Slink | Dachshund | Los Angeles, CA | In Training
Updated: Aug 8
Meet Slink! He's a 9-month-old Dachshund from Los Angeles, California, and he's here for our Two Week Urban Board and Train Program. Slink is smack dab in the middle of his teenage months, plus he's getting used to living in a new house, which means he's being extra challenging for his mom right now! He's been doing a lot of barking, he's begging for food, having accidents on furniture, and refusing to do any of his commands. Over the next two weeks we'll make sure he knows all his basics and that he has to listen when given a command, teach him to quiet down when told, and make sure we get his potty training issues under control. Stay tuned for Slink's two-week transformation!
7/26/26
We stuck around at the park today for a little bit of practice before heading home, and Slink made it very clear he wasn't interested in doing any of those commands. He wanted to go sniff things and go where he wanted instead of where I wanted, and he wouldn't Sit even though I know he knows how to. I did get him to come to me once, so it was something! He may not have wanted to do any work, but he was friendly and let me pick him up to put him in the car, no problem, and he napped in the crate all the way home. Once there, I put him out in one of the play yards with a couple smaller dogs to keep him company. He was very happy to have some friends and ran around with them without any issues. He did do a bit of barking when he wanted out of the yard, so that's something we'll be working on right away! I kept him on a leash in the house so he couldn't wander off to go potty somewhere, letting him sniff and get used to his areas. He's a little uncertain about things so he didn't eat all his dinner, but that's normal for their first day or two. Once he gets the routine down and gets comfortable, it'll be no problem at all, and I'm looking forward to getting to work with him these next two weeks!
7/27/26
Slink's first day happened to be our company group practice day, so we started right out the gate with some pretty heavy distractions. He was thrilled to see other dogs and to make friends with everyone who wasn't reactive, including another Dachshund, but we did get to see that mounting behavior come out already! Part of that is excited energy, but he's at the right age for those hormones to be kicking in, so there's definitely some dominance involved too. I haven't seen it with the dogs at my house since they're all higher on the totem pole, but that other little guy today was very submissive and Slink did his best to take advantage! On the plus side, it did give me the opportunity to start correcting the behavior right away, which we don't always get. We can't fix a behavior we don't see, so at at least I had something to work with! As far as his commands go, he let it be known that he wasn't used to having any leash pressure around his neck. He did a lot of starting and stopping, spinning, and a bit of jumping up with even the slightest bit of pressure, but he was becoming responsive to it before we left. I was able to get him to give me a Sit and Down, and we even started right away with Place on the cots. For his Recall, I'm also working on getting him to not only come when called, but to position himself on the left side, ready to go into a Heel as needed. It's all very clumsy right now, but he seems pretty smart so I know we'll see a lot of improvement before he goes home!
7/28/26
Today Slink and I headed over to Pamela Park, which is a nice park nearby that is pretty big but not super busy, so it kept the distractions down. He was much better at walking on the leash for me today than yesterday with almost no fighting involved. He's decided he likes his Down command a lot so now I'll need to work on correcting his desire to go straight into that when I ask him to Sit, but it's better than him not giving me anything at all! And his Recall was smoother today too even after only one day, but he still needs quite a bit of help getting into his Heel position at the end of it. He'll get it though! He's doing better at home too, being less noisy outside and sleeping in his crate with minimal fuss. He was trying to do some gate dashing last night so we worked on making him wait today before he could go in and out of it, and he's starting to catch onto that already. He hasn't had any messes in the house, but I watch him like a hawk when he's just cruising around so he doesn't get an opportunity to lift his leg on anything, and he has to go potty outside before I bring him in for free time inside. If he doesn't potty outside, it's back in the crate he goes for a few minutes before we try again. He doesn't seem to have any issues going on the fake grass either, so a little potty patch at home might be the answer to his issues there if he won't go on the rock. Overall, he's coming along nicely for only his third day with me!
7/29/26
For today's session we went out to Arcadia Community Park, which is the largest park in our area with plenty of squirrels to serve as distractions. Normally there are plenty of people and dogs too, but no one's been coming out in this heat lately! Still, Slink had plenty of smells and sounds to keep him busy, but the distractions weren't the issue. He's so very set on laying down instead of sitting, so most of today's session was spent just getting him into his Sit and having him hold it until I released him. He knows the Down command but I don't want to dive into that one too much until I get him sitting reliably. We also worked on our Heel, which he's getting better at. He's very stubborn and he generally won't take treats while we're out so I don't have my lures like I typically would with teaching them to Heel from scratch. Still, he's getting it slowly but surely, and he was actually doing pretty well with on when we were on the way back to the car (when the camera was off, go figure!). We'll keep on working at it. We just have to push through the teenage Dachshund stubbornness! On the plus side, he's had more free time in the house today and hasn't had any messes, so the potty training is coming along!
7/30/26
Slink and I headed over to Monrovia Library Park today. It's nicely shaded and usually has a lot of people milling about at the tables or walking their dogs. Slink tends not to be distracted by any of those typical things, I noticed. He's always more interested in just sniffing around and checking out who's been where. I let him do some of that, of course, or else the outing wouldn't be any fun for him! But he also needed to be at his Heel when asked, come when called, and get into positions when I needed to pose him for his photos. He was much, much better at his Heel and his Sit today, so he's already remembering what he should be doing and being a little less stubborn for me. His Recall was stronger this time, and I still kept the Down command to a minimum so I could reinforce that Sit more. He tends to have zero issues with that Down! Basically, it was a much better day today than yesterday, and he seemed a lot more relaxed too. It should all be smooth progress from here!
7/31/26
Slink had a good day today! I took him over to Alice's Dog Park to the field across the parking lot where he'd have the distraction of other dogs without having to be inside the park itself. Once again, he really could care less about what's going on around him with other dogs and people, which is good. It makes him easier to work with! He finally seemed to catch onto that Sit command today with hardly any corrections, so I went back to working on his Place a little more today where he does need to lay down so I could start reinforcing that again. His Recall is coming along a lot better too - he's finally catching on to coming into that Sit at my side at the end of it. His Heel is much better as well. There's still a little more leash pressure than I'd like to use, but he's not trying to dart ahead anymore and isn't tugging backwards like before. For an update at home, he's earned more freedom in the house now. He hasn't had any accidents so I'm giving him more and more open space to cruise around in. He's also learned how to use the little dog door that goes out to the back run (which is mostly concrete), and he has been letting himself right on out when he does have to potty. So as long as the back yard is secure at home, it may not be a bad idea to invest in a little door so he can handle his business himself, and then of course locking it at night so he won't be out when the nighttime critters are running around. He doesn't like to be out for too long anyway, he's always super fast to come right back in once he's finished his business!
8/1/26
Today is supposed to be the hottest day for the next week in my area, so we went over to work in Home Depot in the AC. A lot of dogs are nervous going in there for the first time because of all the sounds and the little forklift things cruising around, but Slink handled it like he was born there! He even sat and waited as a forklift rolled right in front of us, no problem. His Heel was really clean today, he's moving into his Sit much faster and staying in it without me having to correct him, and there's much less confusion between the Sit and the Down. He was quick about going into Place when I pointed out spots, as well. After I was formally done with his session, I did a little shopping for my own garden and he stuck right with me, laid down at my feet while I was picking out plants, and was quiet and patient when I was checking out. He's really a great little shopping companion!
8/2/26
Another hot day meant another day at the mall. It was super crowded today so Slink had an opportunity to work around a lot of foot traffic, which is a little scary for a tiny guy! He was a little nervous so he struggled some with a few of his commands, but we got through it in the end! Oddly enough, it was his Down this time that he didn't want to do, when before that was all he wanted to give me! I think he was afraid he might get stepped on if he laid down in the middle of the floor there, which is super valid. People don't pay attention in that mall! Still, we didn't give up on it because he does need to do as told or else he'll think the commands don't actually mean anything, and he got it after a few minutes of working at it. He was also very good at not lunging and waiting until I gave him permission to go say hi to that dog. They did a few sniffs and went on their way, and it was a fun little moment for him. He was happy to see a friend in the middle of all those people!
8/3/26
Today Slink and I went on a nice walk through Old Town Monrovia. Everything had just opened up so people were starting to fill in the outdoor seating at the diners. Slink didn't mind navigating the families, strollers, or other dogs that went by. He sat nicely at the crosswalks for me, and today he didn't fight me on his Sit or Down. Most things are too high for him to jump onto in that area, but we worked on Place where we could and he didn't have issues with that one either. So either he was just having an off day yesterday, or he was too nervous in the mall to focus properly. That of course means I have to bring him back and try it again! Exposure to things and places that make him anxious are good, especially while he's still young and can learn there's nothing to be afraid of in places you're going to take him. We still have a week left, so he'll be a pro at crowds and indoor spaces by the time he goes home!
8/4/26
I brought Slink over to another little park in Monrovia where I know there's always plenty of shade, and usually we spot other dogs while we walk there. Slink's gotten very good at not pulling ahead on his Heel, and he understands to stop and Sit when I stop walking. There was a man walking four or five small dogs in a pack, and while Slink was certainly very interested in joining right in, he kept up with me with some small reminders to move along. His Recall is looking better and better each day, but his Down is still a thing he can be stubborn with depending on the surfaces he's on. He's fantastic with it when doing his Place, but just laying down on the sidewalk? He says, "I'm too good for that!" We always keep going until he gives me what I've asked for, though. If he wins even one time it just reinforces the idea that if he fights enough he'll get his way. By the time we were finished practicing for the day he was moving into that Down much better!
8/5/26
For today's video I wanted to show off some of Slink's house manners. The first one is sitting and waiting patiently before getting into the car. Slink is very excited to go anywhere so he had a tendency to try to hop right in before I even had the crate door open! But now he knows to wait until I release him so he can get in safely and when I'm ready. Then I also wanted to show off his manners at the door. He's not allowed to just dart through doors or gates without permission, so like the car, he's learned to sit and wait for me to give him his release word before he can pass through. And then the last is food manners. He's such an eager eater! The first few times we worked on this one he looked at me like I must be insane, making him wait. Now he knows I'll pick that bowl right back up if he moves before he's given his release word. He's much more polite about eating now. And then for his housebreaking, I can now completely trust him around the house without worrying about him marking anything or having accidents. He gradually went from having to be in the crate any time he was inside unsupervised to more and more free time without being on leash and followed around with a close eye. He potties outside quickly because he knows he doesn't get that free time inside until he does, and he goes and stands by the door when he needs to go out. He will also now go regularly on grass, turf and concrete since I know the lack of grass was a concern at home. Overall he's being a great little house guest!
8/6/26
It was back to the mall again today, this time smack dab in the middle where most of the traffic passes through. Slink was only a tiny bit nervous, much better than the last time we went, and he was able to give me all of his commands without a hitch. His Heel was nice and tight, he held his Sits without trying to lay down, and he went into his Place just fine. I was also very pleased with how calm he was when that lady came over to pet him. He didn't try to jump up, didn't snip at her at all, didn't jump, and didn't do any sort of submissive piddling. He just chilled out and let her touch him until she went on her way and I released him. Then we wandered around a little bit, just giving him more exposure and doing some window shopping. He was relaxed and politely staying in his Heel the whole time. He's become a regular mall pro now!
8/7/26
Slink and I headed over to Live Oak Park today to work around the playground area where there's typically kids running around everywhere. He ignored them for the most part and did all his picture poses for me without any issues. He's gotten so patient! On top of that, we had to cross the soccer field to get there from the parking lot, and he gave me a perfect Heel the entire way through the grass. The funny thing was, I didn't actually ask him for it and the leash was super loose, so he could've done a little free wandering to sniff and potty, but he chose not to. I was so pleased with that! After the photo shoot and a bit more practice on his commands to keep him sharp, we went back out to the field where I encouraged him to run around and do dog stuff so he could have his fun time too. He was really great for me out there today!
8/8/26
It's our last day in your two week training program! I typically try to take the dogs out to Santa Fe Dam on their last day and mostly have a fun day for them. The place is always packed with so many distracting things, a ton of people, and of course ducks and geese. Slink was certainly interested in checking out the ducks, but he left them alone and laid down for me on my command, no problem, and he didn't try to run after them when they all waddled away. He made a few doggy friends while we were there, too, including a pretty little lady Dachshund who thought he was hot stuff, and a funny little pug! He stayed in his Heel until I released him to play, he came for me easily when I called him back to me, and generally had a great time while still maintaining his manners. It was a fantastic last day! Slink's been a fun little journey overall. He went from a bit timid and unsure, to being super lovable, to being a great listener and all-around good dog. He caught on to things faster and better than I expected he would, and while he can have his stubborn moments, he really is pretty eager to please. I'm going to miss having him around! Keep up with his training and I know he'll be great when he goes home too. Thank you so much for letting be part of his learning journey!
Comments