Samson | Coton De Tulear | South Pasadena, CA. | In Training.
- heatheroffleashsoc
- Jun 14
- 18 min read
Updated: Jun 27
Samson is a handsome 12-year-old Coton De Tulear from South Pasadena, California, who has just joined us for our Two Week Urban Board and Train Program!
This sweet boy has been described as quite the homebody, enjoying the comforts of indoor life and the familiar routines he knows best. But Samson is about to take on a big new adventure! With a move to a brand-new environment on the horizon, he’ll be learning some new skills to help him feel more confident, comfortable, and prepared for this exciting change.
Over the next two weeks, we’ll be working closely with Samson on his basic obedience, house manners, and confidence-building in new situations. Our goal is to provide him with the tools he needs to navigate his next chapter while helping him become a more confident and social pup.
Because who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? 😉
Stay tuned as we follow Samson’s journey and watch his transformation unfold!
6/14/2026
Today was all about introductions for Samson! We started the day with a walk at Lake Balboa Park so that he and I could get better acquainted with one another. This also gave me the opportunity to assess what Samson may already know while beginning to introduce a couple of new commands, including heel and sit.
We started with his heel command, which focused on encouraging Samson to walk nicely at my side without pulling. Using light leash guidance, I was able to communicate the expectation that he should stay with me rather than lead the way. Samson is still a little unsure that I might have some better ideas about where we’re headed (he seems to think he has a pretty solid itinerary of his own!), but we were able to make some progress with him walking ahead of me and beginning to understand the goal of staying connected.
Next, we worked on his sit command. It took Samson a few attempts to understand exactly what I was asking from him. Using a combination of leash pressure behind the ears and light pats on the bum to help communicate the position, we were able to start building that understanding. With some patience and repetition, Samson began making progress and showing that he was starting to piece together what I was asking.
After our walk, it was time to head back to the car and make our way to his home away from home for the next couple of weeks. With the temperatures starting to rise, it was time for Samson to get comfortable in a cooler environment and begin settling into his new routine. He did great on the ride home, which was wonderful to see!
Once we arrived, Samson had the chance to explore the yard and the house. So far, he has no complaints — just a very curious guy taking in all of the new sights and smells. The rest of the day was spent relaxing, decompressing, and helping him adjust to his new surroundings.
Samson does still have a tendency to pace around a bit as he takes everything in, but with a little more time and consistency, I’m sure he’ll start feeling more comfortable and able to settle. All in all, Samson had a great first day considering just how many new experiences he had! I’m excited to see him continue opening up and making progress over the next couple of weeks.
6/15/2026
Today Samson and I headed out to a park in Rosemead to meet up with some fellow trainers and their pups to continue building on the commands he has learned so far while also incorporating a couple of new ones!
We started by continuing to work on his heel command, and Samson is starting to get the hang of it! He’s beginning to understand where he’s supposed to be and what the expectation is when we’re moving together. His sit command, however, is still a little touch and go since Samson seems to believe that sitting still for too long is simply not part of his job description!
We worked on introducing his extended sit, which is just his regular sit command with added distance and duration between us. In some moments, Samson had no problem holding the command and showing off what he knew. In other moments… well, it was like rapid-fire corrections the second I released pressure and he would pop right back up again over and over. But this is all part of the learning process! The important thing is staying consistent, patient, and showing him that holding the command is what earns him success. With time and repetition, Samson is absolutely going to get it.
We also introduced his come to sit command today, which asks Samson to come around my right side and sit neatly on my left. For the most part, this seemed pretty simple for him! I will say, Samson does make things a little easier by handling leash guidance very well. Wherever I guide him, he is happy to follow with very little fuss, which makes introducing new concepts much smoother.
All in all, Samson is making some great progress, and I’m very proud of what he has learned so far. He’s continuing to build his understanding of his commands, and we’ll keep working on adding more reliability and duration as he continues his training journey!
Potty Training Update:
So far, so good on the potty front! Samson has had no accidents to report. I’ve been utilizing crate training to help manage his time when I’m unable to keep a close eye on him, and we’ve been taking regular leash walks outside every few hours to give him the opportunity to go potty. He’s been doing great with this routine!
6/16/2026
Today Samson and I headed out to Century City Mall with another trainer and their pups to continue building on his progress with his commands around distractions. This was a great opportunity for Samson to experience a new environment, work around more activity, and continue strengthening his confidence while out and about.
Samson did really well! His heel command is coming along nicely, and he’s starting to understand what’s expected of him when walking beside me. His sit command is also showing some great improvement, as he’s now able to hold his sit for longer periods of time without needing as much guidance or correction.
His come to sit is still a work in progress. There are times where Samson remembers the assignment and does a great job going around my right side to finish sitting on my left, but there are other moments where he gets a little distracted and decides there might be something more interesting happening right in front of him. And that’s okay! He’s still learning the movement and building that consistency.
We also spent some time introducing his down command today. Samson wasn’t exactly convinced that laying down was the most exciting idea at first, but with a little patience and encouragement, we were able to get it! Now, just like with his sit command, the next step is building up his duration and helping him understand that once he’s in position, he’s expected to stay there for a bit.
We also worked on his place command, and with a little help, Samson did well! The biggest challenge here was that jumping onto surfaces isn’t quite as easy for him, which is completely understandable given his age. I was more than happy to give him a little boost as long as he was still making the effort to hop up himself. Once he was up there, staying put was no problem at all. Although, I can’t really blame him… those cushions looked pretty comfortable!
Of course, Samson and his new pal Kyon had to take a moment to pose for a picture together, and I think we can all agree they made a pretty adorable pair!
All in all, Samson had a great day of training and exposure to different types of distractions. He handled the environment well and really gave off the impression that he was just happy to be out exploring and experiencing something new. He continues to show that he’s willing to try, and I’m so proud of the effort he put in today!
6/17/2026
Today Samson and I headed back out to Century City Mall to take advantage of the crowds that the FIFA event has been drawing in. These types of environments are perfect for continuing Samson’s progress by putting his commands to the test around real-world distractions, and he handled himself very well!
Samson is showing a great understanding of most of the commands he has learned so far. At this point, we are mainly working on building up his duration with his extended down command and helping him understand that “down” also means “stay there until released.” I have no doubt he will get the hang of it with more repetition and consistency!
Throughout our outing, Samson did a great job navigating the crowds and distractions around him. He seemed genuinely happy to be out exploring and taking in everything happening around him while still staying engaged with his work. It’s great to see him becoming more comfortable in these busy environments and gaining confidence with each outing.
Potty training update:
We did have a small accident this morning while we were getting ready to head out for potty time. However, this one wasn’t necessarily Samson’s fault! I had spilled something and was trying to clean it up, and Samson basically said, “When you gotta go, you gotta go!” Luckily, aside from that moment, he has been doing a great job communicating when he needs to go outside. If he doesn’t make it obvious, I can usually tell by his very urgent sniffing as he searches for the perfect spot.
Overall, Samson is continuing to do well, and I’m very proud of the effort he’s putting into learning all of his new tricks. He’s making great progress and continues to show that he’s capable of so much!
6/18/2026
Today Samson and I decided to take things a little easier and work on his commands around my neighborhood. This gave us the opportunity to slow things down and focus on his understanding of his commands without the added pressure of bigger distractions. And I’m so glad we did!
Samson started our session out with a little bit of trouble sitting still, which made his extended commands a bit more challenging today. So we took our time and calmly worked through building his duration and distance. It took some patience, but eventually Samson started to understand what was being asked of him and was able to hold his positions! Seeing him work through that challenge and make the right choices was a great step forward.
His heel is also coming along nicely! He still has moments where he would much rather be the one making the decisions, but that’s part of the learning process. What matters most is that Samson is continuing to understand what is expected of him and making progress at his own pace.
One of the highlights of today was an unexpected socialization opportunity. While we were working, I was approached by a neighbor I know who had her 16-year-old Pitbull, Xues, along with her granddaughter Penny, who is still just a toddler. Samson did such an amazing job meeting both of them! Even with Penny excitedly petting him like any young child would, Samson stayed calm and confident. He didn’t flinch or become overwhelmed; he was simply happy to be there, enjoy the attention, and exchange some friendly sniffs with Xues. It was such a sweet interaction to watch and a great example of the confidence Samson is continuing to build.
All in all, Samson had a great day working through his commands and an even better day practicing his social skills. I’m very proud of the progress he continues to make and the confidence he’s gaining every day!
Potty Training Update:
We are back on track with no accidents in the last 24 hours! I’ve found that Samson does a great job communicating when he needs to go outside. His cues include howling, urgent sniffing, and spinning in circles. When I pay attention to those signals and get him outside, he takes care of business like a very good boy!
6/19/2026
Today Samson and I headed out to Santa Monica to continue practicing his commands around real-world distractions, and he did a great job!
Samson handled his extended commands very well today, showing great improvement with his ability to stay in position and remain focused even in a busier environment. His heel command is also coming along nicely, and he continues to show a better understanding of what is expected of him while walking.
His come to sit is still a work in progress, but that’s completely okay! This is one of the more complicated motions that we teach, and for some pups it takes a little extra time and repetition before it really clicks. With a bit more practice and consistency, I’m confident Samson will have it down in no time.
It was also wonderful to see how much Samson seemed to enjoy being out around all of the people today. He took in the environment well and showed great confidence throughout our outing. All in all, I’m very proud of how well Samson handled himself today!
Potty training update: Samson continues to keep his streak of no accidents in the house going for a second day! What a good boy!
6/20/2026
Today Samson and I headed back out to Santa Monica to continue building on his progress with his commands around distractions. Our main focus for the day was working on his extended sit, extended down, and his come to sit command.
While Samson has been making great progress with these behaviors, our goal now is to help him perform each command with less and less correction. Right now, without that reminder, Samson sometimes views the commands more as a suggestion rather than an expectation. And honestly, that’s understandable! In his 12 years of life, these types of expectations haven’t been something he’s had to practice. The important thing is that he is learning, and today he made some really great progress.
Samson started offering his sit without correction, although there are still moments where he needs a little reminder. And that’s completely okay! Building consistency takes time, especially when we are creating new habits. His come to sit also showed improvement today. Instead of stopping behind me and hesitating, he was able to follow through and complete the motion correctly a few times. His down command still needs some extra work, but we are continuing to make progress, and I’m confident he will get there with more practice.
During our adventure, Samson also made a new friend named Ali the Rasta Pup! Ali is another older pup who enjoys exploring Santa Monica with his owner, and the two of them had a great time getting to know each other. They were even kind enough to pose for a quick picture together! Of course, Samson’s buddy Kyon, who is also working through his OffLeash training, joined us for the outing as well.
All in all, Samson had another successful day. Not only did he make progress with his commands, but he also did a wonderful job experiencing new environments and meeting new friends. I’m so proud of Samson and how he continues to take everything in stride. He’s just a chill guy who is happy to enjoy the new adventures and experiences we’ve been introducing him to.
Way to go, Samson! 🐾
6/21/2026
Today Samson and I headed out to Lake Balboa Park to continue working on his command progress, and he did a great job! He showed some awesome improvement with his ability to sit without needing leash correction, as well as holding his extended commands for longer periods of time. His come to sit command has also been coming along nicely, and it was so great to see him really start to understand what was being asked of him.
For his place command, I used his place cot to help him practice. Since jumping up onto objects can be a bit more challenging for Samson given his age, we made a small adjustment to better suit his needs, and that’s completely okay! The important part is that he understands the expectations of the command and is able to successfully perform it within his abilities.
All in all, it was awesome to see Samson showing more understanding and making the choice to perform his commands. Seeing him move from needing more guidance to confidently offering these behaviors on his own has been such a rewarding part of his progress. He did an amazing job today!
Potty Training Update: We continue to remain accident-free! 🎉
6/22/2026
Today Samson and I headed out to Home Depot to continue working on his commands with distractions, and he did a great job!
Our focus for today was continuing to build his confidence and reliability with his commands while navigating a busier environment. We did spend some extra time working on his sit and down commands, as Samson seemed to have a little trouble remembering that once he is asked to hold a position, his job is to stay there until he is released. He would see me begin to step away and immediately think, “Oh! We’re going!” which is a very natural response for a dog who is still learning the difference between following movement and waiting for direction.
After a few repetitions and some reminders, Samson started to understand that staying put is the best policy. It was great to see him begin to slow himself down and make better choices instead of immediately acting on that impulse to follow. These little moments are where we really start building the patience and self-control that will make his commands more reliable long term.
Samson also continues to show great progress with his come to sit command, which has been wonderful to watch. He is becoming more comfortable with the movement and positioning required for the command, and each session he continues to improve.
With Samson’s sit and down commands, we are really focusing on creating stronger habits around impulse control and helping him understand that patience is part of the exercise. Learning to stay calm while his handler moves around him can be challenging, but Samson is learning more and more each day at his own pace. I’m confident that with continued practice and consistency, he will have these commands down beautifully.
All in all, today was another productive day of training. Samson continues to show progress, and I’m so proud of the effort he puts in each day. He is such a sweet guy, and it’s been wonderful watching him grow and develop his understanding throughout this process!
6/23/2026
Today Samson and I headed back out to Home Depot to continue working on his commands with distractions, and overall he did a great job!
The biggest challenge for Samson today was his extended stays. This is something we have been continuing to work through, as sometimes Samson decides staying put is a great idea, and other times he feels like he has a better plan in mind. But that is all part of the learning process! Each time he makes the choice to get up, we simply redirect him back into position and continue reinforcing the expectation.
On a very exciting note, I was pleasantly surprised to see Samson offering his sit command more often today. This has been quite the accomplishment for him, and seeing him start to make that choice on his own is a huge win! He is also beginning to understand his come to sit command with much less direction, which is another big step forward for Mr. Samson.
All in all, Samson is doing a wonderful job and continues to learn at his own pace. I’m so proud of the effort he puts in every single day and the progress he continues to make. On top of all his training accomplishments, Samson remains solid with his house manners and has had no accidents in the home!
What a good boy, Samson!
6/24/2026
Today Samson and I headed out to a local park to continue building on his progress with his commands, and he did well overall. He was able to hold his extended commands with much more confidence and ease, which is a great improvement from where he started. Of course, there are still moments where he may need a little reminder, but that is completely normal and part of the learning process.
His heel is looking nice, and his come-to-sit is continuing to improve as well. Samson understands what is being asked of him, but he definitely thrives with a little leash direction to help keep him focused and on track. After having many years without much structure or consistent guidance, that extra support helps him better understand what is expected of him.
His impulse control has also been improving day by day. While this is still an area where he needs some additional help, continued practice, consistency, and time will continue to strengthen those skills. Building new habits takes patience, especially when replacing years of old ones, but Samson is showing that he is more than capable of making those changes.
All in all, Samson is making great progress, and I am very proud of the effort he continues to put in each day!
6/25/2026
Today we kept things a little closer to home and started our day with a nice walk around my neighborhood. This gave us the opportunity to continue working on Samson’s commands in a more familiar environment while still practicing his reliability and consistency. And overall, Samson did well! He is showing a great understanding of what is being asked of him, though he does like to take his time with his responses.
Samson has definitely mastered the art of making every command feel like a thoughtful decision rather than an immediate request. He’s got that classic “I heard you, let me just process that for a moment” old man energy. And honestly, that’s okay! He’s still completing the commands, he just likes to add his own little timeline to the process. We’re continuing to work on building that quicker response while still celebrating the progress he’s making.
After our walk, we came back home to continue practicing his house manners, which is something we have been working on daily since he arrived. These manners include food manners, door manners, car manners, and off leash recall.
For his food manners, Samson’s job is simply to patiently sit and wait until he is given permission to eat his meal. He has been improving with this, though there are moments where he needs a little reminder that patience is part of the assignment. Sometimes this does require a little extra patience from his handler as well, but with consistency he is getting better at understanding that waiting calmly is what earns him his release.
His door manners are very similar. Samson is expected to sit at the door and wait for his cue before coming in or going out, whether I walk past him or even disappear from sight. He has made improvements here too, though every now and then he remembers that he has places to be and would much rather be outside enjoying his own personal adventure. When coming back inside, he especially likes to remind us that he still has opinions on the matter. But with a little guidance, he’s starting to understand that the door does not mean “free roam immediately.”
For his car manners, Samson is expected to wait calmly in a seated position until he is given the cue to load up. Since he does need a little assistance getting into the vehicle, he has actually been doing quite well with this routine. He understands that he needs to wait for his invitation rather than making his own decision to climb aboard.
Lastly, we have his off leash recall. This is simply coming when called, and this is an area where Samson has had some difficulty. His independent personality definitely shines through here, as he would much rather wander around and enjoy life at his own pace. But with encouragement, excitement, and consistency, he has been improving and learning that coming back when called is always the right choice.
Overall, Samson is making great progress. Rebuilding habits that have been in place for years takes time, patience, and consistency, but he continues to show us that he is more than capable of learning. He may be an older gentleman who likes to take the scenic route when completing his commands, but he is proving every day that he’s still willing to put in the work. I’m so proud of Samson and all the effort he continues to put into becoming the best version of himself! 🐶
6/26/2026
Today Samson and I hit the road and headed out to Santa Monica to continue building on his progress with distractions, and he did an amazing job! He even brought a little extra spunk with him today, which was fun to see. Samson was definitely excited to get out and explore, and that enthusiasm showed throughout our outing.
He made some really great progress with his commands, performing each one just as we’ve been working toward. Seeing him confidently follow through in such a busy environment makes me incredibly proud of how far he has come. He continues to show that he understands what is being asked of him and is becoming more reliable with each new challenge we introduce.
Samson was also happy to make some new friends along the way, both people and pups alike. One of my favorite things about him is how naturally well he handles social situations. He’s just a guy who is happy to be here, ready to enjoy whatever the day brings, and that positive energy can truly be contagious!
All in all, Samson had a fantastic day. He showed up, showed out, and proved once again how much progress he has made. I’m so proud of this guy and can’t wait to see what else he accomplishes!
6/27/2026
Today Samson and I took one last big adventure together out to Santa Monica to continue fine-tuning his commands with distractions, and he did wonderfully! He worked through each command just as we have been practicing and showed me once again how much progress he has made. Samson responds very well to leash guidance, so I had no doubt that he would be successful, but I was still incredibly proud of how he handled himself in such a busy environment.
One of my favorite things about Samson is his “I’m just happy to be here” attitude. He approaches life with such a positive outlook, and it has been so enjoyable watching him experience new adventures. I especially love when it’s time to load up in the car because he gets so excited in anticipation of where we’re headed. His excitement for our outings together has truly been a joy to see.
Samson continues to do well in social settings, which has been wonderful. The little guy simply loves love! He enjoys meeting people and soaking up attention, and it has been great seeing him confidently navigate different environments while still staying connected and responsive.
After our outing, we headed back to the house for bath time so Samson could go back to his people feeling fresh and clean. He handled his bath like a champ and seemed to appreciate being all cleaned up. Though, the moment he was finished being towel dried, he immediately decided it was time to celebrate by running all over the furniture. Silly goose!
On the potty training front, Samson has been doing very well. Aside from the two accidents he had early on, he has made great progress. As I mentioned before, the key with Samson is paying attention to his cues. Whether it’s howling, urgent sniffing, or spinning in circles, when you recognize those signs and get him outside, he is very good about finding his spot and taking care of business. It has been wonderful to see him build that consistency.
All in all, Samson has made so much progress over the last couple of weeks, and I couldn’t be more proud of him. It has truly been a pleasure getting to know him and being a part of his training journey. Samson is a sweet old boy who wants nothing more than to be loved and cared for, and it has been incredibly rewarding to help him build confidence and learn new skills.
Lastly, I want to thank you for trusting me with Samson and allowing me to be a part of this chapter in his life. My hope is that the work we have put in together will help both Samson and his handlers continue to thrive as he transitions into his new home. He is a very special guy, and I’m grateful I had the opportunity to be a part of his journey.
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