Prince | Multipoo | Los Alamitos, CA | In Training

Say hello to Prince, a spirited 6-month-old Maltipoo who has just joined us for our 2-Week Urban Board and Train Program! With his high energy and playful personality, Prince is ready to learn and we’re excited to guide him through this next chapter.

He may be small, but he’s got a big presence, and we’re going to use that energy to his advantage. Over the next two weeks, we’ll be helping Prince develop better habits, build focus, and become a more well-mannered pup in and out of the home.

We’ve got some important areas to work on, but with consistent structure, positive reinforcement, and time, we know Prince is going to do great.

Stay tuned for updates and progress as we help Prince grow into the best version of himself!

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Pupdate 8/18/2025

Today marks the first day of training for Prince, and we’re hitting the ground running! Our focus this week is to teach Prince five basic obedience commands:Sit, Heel, Down, Place, and Recall. These foundational commands will be essential as we move forward in his training journey.

But today isn’t just about commands it’s about getting to know Prince. To kick things off, we started working on loose leash walking, which is a great introduction to the structure and communication that obedience training requires. In fact, loose leash walking actually touches on elements of all five core commands. It’s not just about walking it’s about focus, engagement, and trust.

In the video I’m sharing, you’ll notice that Prince gets distracted at times or occasionally doesn’t want to listen. That’s totally normal, especially on Day 1. To start shaping better behavior, we use a very simple but powerful technique:walking back and forth in a straight line, changing directions often.

Why do we do this? When Prince hits the end of the leash and I change direction, it encourages him to pay more attention to me rather than everything going on around him. This builds the habit of staying close and engaged, which is the groundwork for a reliable heel, and it makes other commands like sit or recall much easier to teach later.

If you watch closely, you’ll see subtle moments where Prince is hesitant or distracted but also moments where he makes the right choice. Each time he comes back to focus, we’re reinforcing that connection and setting the tone for the rest of his training.

This is just the beginning, but we’re off to a strong start. Stay tuned as Prince continues to learn and grow in the coming days!

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Today, we kept the ball rolling with Day 2 of Prince’s training—and he did fantastic! Building on the foundation we laid yesterday with loose leash walking, we continued reinforcing those skills while introducing two important new elements: recall and sit.

Prince’s ability to learn is truly impressive. His attentiveness and eagerness to please make training sessions both productive and enjoyable. As we layered in these new commands, his steady progress was already starting to shine through. His recall is becoming more responsive, and he's picking up "sit" with confidence.

Now, the sit is still far from perfect—and that’s totally okay. Right now, it’s about creating a clear understanding of the behavior and building it up over time. With consistency and patience, we’ll continue to shape it toward perfection.

It’s exciting to watch Prince grow and learn each day. We’ll keep building on these fundamentals and celebrating the small wins that lead to big results.

Stay tuned for more updates on Prince’s training journey!

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Pupdate 8/20/2025

Today’s training session focused on teaching Prince the “Place” command. At the start of the video, you’ll notice his hesitation—he was unsure about stepping onto the cot and even ran around it a few times. That kind of reaction is completely normal for dogs when they're introduced to something new.

We stayed consistent, encouraging, and patient. With a little time and repetition, Prince began to understand what was being asked of him. As the video progresses, you’ll see his confidence grow as he starts to follow the command more reliably.

In today’s session, we also paired the “Place” command with recall and sit. This helped reinforce his focus and responsiveness, while building a stronger foundation for overall obedience.

It was a great session that showed the importance of patience, clarity, and celebrating progress—no matter how small.

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Pupdate 8/21/2025

Today’s session with Prince focused on refining two essential obedience behaviors: the heel and an extended sit. Prince continues to impress with his quick learning and eager engagement, making each session a rewarding experience for both trainer and handler.

To strengthen the heel position, we introduced a clear and consistent boundary by using the concrete path as a visual and physical marker. Prince is not allowed to step onto the grass until released from the heel command. This simple strategy offers multiple benefits:

• It helps clarify the training criteria for Prince

• It provides the owner with a reliable framework for reinforcing the behavior

• It minimizes leash pressure by creating a natural boundary for the dog to respect

Our goal for today was to establish a zero-leash-pressure heel, focusing on engagement and understanding rather than correction. Prince responded well, remaining in position with minimal redirection, showing he's starting to grasp the expectation.

We also worked on the sit command, specifically on duration and impulse control. Rather than treating sit as a temporary behavior, we are now asking for longevity—even when I continue walking. This builds patience, discipline, and clearer communication. Prince is learning that sitdoesn’t end until it’s released, not when I move away.

One area we’re actively working to improve is the transition from heel to sit. Prince sometimes struggles with smoothly moving into a sit position when we come to a stop. While he’s making progress, this is a detail we’ll continue to shape through consistent repetition and clear communication.

As we progress, we'll start tightening the precision of the heel position. For now, establishing clarity, duration, and minimal pressure is laying the foundation for more advanced obedience work. Prince is right on track, and we're excited to continue building on this momentum.