Shadow | German Shepard | Arleta, CA | In-Training
- meganoffleashsocal
- Jun 25, 2023
- 37 min read
Updated: Mar 1, 2024
Meet Shadow, he's a six-month-old German Shepard from Arleta, California! He's here with us for our Two Week Board and Train Program, where we will be working to improve his obedience and manners, as well as provide potty training. Shadow is a loyal and energetic pup who has general knowledge of some basic commands, but he is easily distracted by his surroundings and often struggles to maintain the focus needed to reliably follow through with what is asked of him. He also likes to pull heavily on the leash while walking, and struggles with reactivity towards people and other dogs. Over the next fourteen days, we will be working to teach him new commands and improve his obedience to set him on the right track to becoming a well-behaved pup both on and off leash! Stay tuned for his transformation!
Pupdate 6/25/2023
Today Shadow and I spent the day bonding and getting to know each other at the park after pickup. He was unsure of me at first and barked at me a lot when first meeting me, but he eventually warmed up to me and became comfortable in my presence. We spent some time exploring the park together, and I tested his knowledge of basic commands to gain an understanding of what his starting point will be, as well as get an idea of what areas we may need to focus on in his training going forward. He was very distracted by his surroundings, and was often unable to focus on me or any commands for longer than a couple of moments. He was very focused on people and other dogs that walked past, and often reacted by barking, growling, or lunging towards them if they got too close to us. As he progresses in his training, we will get a better idea of the cause of these reactive behaviors, and introduce solutions to improve or eliminate them.
Shadow was able to perform sit a couple of times when asked, though despite having some understanding of the command, he often did not listen or follow through with it, as he was much more focused on distractions in the environment and could not pay attention. The few times he was able to perform a sit, he was not able to hold it very long, and would quickly stand back up after a couple of seconds. He was not able to come to me consistently when called, and would often ignore his name and the leash pressure when trying to get his attention for a recall. On the occasion that he did come over to me, he never stayed by me for more than a moment or two before pulling away or wandering back off again. He was unable to lie down when asked, and didn't seem to have an understanding of the command. Shadow didn't seem to understand the place command either and was unable to jump onto any objects when asked, though he did seem to have some confidence about climbing onto low objects to explore around when given the freedom to do so. He was also pulling on the leash a lot and veering off in different directions as we walked, and didn't seem to have an understanding of the heel command. He doesn't appear to have much knowledge of leash pressure yet, and often ignored the pressure completely when a flat collar was used. Due to this, I switched him over to a slip lead, which allows me to have a higher level of control and an easier time guiding him.
After we had a chance to get to know each other at the park, it was time to head home and get settled in! Shadow was very hesitant about jumping into the back of my car, but he was eventually able to jump in on his own when a treat was used to motivate him. It was great to see him jump up by himself since this is something he struggles with at home, though the goal will be for him to be able to jump into the car on command without any food motivators needed. Once in the car, he had no problem with loading into the kennel willingly when asked. At home, he seemed a bit anxious at first, but after spending some time together and playing with some toys, he calmed down a bit and was able to explore the environment and become more familiar with it. He was happy to eat his food at dinner time, and shortly after was able to go potty in the yard. During his first few days with me, he will be brought out to go potty every couple of hours, which will help to prevent any accidents. This consistency will help him develop a good habit of only going potty when outside. As the days progress, we will gradually increase the amount of time in between potty breaks to help him learn to hold it for longer periods of time. When it was time to settle in for a nap, he was hesitant about going into the kennel, and tried to resist physical guidance. He was however able to enter the kennel willingly once a food motivator was introduced, though he did vocalize a lot once inside, and it took a while for him to settle down. During his time with me, we will be working to help him to develop a more positive association with the kennel, which will encourage him to want to enter the kennel when asked and settle in quietly.
On another note, Shadow has come to me with a small wound on his back leg, which has been recently treated and bandaged. I will be keeping a close eye on the wound, and actively working to keep it clean to prevent any infections. Updates will be provided should there be any negative changes to the wound or the healing process.
Pupdate 6/26/2023
Today Shadow and I visited a park, where we met up with some other OffLeash SoCal trainers and their pups! We focused on introducing the Heel command, and worked to improve his understanding of leash and e-collar pressures. This location was also a great place to help him get used to common distractions often found in public places.
Whenever pressure is applied, be it from a leash or the e-collar, it is paired with a command. This pressure will remain present until he follows through with what is being asked of him, at which point the pressure will immediately turn off, and reward will be given. Leash pressure is a good introduction to this concept, as the pressure is directional, and dogs are often quick to figure out that they can turn off the pressure and receive reward when they simply follow the pressure being used to guide them. Shadow was quick to develop a clear understanding of leash pressure, so we introduced the e-collar and began pairing it with the leash pressure and verbal commands. Doing this teaches him that these two forms of pressure mean the same thing, eventually allowing for the opportunity to begin weaning off the leash pressure, replacing it with the e-collar, and opening the door for successful training without the need for a leash!
The goal for the Heel command is for Shadow to walk on my left side, with his paws at my heels. Teaching this precise positioning discourages pulling ahead, veering off, or lagging behind, which makes walking around with him much easier. Practicing heel also encourages engagement, which helps keep his attention on his training and handler, and away from any distractions in the area. We began by keeping the leash rather short, which restricted his ability to wander off or pull too far ahead as we walked. Whenever he caused tension in the leash by moving too far away, leash and e-collar pressure were applied and he was reminded with the verbal command, Heel. The moment he chose to stop pulling and follow along nicely at my heels without tension in the leash, he was rewarded and praised. Shadow caught onto this pretty concept quickly, and began to understand what was being asked of him. He stopped trying to constantly pull on the leash, which allowed him to walk nicely alongside me for a good amount of the time. We also practiced making lots of turns and sudden stops, which encouraged him to pay extra attention to what I was doing and where I was going, which is necessary in order for him to remain in the heel position properly. The park we visited today had lots of great distractions to work around, such as people, other dogs, grassy fields, and small animals such as birds and squirrels. He seemed to be a bit overwhelmed by his surroundings at first, but was eventually able to focus enough to begin learning. Shadow did display some reactivity towards a few people and other dogs when we passed by them, but after we spent some time training he became much better about controlling himself, and was able to ignore these triggers even in close proximity, which was great to see! Any time he was able to successfully ignore a distraction and not react negatively, he was rewarded with lots of praise and affection, which encouraged him to continue behaving in a calm and focused manner. Giving Shadow a task to focus on, such as walking in the Heel position, seemed to help a lot with managing his reactivity. Doing this would keep him busy, and helped to focus his attention and energy into something productive, which greatly reduced the likelihood of him displaying reactive behaviors.
On another note, Shadow did tear his bandages off last night, though his wound seems to be healing well and no signs of infection can be seen. After our training session at the park, I made sure to clean the wound thoroughly and applied a topical antibiotic to aid in the healing process. Shadow doesn't seem bothered by the wound at all, though I will continue monitoring it and be on the lookout for any changes.
Pupdate 6/27/2023
Shadow and I visited another park today, where we introduced the Come to Sit command, which is the main recall command he will be learning in this program. We also spent some more time practicing his Heel, and worked to increase his reliability for performing and holding the stationary command, Sit. The park had some distractions present, such as people and other dogs, though Shadow overall did a very good job of staying focused on me, and didn't seem to pay much attention to them as long as they were at a comfortable distance away. He did have a few moments where he began to display some reactivity towards the people or dogs if they got too close, though he was able to quickly redirect his focus away from these triggers when asked, which allowed us to prevent a full-on reaction before it occurred.
The goal for Come to Sit is for Shadow to come directly to me when called, maneuver to my left side, and hold a Sit there. Having a solid recall and the ability to perform and hold stationary positions are important for every dog to master for basic obedience training, so introducing this command early on will help him become familiar with it quickly. We teach this precise positioning so that when the canine comes over to us, they remain there and do not immediately wander back off. This also allows them to be in the perfect position to begin walking in a Heel at our left side. We began introducing the Come to Sit command by asking him to come to me, then applying leash and e-collar pressure to guide him towards me. The moment he followed the pressure and chose to come to me, the pressure immediately turned off and he was rewarded. He was able to understand what was expected of him fairly quickly, and began coming to me when called with only minimal leash pressure needed to get his attention, as he knew good things would happen when he listened! Once he understood that he was supposed to come to me when called, the next step was to guide him to where I wanted him to be after he came over to me. This was done by guiding him with leash pressure around to my left side, then asking for a sit. As soon as he followed through with the command completely by coming all the way to me and performing a Sit on my left side, he was rewarded with lots of praise, which encouraged him to pay close attention and consistently do what was being asked of him. I also made sure that he held his Sit each time he was asked, and did not get up on his own accord. Teaching him to wait until given a new command or the release command before he can get up from stationary positions will increase his obedience, patience, and reliability. We kept the durations for the Sit command on the shorter side today, though as the days progress we will gradually increase the amount of time he is asked to hold this command, to work him towards our duration goal of at least two minutes.
We practiced the Come to Sit command mainly from stationary positions at first, since this is when he was the most focused which allowed him to have an easier time learning. I would ask him to Sit, take a couple of steps back, and then ask him to come to me and perform the command. As he began to understand it more, we began practicing Come to Sit while he was slightly more distracted, such as when he was sniffing around or exploring nearby. It will be important for him to learn to listen to his commands no matter what, and be consistent with his recall even while he is distracted or there are interesting surroundings nearby. This is done by holding him accountable each time the command is given, as well as making myself more interesting and rewarding than any distractions that may be present in the area. We will also be working to increase the distance at which he can be recalled from, so we can gradually work towards our distance goal of at least fifteen feet away.
Pupdate 6/28/2023
Today Shadow and I visited a park, where we introduced two new commands, Place and Down. We also continued to practice with Heel, and worked to familiarize him with distracting areas. The park we visited today had lots of other dogs, children, small animals, and people around, which all were great distractions to test Shadow's focus and obedience with. We spent a good amount of time practicing commands and taking breaks in the shade alongside a pathway, where various people and dogs often walked along. We also walked along the path a lot, and worked to get him used to walking past people and dogs without reacting to them. Doing this helped desensitize Shadow to these distractions, and each time he was able to successfully ignore them and instead focus on me and the commands being given, he was given lots of praise and reward to communicate to him that this behavior was desirable. He didn't display any negative reactive behaviors today, which was great to see! He did sometimes stare at certain dogs or people if they got a bit close, though he never barked, lunged, or growled at anyone. He was also able to shift his focus away from distractions when asked, which helped a lot in preventing any hyper fixation or reactivity.
The goal for the Place command is for Shadow to jump or climb onto an object, such as a bench or other type of raised platform, and hold a stationary position such as Sit or Down. This command can be used not only when out in public with various seating areas, but also at home with a dog bed, or when loading into a truck or car. Today we started off with an easy object, by asking him to Place on a low, flat bench at the park that he could easily jump onto. When approaching the bench, light leash pressure was used to guide him where I wanted him to go, and he was encouraged to jump onto it with a hand gesture paired with the verbal command. Once on top of the object, he was asked to perform a Sit and wait there until released or given a new command. Each successful repetition was rewarded with praise and affection, which encouraged him a lot! He became very confident about jumping onto the bench after a couple of repetitions, and was consistently able to hold a Sit there for over a minute which was great to see! He was even able to Place and Sit while there were distractions nearby, and didn't seem to mind when I stepped a couple of feet away from him to create some distance between us. We also practiced Place with some different objects, and Shadow showed little to no hesitation about jumping onto them. He was even able to jump into the back of my car today very easily on command without any assistance, which shows he is gaining a lot of confidence in himself and his abilities!
Once Shadow was comfortable with performing Place on the low bench, we introduced the Down command. The Down command is simple in concept, and the goal is for him to lie down completely when asked and hold the position without getting up or moving around. Down can be challenging for some dogs to perform on command, as it is an instinctively submissive and vulnerable position, though Shadow was able to understand what was being asked of him fairly quickly, and was eager to follow my instruction. We introduced Down on the low bench, as he was familiar and comfortable with it, and it was a nice cool flat spot to relax on which helped encourage him to perform the command. Light leash pressure was used to guide him downwards, and a hand signal pointing to the ground was paired with a verbal command. As soon as he followed the guidance given and laid down completely, he was rewarded with lots of praise! After a few repetitions of this, he needed little to no physical guidance to perform Down, which shows that he is developing an understanding of the command. We then practiced Down while on some different place objects, and in different areas around the park such as in the grass or on the pathway. He was slightly more hesitant about performing Down while on the ground versus while on a place object, but after a few repetitions, he was able to perform Down on command with little to no physical guidance needed. He was also able to hold this position consistently for about a minute, even while distractions were nearby or while I was at a distance from him.
Pupdate 6/29/2023
Today Shadow and I visited the Santa Monica Pier, where we worked on each of his commands in a busy public environment. Shadow has quickly caught on to each of his commands, and has become skilled at performing them when in quieter environments, so the next step in his training is to get him comfortable with following commands when around different types and amounts of distractions. Despite all the commotion of this busy environment at the pier, he did a great job with each of his commands today, and was able to listen and follow through with everything that was asked of him! The location we visited today had numerous distractions, such as large crowds of people, many other dogs, birds, loud music, and other major distractions. He did get a bit distracted when people or other dogs approached us or got within a few feet of us, but after spending some time here surrounded by these distractions he began to pay less attention to them and had a much easier time ignoring them when asked. He was able to work around large crowds of people, bikes, strollers, and other dogs without displaying any reactive behaviors, which is great progress for Shadow! We have been putting a lot of work into getting him used to these types of distractions, and creating a positive experience when around them, which helps him stay calm and collected even in busy locations. He is learning that every single person or dog he sees is not a threat, and that displaying unwarranted behaviors such as barking or lunging is not appropriate or rewarding.
We worked through each of his commands while at the pier today, including Heel, Sit, Down, and Place. Shadow seems to be developing a good understanding of the e-collar stimulation, which allows me to use little to no leash pressure to guide him for his commands. Over the next couple of days, we will continue weaning him off leash pressure, which will help prepare him for off-leash training in the near future! He did pull on the leash slightly when we first arrived, but he was quickly able to find the correct positioning and walk nicely at my heels as we made our way along the pier. Shadow did very well with Heel, and was able to walk with a completely loose leash for most of the time while at the pier, even as we walked past major distractions in close proximity. We also practiced a lot with the Place command today, by asking him to perform the command on a variety of new objects, such as benches, stairs, and other platforms and objects. He showed no hesitation about jumping onto any of the objects introduced today, and was also confident in jumping onto high objects! He was a bit clumsy with a few objects like some of the more small or narrow benches, but he gave it a good effort and didn't let it stop him from trying again until he succeeded. Shadow also did a good job with Sit and Down, and was able to hold them for extended periods of time which was fantastic! He knew to get into the position that was asked of him, ignore the distractions around him, and wait there until released or given a new command. He was consistently able to hold his stationary commands for nearly two minutes today, which means he has just about reached the duration goal we have set! On another note, the wound on his leg appears to be healing well, and a scab has formed over a majority of the area. I have been diligently keeping the wound clean, treated, and free of any debris that may get caught in or around it during our training sessions, and am continuing to monitor it for any signs of negative change. Shadow has not shown any signs of pain or discomfort related to the wound, and doesn't seem to notice it at all, which is a good sign!
Pupdate 6/30/2023
Shadow and I visited a local shopping strip today, where we continued to practice each of his commands around distractions. This location provided another busy environment to work in, with lots of people and other dogs walking along the sidewalks, and loud cars passing by on the nearby street. For the most part, Shadow did a good job of remaining neutral to his surroundings, though he did display some reactivity by barking and lunging toward a person that was jogging along on the sidewalk, as he was approaching our proximity at a fast pace that Shadow found alarming. By asking him to focus back on me and perform a Sit as the person passed by, Shadow was able to realize that the person was not a threat, and was able to calmly allow the jogger to pass without reacting again. Apart from that incident, Shadow was able to successfully ignore every other major distraction present, such as people walking nearby, dogs walking by or barking at him, and also the loud noises from cars and buses.
Our training session today was focused on improving Shadow's consistency with holding stationary commands for extended periods of time while I am at a distance from him. The stationary commands include Sit, Down, and Place. He has been very good with quickly performing these commands once asked, though depending on the environment we are in and the level of nearby distractions, the duration for which he can successfully hold these positions varies, especially if I am at a distance from him. If I am directly beside him or only a couple of steps away, he typically has no trouble holding his positions for the duration goal of about two minutes, though if I am further away he is more prone to becoming anxious and breaking position to get up and move closer to me. Shadow is very loyal and affectionate, and loves being close to his handler, which is great in a lot of ways, though he also needs to gain the confidence, independence, and patience to be able to follow through with what is asked of him even if there is distance between him and his handler.
By using a long leash, we focused on gradually adding distance between us as he held his positions, and ensured he remained there until released or given a new command. Any time he broke position or came over to me before being asked, he was returned to the same spot and asked to return to the position he was in, and I created distance again by stepping back to where I was originally. This teaches him that breaking the position is not rewarding, and that doing so does not successfully get him what he wants, which is to be close to me and receive rewards like praise and affection. We kept it consistent and easy for him to understand by only giving rewards when he successfully waited until he was asked to get up or come to me. After many repetitions of this, he understood what he needed to do, and was much better about holding the position asked of him until told otherwise. Before this session, he was only consistently able to hold positions for extended periods of time while I was about four feet away, though as we practiced more, he was able to reliably hold positions while I was about eight feet away. While he has successfully doubled his comfortable distance today, more work will need to be done before he reaches the distance goal we have set of fifteen feet.
Pupdate 7/1/2023
Shadow and I visited a mall today, which was a great location to practice his commands around distractions while staying cool! The mall was on the quieter side today, though there were plenty of people walking around to serve as distractions as we worked on Shadow's training. There were also some pigeons in the outdoor area, as well as some other dogs who occasionally passed by, though Shadow didn't seem to pay much mind to them today and rarely became distracted by them.
He did a good job of remaining neutral to his general surroundings today, and didn't display any major reactive behaviors. He calmly allowed people to walk by at a close distance to us, and was also able to sit politely at my side when a friendly person approached us to talk to me. The person also wanted to say hello to Shadow, but he wasn't quite comfortable with the person reaching over to touch him at first. The fur along his back stood up and his body stiffened, which are both clear signs that a full reaction including barking, lunging, etc. would occur shortly if the trigger remained as it was. To prevent a reaction, we took a few steps back from the person and allowed Shadow to see and smell them from a more comfortable distance. Once he had the chance to familiarize himself with the person and understand that they were not a threat, he became much more relaxed and was no longer displaying the prerequisites to reactive behavior. After a few minutes went by, he was able to calmly hold a Sit, allowing the person to approach again and give him a gentle scratch under the chin. I made sure to give Shadow a lot of praise and affection after this, to communicate to him that this calm behavior was desirable and would be rewarded, which will encourage him to behave this way again in the future when meeting new people. While Shadow was very unsure when first meeting this person, it developed into a positive experience for him, which is a good step towards him creating polite greeting habits. We will still have to be careful when introducing him to new people, though by keeping a close eye on his body language, and ensuring each greeting leads to a positive experience, progress will be made in the right direction!
During our training, we continued to focus on creating distance during his stationary commands, and he did a much better job today with holding his positions! He was able to hold Sit, Down, and Place for about two minutes while I was at a distance of about twelve feet, which is very close to the distance goal we have set! With a little more practice, he should soon be very reliable with holding his stationary positions with the distance and duration goals set, even while distractions are present. We also focused on practicing each of his commands with as little leash pressure as possible, which overall he did a great job with. He was especially good with his Heel, and rarely if ever needed any leash pressure to guide him into the correct positioning, as he knew exactly where to be when asked to Heel. He has developed a good understanding of the e-collar as well, so whenever a reminder was needed to adjust his positioning slightly, he was able to do so without needing the leash to physically guide him. He also was able to perform Sit, Down, and Place with little to no leash pressure, which was great to see! The command he struggled with the most with minimal leash pressure was Come to Sit. He is great about coming right to me when called even if from a distance or when around distractions, however he will often become confused about where to go once he gets to me, and relies heavily on the leash to guide him to my left side for a Sit. Over the next couple of days, we will be focusing on improving Shadow's understanding of the command to help him achieve a consistent maneuver each time without needing leash pressure for guidance.
Pupdate 7/2/2023
Shadow and I visited a park today, where we continued to practice each of his commands with minimal leash pressure. There were lots of people, other dogs, and small animals running around at the park today, which all served as great distractions to train around. This park is adjacent to a busy street as well, which provided the additional distraction of traffic noise. Overall Shadow did a good job of ignoring the distractions in the area today, though he did display some prerequisites to reactive behavior whenever a person or dog approached us. He was able to calmly walk past these distractions or have them walk past us within close proximity, though his demeanor would quickly change if he noticed them walking directly toward us or attempting to approach us. To prevent a reaction and to ensure everyone's safety, we did have to keep our distance from other dogs, and not allow them to approach Shadow. People without dogs with them were better candidates to practice greeting manners with anyways, since the situation was easier to manage and produce a positive outcome without worrying about two dogs behaving at once. We practiced the same greeting routine as yesterday, by first having the person stand at a comfortable distance away from Shadow, and allowing him to familiarize himself with them first before attempting a close-up greeting. He did well with this, and was able to be greeted and pet by people without displaying reactive behavior.
During our training session, we focused on improving his Come to Sit, as this is the command he has been struggling with the most when leash pressure is minimal or absent. We first did several repetitions with mild leash pressure to guide him once he got to me, which helped get him warmed up and familiar with the maneuver and the position he should be in. After many successful repetitions of this, I began using less leash pressure and eventually stopped using the leash for guidance altogether and had it hang loose as we practiced. I instead encouraged Shadow to focus on my hand signals and body positioning to guide him to the correct spot at my left side. The transition away from leash pressure for this command was a challenge for him at first, and would often need to be asked to reposition himself or try the command again until he got it right. Though each time he got it right, lots of praise and affection were given to encourage him and communicate that he did a good job! The absence of leash pressure for directional guidance causes Shadow to have to problem-solve and think hard about where he needs to be when the command is given, which is a great mental exercise for him. He improved a lot towards the end of the session, and was much more reliable about coming right to me when called and performing a Sit on my left side. However, more work will still need to be done to fine-tune his positioning and improve his consistency.
I'd also like to touch back on the topic of Shadow's potty training and kennel training. So far, he has only had two potty accidents in the house, which both occurred overnight in his kennel during the first couple of days with me. This may have been due to the stress of staying in a new environment, and/or due to being uncomfortable and unfamiliar with being in the kennel. When asked to enter the kennel, he would strongly protest and need to be physically guided into the kennel to get him inside, and once inside he would loudly bark and whine for long periods of time in hopes he would get to come back out. We have since been putting a lot of work into getting him familiar with the kennel, and helping him develop a positive association with it. We have been playing fun games like fetch in and around the kennel, occasionally feeding meals while in the kennel, and rewarding him each time he enters it willingly when asked. Shadow has made some great progress, and no longer tries to protest when asked to enter it or has any potty accidents while inside it, which is great! He does sometimes whine and vocalize a bit once the kennel door is closed, though he is getting better about settling in and quieting down shortly after. We have been practicing only letting him out of the kennel when he is calm and quiet, which further encourages this good behavior. In regards to his potty training, during the first few days with me, he was brought outside or to the yard every couple of hours throughout the day and night. Though now that he is settled in and understands where he needs to go potty at, we have been increasing the duration in between potty breaks, and working to build up his ability to go potty on command.
Pupdate 7/3/2023
Today Shadow and I visited a park, where we met up with some other OffLeash SoCal trainers and their pups! This was a great opportunity to practice Shadow's commands and test his focus while in close proximity to other dogs and new people. Overall Shadow did a great job today, though there were a few moments where he became overstimulated by the presence of the other dogs nearby, which caused him to react. When he was calm and focused, he was able to walk past the other trainers and their dogs, and have them walk around him without any issues. While actively focusing on performing a command, such as Sit, Down, or Heel, he seemed to have an easier time staying calm and ignoring the distractions around him. He was even able to hold stationary commands such as Down for long periods of time while next to the other trainers and their dogs once he was familiar with them and understood they were not a threat. It was however important to keep a close eye on his body language any time he was close to the other dogs, in order to watch for any signs of oncoming reactivity. Though whenever Shadow began to lose focus, became hyper-fixated on the dogs, or if they got too close for his comfort, he would sometimes react by barking and lunging. When this happened, leash and e-collar pressure were applied alongside the Off command, which helped to grab his attention away from the trigger and bring his focus back to me and his training. Off is the general command we use to communicate to Shadow that he needs to stop whatever he is doing, and focus his attention on me. It is similar to "leave it", or "no" and can be used in a wide variety of situations, such as to prevent or cease reactive behavior, when he is jumping on someone, eating something he's not supposed to, and much more. It is often beneficial to ask him to perform another command shortly after the Off command, such as asking him to Sit. Down, or Heel. This gives him something else to focus on, which helps prevent him from returning to the undesirable behavior again. He has a good understanding of the Off command, and typically will respond quickly to it by stopping what he is doing, and providing eye contact as he waits for instruction.
While working on his commands, we continued to focus on weaning off the leash pressure used for guidance. He had no trouble with performing Sit, Down, and Place with no leash pressure being used, even while various distractions were present nearby. He was able to hold each of these stationary commands while I was about fifteen feet away for at least two minutes, meaning he has reached both the distance and duration goals for these commands! He did pretty well with Heel also, but he did sometimes need some momentary leash pressure to grab his attention again when he began to lose focus due to the nearby dogs. While at a comfortable distance away from the distractions, he was able to walk very nicely in the Heel position with a completely loose leash, and remain in the position as we made various turns and sudden stops. He has improved a lot with his Come to Sit command also, though he will need more practice before he can consistently and properly perform the maneuver each time when leash pressure is absent. He was great about coming right to me when called, and was often able to come to my left side for a sit, though he would sometimes sit a bit too far behind me, or sit at an angle instead of straight forward, so we'll be working on fine-tuning his positioning over the coming days.
Pupdate 7/4/2023
Happy Fourth of July! Today Shadow and I spent the day working on his commands around different areas of my neighborhood and at a shopping strip, and finished the day by visiting a park. Each location had a different variety of distractions, including crowds of people, dogs, loud cars, and small animals. Shadow did a great job with his training today, and was also able to ignore most distractions present around him. I also made sure that he got lots of mental and physical exercise today, to help wear him out so he can feel as calm as possible tonight in the event there are sounds of fireworks nearby. I also have some slow feeders and other fun puzzles for Shadow to work on and keep him busy throughout the evening.
The biggest challenge for Shadow today was walking along narrow sidewalks in my neighborhood past people and other dogs. As we know, Shadow does not like when strangers or other dogs walk directly toward us or get too close, so learning to ignore these distractions and not react to them is something we have been working on during our daily walks. When preparing to walk by someone or have someone pass by us within a close range, I ask him to focus on me and perform a Heel, that way he is close to me, out of the way, and is busy performing a task. When he is calm, focused, and following instructions, we can proceed to pass by the person. However in certain cases, such as when the person has a dog with them or if he is especially nervous about a certain person approaching, we will step off to the side a couple of steps and I'll ask Shadow to perform a Sit or Down. This helps him stay calm and focused, and puts the person or dog at a comfortable and safe distance away so that he is less likely to react as they pass by. As always, it's important to keep an eye on his body language when in situations like this. If he begins displaying warning signs such as a stiffened posture, hyper fixation, or the fur along his back begins to stand up, then serious reactive behavior will occur unless action is taken to prevent it. Asking for the Off command is usually enough to snap him out of it, though sometimes distance will need to be created between him and the trigger before he can calm down again.
During our training session today, we continued to focus on removing leash pressure. We practiced for off-leash work by using a long leash, and holding it at the very end, allowing the excess to drag along the floor. This ensures no leash pressure is used whatsoever, and simulates how the training will function while he is off-leash. This way, we can practice for the transition and provide him with additional freedom similar to being off-leash, while still having him safely tethered in the event the leash is needed as a backup safety measure. With no tension in the leash, he has the opportunity to make mistakes such as wandering off while in Heel for example, and then problem solve to correct his positioning without any guidance from the leash. He did a fantastic job performing each of his commands today, and didn't seem to notice the lack of leash pressure. He was quick to follow through with anything that was asked of him, and showed an excellent level of patience, obedience, and understanding of his commands. He performed Sit, Down, and Place with enthusiasm, and was happy to wait patiently in these stationary positions for multiple minutes while I was at a distance away. He also did great with his Come to Sit, and was very consistent and reliable with his recall and positioning. His Heel was also solid overall, though he did need an occasional reminder of the Off command, as he would sometimes stop walking temporarily to sniff grass or trees as we passed them. Once given the Off command, he would quickly stop what he was doing, and return to my side for the Heel position.
Pupdate 7/5/2023
Today Shadow and I visited a local park, and continued working on his training with no leash pressure. While in the main area of the park, we practiced each of his commands with the long leash around various distractions, such as other dogs, people, and small animals. Overall he did an excellent job, and was able to listen and follow all the directions given to him. Despite having the freedom and possible temptation to wander off, he knew to stick by me and not get into any mischief. He was able to walk very nicely in the Heel position, even while there were major distractions nearby such as dogs playing fetch and children running around. Shadow also did a fantastic job with performing and holding his stationary commands of Sit, Down, and Place. He also had no trouble with Come to Sit today, and knew to come straight to me whenever he was called, even when there were distractions present or if I was at a distance from him. His positioning has also improved a lot, and he was much more consistent with finishing the command with a Sit on my left side each time.
While at the park, there was also a fenced-in section which was a great place to practice Shadow's skills while completely off-leash. For everyone's safety, it's best to only practice his commands off-leash when there are no risky distractions around, such as other dogs or busy streets, due to his reactive tendencies. While Shadow has never tried to chase or approach other dogs while we are training, sometimes other dogs will attempt to approach him causing him to display reactive behavior. While he no longer needs leash pressure to guide him for commands, it's still an important safety backup to have unless the environment is safe and free of these risks. While in the fenced area, Shadow did a fantastic job with each of his commands and didn't seem to notice or mind that the leash was no longer present. He followed through with everything that was asked of him, and performed each of his commands with great enthusiasm! There were also distractions nearby that could be seen and heard through the fence, but Shadow didn't seem to pay much mind to them and was able to ignore them when asked. I'd also like to touch on another area of Shadow's training, his house manners! House manners include potty training, kennel training, food manners, and door manners. His potty training has been going very well, and he has not had any more accidents inside the house, and can wait up to eight hours in between potty breaks. He is also showing a good understanding of the verbal cue, "go potty", and is often quick to find a spot outside to do so once asked. His kennel training has also been going smoothly, and he has come to see the kennel as a nice relaxing space that he is happy to enter when asked to. He's also gotten much better about being quiet while in the crate, and has not been whining or barking when he wants to come out, as he has learned it will not get him what he wants. The goal for food manners is for Shadow to be able to hold a stationary command, such as Sit or Down, and wait there patiently as his food is prepared and set in front of him. He then is asked to wait there until given the release command before he can get up and begin eating. This polite practice helps to improve his obedience and patience, and food is a great distraction to practice his stationary commands around. It also prevents him from becoming demanding or pushy during meal times, and ensures he does not get too excited and try to jump on the person feeding him, onto counters or tables, etc. The goal for door manners is similar, where we have him wait patiently in a stationary position by a door, and have him wait there unless given permission to walk through the threshold of the doorway. Until he is released or given a new command, he needs to remain in the position even if the door is wide open, people are coming in and out of it, etc. This teaches him the importance of boundaries, and helps to prevent behaviors such as pushing past people while going through doorways, rushing at people who enter the door, and other bad manners.
Pupdate 7/6/2023
Shadow and I visited the Santa Monica Pier today, where we practiced each of his commands both on and off-leash around a high amount of distractions. We also were able to capture some great footage that will be used in his final video, so be sure to check out the sneak peek in today's video! Overall Shadow did a fantastic job today, and was able to show an excellent level of focus, obedience, and self-control despite the very busy environment. We also practiced his greeting manners today, and he was able to greet many people calmly and politely. I am so proud of Shadow, he has progressed so much during our time together!
While at the pier, he did a great job of staying neutral to his environment, and didn't allow any of the commotion, crowds of people, or other dogs in the area to distract him. We started the session by walking along the pier with a loose leash, and practiced each of his commands around the various distractions to test his ability to follow through with what was asked of him. He seemed completely unbothered by his surroundings, and was happy to follow me around and listen to me when asked to do something. He had relaxed body language, and at no point displayed any reactivity or warning signs of reactive behavior towards any people or other dogs, which is a great sign of the amazing progress he has made!
With his great behavior proving the leash unnecessary here, it was time to show off his off-leash skills! Despite the busy environment, this was a safe place to practice his off-leash training, as there are no major risks such as busy streets or random off-leash dogs running around. Similar to yesterday, Shadow didn't seem to notice the absence of the leash, and was able to perform each of his commands without issue. He was able to stick right by me in the Heel position, even as we moved through crowded spaces, made sudden turns and stops, and even as we passed by other dogs. He performed Place with ease, and showed no hesitation even when jumping onto high objects. His Come to Sit was also very reliable and consistent, and he knew exactly what to do when recalled while off-leash. He was always happy to listen and come right to me whenever he was called, as being right beside me is one of his favorite places to be! He also did great with his Extended Down, and was very comfortable remaining in that position for long periods of time, even while I was at a distance and distractions were all around us. He also performed Extended Sit well and was consistently able to reach the goal duration and distance, though towards the end of our day here he got a bit tired and would sometimes be tempted to lie down after a while instead of holding the Sit. When this happened I would remind him to return to the Sit, that way he does not get in the habit of disobeying commands when he feels like it. Once he showed understanding and knew to hold the Sit until asked, I would reward him with a break and allow him to relax in the Down position, which he definitely enjoyed! Also as an update to the wound on his leg, it is healing very well and the scab is beginning to shrink as the healthy skin grows in. Still no signs of infection, irritation, or disturbance to Shadow! Soon the wound will be completely healed!
Pupdate 7/7/2023
Today Shadow and I visited an outdoor mall, which was a great location to practice Shadow's off-leash skills! We practiced each of his commands around a variety of distractions, as well as worked some more on his greeting manners. Overall Shadow did a great job of staying focused and on task, and didn't let any of the nearby distractions take his attention away from what was being asked of him. He has no trouble performing any of his commands today, even while off-leash around distractions such as crowds of people, other dogs, birds, and tempting scents from nearby restaurants. He was able to follow alongside me in a nice Heel as we walked around the mall, and never strayed too far from me or wandered off. When slight adjustments needed to be made to his positioning, he was quick to correct himself and return to the proper position when asked. He was comfortable and confident about jumping onto any place object I asked him to, and was able to hold extended stationary positions Sit and Down with ease. Shadow was also consistent with his Come to Sit, and seems to have developed a very good understanding of the command.
Shadow paid no mind to the distractions in the area today, though for safety reasons we made sure to keep some distance between him and any other dogs at the mall. He doesn't seem to pay much attention to other dogs that are a comfortable distance away, though in the recent past, he has shown reactivity towards unfamiliar dogs that attempt to suddenly approach him and get way too close for his comfort. This behavior can sometimes occur with people as well, but Shadow has gotten better about not reacting negatively when friendly people approach us. When introducing Shadow to new people, it's still important to allow him some time to see and smell the person from a comfortable distance away, before allowing them to fully approach or interact with Shadow. As always, paying close attention to his body language is key in preventing reactive behavior, and setting him up for success to have polite greeting manners.
I'd also like to note that Shadow seems to have less reactivity issues towards people when he is in a busy environment. When there are tons of people and lots of distractions around, he doesn't seem to worry as much about people getting close, walking up to us, or even saying hello to him and petting him. For example while at the Santa Monica Pier, Shadow was quite relaxed and was able to be approached and pet by various people, only needing a couple of moments to familiarize himself with them beforehand. However, when in more quiet places with fewer people around, he will become very aware and concerned about any person that approaches, and is much more likely to react by barking and lunging if they continue approaching or attempt to greet him before he's had a chance to become familiar with them for at least a few minutes prior. This may be due to his protective nature, though it is no excuse for reacting in this way towards friendly people, so he will need more training and practice with these greeting scenarios for him to understand what behavior is desirable versus what is inappropriate.
Pupdate 7/8/2023
Today was Shadow's last full day with me, so we spent the day putting all of his learned skills to use to have a great day together! We visited a park in the morning, where we played fetch and had a fun time exploring and practicing commands off-leash. There were some people and dogs at the park, but Shadow didn't mind them at all and was happy to stick near me at a comfortable distance away from the distractions. After the park, we then made a visit to a pet-friendly café, and Shadow was happy to hold an Extended Down at my feet under the table. He was able to hold that position very patiently and calmly, and displayed very polite behavior by not begging for food, jumping on the table, or barking at the staff or other customers. He was even able to show off his polite greeting manners to some nice people who worked at the café, and earned a yummy dog treat for his good behavior!
In the evening we took one last walk around the neighborhood, and we practiced all of his learned commands while off leash. He was happy to stick right by me in the Heel position, and never wandered off or strayed too far from me even as we passed by tempting scents and distracting areas. He also knew to stop and Sit beside me when preparing to cross a street, and waited patiently until given the go-ahead to continue onwards. This shows he has a good understanding of street boundaries, and understands to not walk into a street without permission. His Come to Sit was solid each time, and he was always very quick to come running over to me and Sit at my left side any time he was asked to. As usual, he also did a great job with each of his extended stationary positions of Sit, Down, and Place, and was able to remain in the position that was asked of him for multiple minutes even when I was at a great distance from him!
We also practiced some more with his car manners today, as being able to jump into the back of a vehicle is something Shadow struggled with a lot before coming to me for his board and train. I am happy to say that Shadow no longer has any issue with jumping into a car, or any place object! He is always eager to follow through with what is asked of him, even if the object is unfamiliar or is high up. During his first few days with me, he would sometimes hesitate and need a lot of encouragement before he would even attempt jumping onto something he was unsure about, though now he is very confident and has proven to be more than capable of jumping onto just about any reachable object, including the backs of high cars. Another thing Shadow struggled with was entering the kennel once in the car, as he would sometimes protest about having to go inside, or begin crying loudly the moment he was inside it. Though now that Shadow has developed a positive association with the kennel, he is happy to climb right in and settle in for the ride!
Shadow has come such a long way during our short time together, and he has made so much progress on his training journey! He came to me as easily distracted, overly reactive, anxious, and almost unmanageable in daily life. Though now he has learned the skills, manners, and obedience necessary to be an amazing and well-behaved canine companion in just about any situation! He has learned to be polite both inside and outside of the house, and has learned the skills necessary to safely enjoy the freedom that comes with being off-leash. He still has a ways to go on his journey before he completely overcomes his reactivity towards people and dogs in specific situations, though we now have a clear line of communication open with him, which can be used to continue teaching him right from wrong as he grows into adulthood. A solid foundation has been set, and he is very eager to continue learning and growing! With his intelligence, loyalty, and eagerness to please, the sky's the limit for this pup, and I know he will have a bright future ahead of him with his family!
Comentarios