process several times. Little by little, you could almost see the wheels turning in his head. Eventually, he understood that holding his SIT kept the dish on the floor.
Once he managed to maintain that position for a couple of seconds, I released him with an “OK” and tapped the bowl to let him know he could go to his food. He caught on quickly—such a fast little learner! Great job, Oreo!
Potty Training Update
Mr. Oreo is showing a bit of stubbornness in this area. He still refuses to urinate while on walks, but he did poop today—yay! We’ve had a few urine accidents, which is completely normal for Day 3, so we’ll continue encouraging him to go outside consistently.
I also noticed that he tends to urinate a little when he gets very excited to see me after being let out of his crate. We will work on helping him settle and regulate that excitement to prevent submissive/excitement urination.
It’s all a work in progress, and Oreo is learning. We will get there!
Pupdate 12/10/25
Today, Mr. Oreo and I went on a small adventure to our local neighborhood park. We enjoyed a long walk exploring all the different sounds and sights the park has to offer. Along the way, Oreo had the chance to interact with some new friends who were also out walking with their human companions.
Oreo was incredibly well-behaved and showed lots of curiosity toward the other dogs. He was calm and non-reactive, even from a distance, and displayed excellent manners with all his new furry friends. This is a fantastic start when it comes to exposure and socialization.
Throughout the walk, Oreo was busy sniffing and investigating everything around the park. What made me especially happy was that he didn’t try to pick anything up—great job, Mr. Oreo!
We also took advantage of the walk to practice our Sit command and worked on holding it for a few seconds. Little by little, we’re seeing progress… yay!!!
Pupdate 12/11/25
Today we continued working on the “Place” command—this time indoors—so Mr. Oreo can learn to settle in a designated spot when asked. He did an awesome job! We were able to give the command without using treats to lure him, and he followed through beautifully. Surprisingly, Oreo also held the Place command longer than ever before. I think he’s really starting to love the cot we use for this exercise. Little by little, we’ll keep extending his duration.
One thing we’ll continue to work on is helping him stay a bit more still—he does have that adorable little wiggle toosh. Oh, Mr. Oreo… he is such a cutie!
Not shown in the video, we’ve also been practicing polite kennel manners. Oreo is learning how to enter his kennel on command and exit patiently. With treat motivation he’s doing very well, and soon we’ll start shifting to a variable reward schedule so he learns that he won’t always get a treat, but he will always receive positive praise.
Oreo is doing great with his food intake and sleeping soundly through the night. With all the new environments, sounds, and experiences, he’s well on his way to becoming a confident, well-rounded pup!
Pupdate 12/12/25
Today we worked on leash walking and introduced the heel position. The heel position is important for safety, as it provides better control in busy areas and helps prevent dogs from darting into traffic or startling people. It also improves focus and communication by teaching dogs to look to their handler for direction while building impulse control.
Now that Oreo is much more comfortable walking on leash, it was the perfect time to incorporate the heel command into our walk. Although he is still quite jumpy at times, this should subside with time and maturity. Because he is small, he often looks for ways to reach things, but with the OFFcommand he is learning to refrain from unwanted behaviors.
During our heeling session, I initially used a treat but noticed he became extra jumpy. To help with this, I relied more on leash guidance to help manipulate his walk and keep him in the heel position. At times, Oreo attempted to move ahead or pass me, so I changed directions to clearly communicate that passing was not desired.
One positive thing I’m noticing is that Oreo is not reactive to other animals or surrounding items. He is very curious and observant, and with continued exposure to different environments, this confident and calm attitude should continue.
Today marked Day 1 of heeling, and even with a short session, we saw some progress. Oreo is such a smart little fellow!
Around the house, he is becoming much more comfortable. He is taking to Dottie very well and is having lots of fun with her. He is definitely a monkey see, monkey do kind of dog—everything Dottie does, he does too. It’s the cutest thing to watch.
Potty Training Update
We had great progress this morning! Oreo had a successful full potty break, and I made sure he knew how happy I was. He is making me very proud—yay Oreo!
Pupdate 12/13/25
Today we took a field trip to Petco to expose Little Oreo to a new environment. He experienced a crowd of shoppers and their pups—and even got to meet Santa Claus and take a picture with him! At first, Oreo was very apprehensive of Mr. Claus, but after being allowed to sniff his hand and enjoy a few treats, he warmed up. Soon after, Oreo allowed Santa to pick him up for a quick photo. Oreo did great!!!
As we continued exploring Petco, Oreo was very curious and happily sniffed all the new and exciting areas around the store. He listened to the birds chirping and even investigated a car that was about his size. Oreo is showing himself to be both curious and brave. He doesn’t let anything stop him—he investigates first, then fully immerses himself in the environment.
Oreo received many compliments on his cuteness and showed off his obedient sit while I paid for treats. Great job, Mr. Oreo!!!
Pupdate 12/14/25
Today we introduced “Come” as Oreo’s recall command, using treats for positive reinforcement. He caught on incredibly fast—he quickly understood that responding to the command and coming back to me earned him a reward. Such a quick learner!
During our session, we also continued practicing leash walking. Oreo is now much more comfortable on the leash—it doesn’t bother him at all anymore. He clearly understands that the leash is part of our routine when we go outside, which is great progress.
We also introduced the “Down” command today. With a little treat enticement, Oreo picked it up quickly. At one point, he even started anticipating the movement before I gave the verbal cue—what a sneaky little guy!
To wrap up the session, we brought out Dottie for some playtime and worked on commands with added distractions. I can’t express how impressed I am with Oreo. He is incredibly smart and has the perfect temperament for training around distractions. Rather than getting overexcited, he calmly observes and tries to figure out what’s happening. He’s such an adorable little guy and makes me so proud.
Potty Training Update:
Oreo is starting to understand outside potty time. While there are still a few accidents here and there, we’re having more successful outdoor potty breaks than accidents each day—which is a big win and clear progress!
Pupdate 12/15/25
Today we returned to Whittier Narrows to meet up with the other Off Leash Trainers and their pups, where we followed up on all of the commands Oreo has been working on. We spent the majority of our time at the park focusing on the “Heel” command, and we also introduced a new gentle lead called the Heather Heroes Sidekick.
This lead goes around Oreo’s muzzle and helps him better understand proper heel positioning. It was a little strange for him at first, but just like his collar and leash, it only took a few minutes for him to acclimate. Once he understood its purpose, he began walking calmly right at my side.
Oreo is not a puller, but he can get distracted—which is completely normal for a puppy his age. He is still very curious about the world around him. The great thing is that he is not reactive. As I’ve mentioned before, he observes and takes in the information around him. Once his curiosity is satisfied, he redirects back to his task.
Oreo did great working around the other pups and was able to stay focused on the instructions I was giving him. We are still working on increasing the duration of his sit and down, but for a pup his age, he is learning very quickly.
After all the training today, Mr. Oreo was pooped! He fell asleep right on the cot where we do our Place training. Poor guy was exhausted, but this really shows how much effort he’s putting in. Awesome job today, Oreo!
At home, Oreo is getting very comfortable. He is learning to relax with Dottie and interact appropriately with guests. As part of his training, we also gave him a bath. He seemed to enjoy bath time and wasn’t phased by the water at all—he did an excellent job. We also introduced the grooming brush, which he handled beautifully. He really enjoyed the grooming and all the extra love he received.
Pupdate 12/16/25
During today’s session, we continued reinforcing Sit, Place, and Down, and as shown in the video, we also worked on door manners. This exercise teaches Oreo not to rush through doors and to only cross a threshold when given the release cue “OK.”
As you can see in the video, Oreo is still a bit of a wiggle butt and finds it challenging to remain still for extended periods. That said, with consistent practice, he is making steady improvements. He has moments where he can hold a sit for quite a while—we just need to ensure he’s fully focused on the task at hand.
While practicing door manners, Oreo did a great job resisting the urge to run out when the door was opened. If he broke his sit, I simply reset the door and started again. The key here is accountability—holding Oreo to the expectation until he completes the task correctly. Once he complies, he’s rewarded, helping him clearly understand what’s being asked of him.
We practiced for several minutes until Oreo offered a longer, more extended sit with the door open. Yay, Mr. Oreo! I’m so proud of you!
Potty Training Update:
Oreo has come such a long way since day one. He’s having more successful potty breaks and is choosing to go outside more frequently. The potty training wheels are definitely turning!
Pupdate 12/17/25
Today we took a field trip to Home Depot, where Oreo was introduced to the many sounds, sights, and environments of a hardware store. During our time there, Oreo was very curious about his surroundings, so I allowed him time to explore and sniff his new world.
He did an excellent job approaching unfamiliar objects with caution and confidence, giving himself the time he needed before fully immersing himself in the environment. Once he was comfortable, we began walking through the store and practiced our heeling.
Mr. Oreo certainly turned heads—he received plenty of glances, compliments, and admiration thanks to his cuteness!
We also took the opportunity to step into an aisle and practice the recall command “Come to heel.” Oreo did wonderfully. With treats and lots of praise as positive reinforcement, he clearly enjoyed his training time.
With continued repetition and consistency, Oreo is well on his way to becoming a confident, well-rounded, and well-behaved pup. Great job, Oreo!
Pupdate 12.18/25
Today I introduced car manners. Due to Oreo’s size at this stage, I incorporated a step stool to help him comfortably jump into the car. The goal was to build his confidence first, with plans to remove the stool once it was no longer needed.
Well… Mr. Oreo proved once again that he’s a quick learner! He immediately took to using the step stool and showed confidence right from the start. Seeing how comfortable he was, I removed the stool—and just like that, he jumped right into the car on his own with no hesitation. He is such a brave, smart little pup, and I couldn’t be prouder of him.
Oreo is truly a pleasure to train. Not only is he absolutely adorable, but he’s incredibly intelligent as well. Way to go, Oreo!
Oreo is also doing wonderfully with Dottie. He’s cuddling up with her and playing around the house as if they’ve been best buddies their whole lives. It’s honestly the cutest thing to watch.
Potty Training Update:
Potty training is going amazing! Oreo is clearly understanding that potty time happens outside. He’s heading outdoors faster during breaks and is beginning to develop a consistent potty routine. He has come such a long way—hooray, Oreo!!!
Pupdate 12/19/25
For today’s adventure, we took a trip to Cerritos Mall to expose Oreo to the busy holiday shopping crowd. Upon arrival, Oreo was a little scared due to the noise and activity, but with some positive reinforcement and reassuring affirmations, he quickly calmed down.
We walked through the busy mall, and Oreo absolutely enjoyed all the love and attention he received—he definitely gained a lot of fans thanks to his cuteness! During our adventure, we worked on all of his obedience commands. Oreo understands his commands well, but he was understandably distracted by all the movement around him. This is expected since he’s still very young and experiencing many of these things for the first time.
Despite the distractions, he was able to hold his sit and go to place for a few seconds. He’s such a wiggly little guy, which is something we’ll continue to work on. Overall, for his age, Oreo is doing an amazing job!
Pupdate 12/20/25
Today we took a trip to our local park and focused on extending Oreo’s sit with added distractions. He was exposed to kids playing and a family kicking a soccer ball nearby—something that definitely caught his attention! Despite the distractions, Oreo did a great job maintaining focus during training. Eventually the soccer ball got the best of him, which is completely okay. He was able to regroup quickly once I gave a verbal “no” and held the leash.
Oreo is becoming very knowledgeable with his commands, so I took the opportunity to practice all of them off-leash (without physically manipulating his movements). For safety, he still had his leash on. Overall, Oreo is progressing nicely. We’re now at the stage of introducing more distractions and ensuring he can still complete his commands. He’s doing amazing, and I’m very proud of him!
Potty Training Update:
Oreo is making great progress with potty training. He’s building a solid routine and understands that going outside means it’s time for a potty break. Yay, Oreo!
Pupdate 12/21/25
For today’s training, we focused on door and food manners. Mr. Oreo has been quite the wiggle butt, but after all the work we’ve put into extending his sit, he’s really proving to be a great little student. I’m holding him accountable every time he breaks his sit without my release, and he knows that breaking it means no treats or praise.
Like most young pups, Oreo has a short attention span, but we’re managing to refocus and gradually increase the amount of time he can hold his sit. As you can see in the video, Oreo does not rush out the door when it’s opened and is learning to sit patiently until I give the release command. We also worked on down today. He was feeling a bit more playful than usual and wanted to roll around, but again, I held him accountable until he completed it correctly.
We also practiced food manners, and let me tell you—he has come such a long way! He used to jump at the sight of his bowl and rush toward it as soon as it was placed down. Now he understands that he won’t get his food until I release him.
Yay, Oreo! You’re making me so proud, little guy!
Pupdate 12/22/25
Today we took our final trip to Whittier Narrows, where Oreo enjoyed some doggy social time with the other Off Leash pups and trainers. During our session, we reviewed all of his basic commands and practiced extending sit and down durations while the other pups served as distractions.
Oreo has shown tremendous growth over the past week. He’s now holding his sits like a “little big boy” and is clearly understanding his commands. At times he does show a bit of resistance, but I make sure to give a clear, direct command and patiently wait for him to comply. If he decides to challenge me with a staring contest, I simply give one additional verbal command and wait him out.
During our time at the park, Oreo was also given opportunities to play with the other pups. He does wonderfully interacting with both small and large dogs and shows what a playful, social pup he is. Watching him play was truly heartwarming.
Potty Training Update:
Potty training is progressing very nicely. Oreo has grasped the concept that outdoors is the potty area, and we are now extending potty breaks to about 45 minutes to an hour. He’s doing great!
Pupdate 12/23/25
Today we took a trip to a local Arts & Crafts store, where Mr. Oreo walked up and down the aisles exploring all the different sights and smells the store had to offer. During our time there, he also experienced a few shoppers fan-girling over him. This gave us a great opportunity to practice greeting manners, since Mr. Oreo can get a bit excited.
After a few minutes, he was able to regain his composure, hold his sit nicely, and allow greetings appropriately. The shoppers were impressed by his age and absolutely enamored with him. As we continued through the store, I did a bit of shopping, and whenever I paused, Oreo did an amazing job automatically sitting or going into a down and waiting patiently—without being given a command. He clearly understands that when I stop, it’s time to sit or down. Smart little fella!
We also took a few pictures with some Oreo-sized action figures, which was another great opportunity for him to acclimate to new objects. He’s becoming braver by the day, this little guy!
Pupdate 12/24/25
Today we took another trip to Petco and moved our training indoors due to the weather. Oreo was exposed to a new environment with distractions once again, and he did much better today. He appeared more comfortable and was walking around with increased confidence. He listened to his commands much better and was able to hold his sit and placecommands for longer durations.
We also spent time practicing his greeting manners. We noticed that Oreo does especially well greeting women. He is a bit more cautious around male figures, but he still did great overall.
With the holidays here, I’ve been taking the opportunity to bring Oreo around my family. He absolutely loves being around children and is very playful and affectionate with them. He is such a sweet boy—you are truly very lucky to have him.
Potty Training Update:
Oreo is doing amazing! Even with the rainy weather, he continued taking his potty breaks. He was a little hesitant with the rain at first, but it didn’t stop him. He has come such a long way. He plays comfortably around the house, and when he goes near the door, that is a clear sign he needs to go potty. I recommend keeping a close eye on him to maintain consistency with his potty training once he returns home.
I am so proud of little Oreo!!
Pupdate 12/25/25
Today we worked on combining multiple commands after a long walk to help burn off some Christmas calories. We focused on his heel, which still needs a bit of refinement. Oreo is an enthusiastic young pup who wants to move quickly and explore, but with light leash guidance and verbal correction, he is able to adjust his stride and refocus nicely.
As we approach his final training days, our emphasis has shifted to maintaining extended sits and downs in areas with more distractions. Given his young age, Oreo is naturally curious about new sounds and sights, but he is not reacting to them, which is excellent. As mentioned before, he tends to observe and assess rather than rush toward distractions—an impressive trait for such a young dog. With increased distractions, some commands require repetition, but a gentle leash cue is enough to redirect his attention back to me and reinforce compliance.
In the home setting, Oreo is doing exceptionally well. He surprised me with how calm he remained during noisy family moments and would often choose to relax on my nephew’s dog bed. He has truly earned his free time based on the consistent progress he’s showing. Oreo is very comfortable in the home environment and handled himself beautifully. During potty breaks, he took care of business and then engaged appropriately in play with my niece and nephews.
In just under three weeks, Oreo has shown remarkable growth and maturity. I am beyond proud of the progress he has made—he continues to impress me every day.
Pupdate 12/26/25
Today we took a little adventure to Stonewood Mall to help Oreo become more comfortable around larger crowds. During our time there, he walked nicely on heel and was very curious about his surroundings. The mall was busy, and the children were especially loud, which definitely caught Oreo’s attention.
While we were there, we spent time people-watching as shoppers hurried to get their deals. Oreo quickly became a crowd favorite himself, especially as he strutted through the mall with me—he was such a cutie!
We practiced all of his commands, and he is holding them much better now. He is becoming more comfortable around people, and we even got to work on his greeting manners. He broke his sit slightly but didn’t jump; he just wanted to scoot a little closer. We had him reset into a sit, and he did much better afterward.
Such a good boy, Oreo!
Pupdate 12/27/25
Today we took Oreo to Cerritos Mall to put everything he has learned together, and he did an outstanding job. Despite the busy environment and constant flow of shoppers, Oreo remained focused and composed as we navigated through crowded areas. He was put to the test by holding his Place, Down, and Sit commands amid high distractions, and he rose to the occasion beautifully.
We also encountered other dogs throughout the mall. While some of them pulled and wanted to engage him to play, Oreo stayed calm and simply observed—showing excellent impulse control and maturity for his age. Overall, he performed exceptionally well on all of his commands.
Oreo has come such a long way since Day 1, and I couldn’t be more proud of him. He is such a smart COOKIE! His adorable size, playful nature, and sweet personality have truly won over my heart and my family’s. He is absolutely precious.
Potty Training Update:
No accidents in the last few days—this is AMAZING progress! Consistency with his potty schedule has really paid off, and he is now holding it longer with no morning accidents. Fantastic improvement!
Pupdate 12/28/25
Today’s Pupdate focused on all things manners — Car Manners, Door Manners, and Food Manners. Oreo has come such a long way with his manners, especially considering how young and eager he still is. With continued consistency, he is doing an amazing job and showing great progress.
Car Manners:
Our focus is ensuring that Oreo remains seated until he is released with the “Load up” command and that he feels confident and comfortable getting into the car on his own. To keep this experience positive, I continue to reinforce it with treats so he associates loading up with something fun and rewarding. This has been working very well for him.
Door Manners:
Door manners are important and should be practiced consistently in all situations, including going in and out of his crate. Oreo is asked to maintain a seated position until he is released with “OK.” At this stage, he is still learning to hold his sit for longer than 30 seconds, which is completely normal for a young pup. As he matures, we will slowly increase the duration.
Food Manners:
Oreo gets very excited around food and can become jumpy, but consistency is key here. If he breaks his sit or down, continue holding him accountable by picking the bowl up and resetting him. Repeat this process until he remains seated and waits patiently. He definitely understands the game now, so stay consistent — he’s a smart cookie, and it’s hard not to love him!
Just remember to stay consistent with all manners training, and you will continue to see improvement. Oreo is doing amazing and is absolutely on the right track to becoming a well-mannered pup!
Pupdate 12/29/25
Today is our final pupdate, and we kept today’s training light, fun, and all about celebrating Oreo. He has done an amazing job over these past few weeks, so today was truly his “fun day” with us.
We focused on extending his sit and down while giving him lots of love and praise. During our training session, a gentleman stopped to admire Oreo’s ability to follow commands at such a young age. At first, Oreo stayed right by my side, being very attentive and protective. As the gentleman continued chatting with me, Oreo warmed up and decided to greet him. Oreo approached, sat politely, and greeted him so nicely—just like the sweet little boy he is. This moment really showcased his growth, maturity, and development.
Oreo has truly been a delight to have. He is such a sweet, smart, and eager-to-learn pup, and I have no doubt he is going to continue to do amazing with his training once he’s back home with you.
During today’s session, he was able to hold his sit and down for much longer than before, which made me incredibly proud. Oreo, you have truly exceeded my expectations. You are an amazing little pup!
Dottie and my family are going to miss you so much. Thank you again for trusting me with Oreo during his training journey—it has been an absolute pleasure.
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