Stevie | Belgian Malinois/Golden Mix | Santa Monica, CA | In - Training
- cristianoffleash
- Mar 30
- 19 min read
Updated: Apr 12
Meet Stevie, a 1.5-year-old Belgian Malinois/Golden Retriever mix from Santa Monica, CA, who has joined us for our 2-Week Board & Train Program. While Stevie is familiar with some basic commands, she struggles with staying focused, often allowing her environment to dictate her behavior instead of listening to her owners. Stevie is friendly and loves people, but she tends to bark at certain older men. Additionally, she has difficulty maintaining a consistent pace during walks and tends to pull on the leash when walking with her owners. Over the next two weeks, we will be working on enhancing her obedience, building her confidence, and improving her manners to help her become a well-behaved pup. Stay tuned to see her transformation!
Pupdate 3/30/2025
Today, I had the pleasure of meeting Stevie, and she was incredibly happy and energetic as we got to know each other at the park before heading home. During the car ride, however, she was calm and quiet, not making a sound. Once we arrived home, I unpacked our belongings, and even during this time, she remained silent until I let her out of the car. We started with some training in the front yard, focusing on the basics like leash pressure and the “place” command to keep her engaged with me and minimize distractions from the environment.
After our training session, we went inside the house where Stevie encountered my parents. She sniffed them as they went about their activities, but they didn’t interact with her. We spent some time in the living room and backyard, allowing Stevie to familiarize herself with her new home for the next two weeks. When we moved to my room, I introduced Stevie to my dog, Hunter, while he was in his crate. They sniffed each other amicably, so I allowed Stevie to explore and settle in before letting Hunter out to meet her. After about twenty minutes, I released Hunter from his crate, and they immediately started playing like old friends. They played for around ten minutes before getting tired and lying down to rest.
Throughout the day, we continued with training and introduced Stevie to her e-collar, which we will use for off-leash work. Her response to the e-collar was positive—she felt the stimulation without any signs of discomfort or negative reactions.
Stevie is adjusting very well and appears to be gaining confidence with each passing moment.
As we continue our training, we will focus on her socialization and obedience, taking her out into public to build on these skills. Stay tuned for updates on Stevie’s progress as her personal dog trainer!
Pupdate 3/31/2025
Today, we visited Whittier Narrows Park in El Monte, CA, to train alongside our off-leash friends and the dogs they are working with. When we first arrived, Stevie was allowed to roam on leash until we reached the gazebo, where we set down our belongings and got ready to start our training session.
In the first video, we began by focusing on Stevie’s "place" command to keep her engaged and to ensure she held her position until given a break. Megan was training her dog next to us, which provided a distraction. However, Stevie remained calm and continued her training without becoming impulsive. While Stevie was in her place, I walked around her in a circle to further challenge her. She continued to impress me by maintaining her focus and obedience throughout.
The second video shows our recall practice, where we’re teaching Stevie the basics of the command. The goal is to ensure she understands the movement required to complete the recall perfectly. I started by luring Stevie around my right side to her left side, where her heel position is. It took a few tries to get it right, but within minutes, she was able to complete the movement on her own, with little assistance from the leash. We continued practicing this before returning to our friends for another training exercise.
In the final video, we worked on impulse control by having Stevie remain on her place mat while I moved around and interacted with the other trainers. The goal was for Stevie to stay in a down position despite distractions, including verbal cues and physical movements from me. At one point, around the 4:23 mark, I clapped my hands, causing Stevie to get up briefly. I redirected her back to the mat and asked her to lie down again. She got up once more but stayed on the mat without touching the floor. From then on, I continued redirecting her back to her down position to reinforce the behavior. Once we finished, I kneeled down and said “break,” which is Stevie’s release word, followed by praise and a reward.
Stevie had a great time at the park today, even greeting some of the other dogs on good terms. She stayed by my side in a down position until we headed back to the car, where she spent the rest of the day with Hunter and continued her training at home.
Pupdate 4/1/2025
This morning, Stevie and Hunter went on a walk with me. Throughout the walk, Stevie demonstrated confidence in maintaining her pace and staying focused, effectively ignoring Hunter. Our walk lasted about 45 minutes, after which we headed home to let the dogs play in the backyard. Once they were done playing, we took a break inside to have breakfast and rest before beginning our training for the day.
In the video above, we worked on door manners, specifically with the side gate. While we’ve been practicing small moments of door training after each walk, today we dedicated more time to focusing on this skill for better conditioning. During our backyard session, Stevie was determined to stay in the yard but got up once. Instead of coming towards me, she moved toward the other side of the yard. I called her back to her mat and repeated the exercise. Once I made my way to the gate to close it, I released her with a “break” command and rewarded her. After redirecting Stevie a second time, she remained on her mat throughout the session. I then praised her as I returned and rewarded her for her focus.
In the second video, we worked on impulse control inside the house, specifically Stevie’s down command, allowing me to move freely around the house without her acting on impulse. As soon as we started, Stevie attempted to follow me, but I redirected her back into a down position in the living room and continued with my movements. To challenge her, I threw a pillow and tape in front of her, which caused her to get up. However, I redirected her back into the down position to reinforce our practice. At the end of the session, I sat beside Stevie. If she had gotten up, I would have redirected her, but she stayed patiently. When I gave the “break” command, she was rewarded for her patience and good behavior.
Pupdate 4/2/2025
This morning, the dogs enjoyed their walk together, which went smoothly. Afterward, they had some playtime in the backyard that lasted about ten minutes before heading inside to relax and hang out in the house.
Later, we visited Anaheim Pet & Feed to work on Stevie’s behavior in a pet-friendly store. When we first arrived, Stevie was excited but attempted to pull me into the store, so we spent a few minutes walking in and out to help her understand the proper way to enter businesses. Once inside, she became quickly distracted by all the smells and items on the shelves, so I used her "off" command (also known as "leave it") and focused on keeping her heel position to prevent her from pulling me around. After a few attempts, we found a good pace where Stevie was able to stay by my side.
During our training in the aisles, Stevie was doing well overall but would occasionally bark at random noises coming from the store or nearby aisles. Each time she barked, I redirected her attention and only rewarded her when she acknowledged the sounds calmly without reacting. When practicing other commands, she handled most of them with ease, although she did need some assistance with recall and down. Overall, she was efficient in her training today. Several employees greeted Stevie, and she did well, staying calm and not jumping or being overly excited.
By the end of our visit, Stevie had gained more confidence and was able to stay calm in the store, even when exposed to random noises. One of our key objectives was to keep Stevie in a "down" position for about two minutes in front of the cashiers. During this exercise, she maintained the down position effortlessly as customers made their purchases and left the store. Upon returning home, Stevie was rewarded generously with praise and playtime with Hunter, and we continued with additional home training sessions throughout the day.
Pupdate 4/3/2025
This morning, Stevie and Hunter began their day with their usual walk and playtime together. Afterward, they had breakfast and some rest before we began our training session for the day. The first video shows our initial training session, which focused on loose leash dragging to help condition Stevie for off-leash obedience. During this exercise, Stevie is very eager to follow me, but she sometimes creates distance between us, so I need to closely manage her movements whenever she steps too far away. To reinforce this, I follow up with her recall and then ask her to go to her place mat. While I walk around the neighborhood, Stevie stays in her place, holding her position for about two minutes before I return to release her and reward her with praise and affection.
In the second video, I work on Stevie's impulse control, using her place mat as a distraction. I drop it in front of her and move it around in various ways to test if she will act on impulse. However, she successfully stays in her down position while I move the mat around, allowing me to do whatever I need without her reacting. Although she seems to have improved in dealing with distractions around the house, we still need to challenge her more during outings and visits.
The final video features a training session with my younger brother. I supervise as he works with Stevie, helping her when she starts to act impulsively. Stevie can walk with him and perform a sit, but when asked to do a down or recall, she resists. This is likely because Nick hasn’t practiced training with her as frequently as I have, and Stevie tends to respond differently to each person depending on their level of experience. When Nick tries to create distance for the recall, Stevie is determined to follow him. However, Nick handles the situation well by redirecting her and getting her back into obedience. Once their practice is over, Nick is able to create enough distance to release Stevie, rewarding her with praise.
The rest of the day was spent working on obedience with me in the backyard. Stevie also had quality time with Hunter, playing, chasing a tennis ball, and resting together when they got tired.
Pupdate 4/4/2025
Today, we visited Hillcrest Park in Downtown Fullerton for some exercise and to practice obedience training throughout the park. When we first arrived, Stevie was fine walking with me, but climbing stairs proved to be a challenge. She kept trying to pull me up with her, so we spent about five minutes going up and down the staircase to help desensitize her to this habit of rushing up. Once we successfully made it to the top, we walked on the grass, and Stevie relieved herself before we started on our regular walking route through the park.
We continued our walk, focusing on obedience training near the fountain. We practiced the "place" command while keeping Stevie structured to prevent her from jumping into the water. To my surprise, she didn't mind the splashing or the noise from the fountain, so we repeated the command several times before moving on to another area. As we headed toward the Lions Field staircase, a popular spot for exercise, we took the trail leading there, and Stevie stayed consistent with her heel, walking beside me.
When we reached the stairs, I took Stevie up to the midpoint. She remained calm and in sync with me, but when people passed on our left, she seemed interested in smelling them. I used the "off" command to redirect her attention and keep her focused on walking up the stairs. Once we reached the top, we took a short break, allowing Stevie to observe her surroundings and take in everything happening around her.
In the video above, we continued our obedience work near the main street. At first, the cars and street noises seemed to make Stevie a bit uncomfortable, but as we practiced her commands, her confidence quickly grew. We went over each command individually, and Stevie performed them with ease. I even dropped the leash, and she remained calm, demonstrating her off-leash obedience, which we'll continue to practice soon. The video ends with me placing her on a bench and attempting to get her to follow me by pretending to run. She stayed in her place until I gave the "break" command, rewarding her with praise.
After our park visit, Stevie spent most of the morning napping. Once she woke up, we continued with house training once my family returned home from work.
Pupdate 4/5/2025
Today, we went to Home Depot to begin leash dragging conditioning as part of Stevie's off-leash obedience training. When we first arrived, we walked through the garden section, where two dogs in a stroller were barking at Stevie. However, we were able to pass them without any issues. As we walked by, I calmly gave Stevie her "off" command to keep her disengaged and focused on me. Once inside the store, I let the leash drop and allowed it to drag behind her as we moved through the aisles. Throughout our time there, I asked Stevie to sit or lie down in various sections. At first, she appeared a bit nervous when asked to follow these commands, but after a few repetitions, she gained confidence and started responding more reliably.
We spent most of our training in the lumber section, where we focused on reinforcing all of her commands in the open space for about ten minutes. As customers walked by and grabbed lumber, Stevie remained calmly in a down position, despite the distractions. Once they moved on, I continued to break her and reward her for staying calm and composed during these experiences, reinforcing the goal of making our outings peaceful and normal.
Next, we moved to another aisle with a step ladder. I took this opportunity to teach Stevie a new trick: a pose position for photos. We practiced this a few times, and Stevie caught on quickly, showing her eagerness to learn new commands. During this training session, a gentleman passed by and was impressed by Stevie’s behavior. He asked if he could pet her, and I gave permission after asking Stevie to sit. When the gentleman used a baby voice to call her over, Stevie was motivated to approach him, sit, and enjoy some petting. She remained calm, not jumping or getting overly excited.
Our final exercise involved asking Stevie to remain in a sit while I created a significant distance from her, as shown in the last photo. I also walked to the end of the aisle and back, then rewarded her as usual for staying in position. We also practiced our heel command, focusing on making sure Stevie properly follows left and right turns when I vocalize them. Her recall has improved, though she can still be a bit slow when returning to me, so we will continue working on that. Overall, Stevie did great today, maintaining consistency in her training and confidently walking around the store with the leash dragging behind her.
Pupdate 4/6/2025
This morning, I took Hunter and Stevie to Hillcrest Park in Fullerton for some exercise and to train both dogs together throughout the park. Upon arrival, I led them to an open grassy area to relieve themselves, and once they were finished, we began our walk around the park. We maintained a steady pace, and when squirrels crossed our path, Stevie would get startled. However, I used her "off" command to redirect her focus, and she remained calm, keeping her attention on our walk.
Throughout the walk, we practiced commands like "sit" and "down" at random moments, especially when navigating stairs or passing people with their dogs. Every time we encountered another dog, Stevie stayed calm and neutral, maintaining focus on me, even when the other dogs barked. At one point, we paused in a small open area to work on their recall. Initially, this was somewhat unsuccessful, so I worked with each dog individually before having them perform the recall together. Once they were able to recall without bumping into each other or getting distracted, we focused on reinforcing the command together before continuing our walk.
After completing a lap around the park, we stopped at a resting area where the dogs could catch their breath and lie next to each other. As they rested, people passed by and commented on how well-behaved they were while lying down. During the break, I moved around the table to create some distance from them, and as I did so, both dogs remained calm and neutral. I rewarded them for their good behavior before we finished our visit by taking another walk around the park.
In the video above, we demonstrate Stevie's progress with door manners and impulse control during a home training session while preparing food in the kitchen. In the first clip, we use the side gate in the backyard to practice Stevie's door manners. She waits patiently as I walk to the front of the house and return, calmly heeling beside me at a slow pace. The second clip shows my mother and I cooking in the kitchen while Stevie remains in a "down" position throughout the process. In the past, Stevie would often be impulsive, getting up and following me whenever I asked her to wait in the kitchen. However, she is now much more consistent and shows less impulsive behavior. Although she does get up once during the video, she quickly settles back down and remains in position. After the video ends, Stevie continues to wait for an additional ten minutes before I release her to be praised and spend time with Hunter on my side of the house.
Pupdate 4/7/2025
Today, we visited Whittier Narrows Park to spend time with our friends from Offleash and continue our usual training. Upon arrival, we had to wait a little while for our friends to get there, so we decided to begin our training session as soon as we settled in.
In the video above, we started with recall conditioning in the spacious area, and Stevie did exceptionally well today, without needing any redirection. As I created some distance, I paused briefly before tossing a treat behind my right glute and calling Stevie to come. While she made her way to me, I continued saying "come" until she reached my left side, at which point I asked her to sit. Instead of saying "wait," I used a hand signal, opening my hand toward her face and walking away, which serves as a cue for her to wait. Although I could say the word "wait," we’ve practiced this hand gesture without vocalization, and Stevie is now very familiar with it. Once the exercise was finished, I released her to be rewarded with praise.
In the second video, I used a microphone to highlight the way I communicate with Stevie when asking for obedience. While she generally responds well to commands, she occasionally gets up impulsively, which is when you can hear me redirecting her from a distance. Similar to how parents use sounds like "uh-uh" to get a child's attention, I do the same with Stevie to correct her behavior. After calling her to come and her ignoring me, I used her remote collar to redirect her, and she followed through the second time I called her. A car passed by while I asked her to sit, and she showed no signs of hesitation or fear, so we continued training as if nothing had happened.
The final video clip shows Stevie playing with Ruby and Oso for about five minutes before they all became tired and started roaming around. Stevie was perfectly comfortable exploring, but she consistently returned to me when I called her for recall. Afterward, we relaxed under a canopy, and all the dogs rested together before we headed home. Our visit was a lot of fun, and Stevie is demonstrating her growing capabilities off-leash. We’re excited to continue her progress throughout the week!
Pupdate 4/8/2025
Today, we visited Cerritos Mall in Cerritos, CA, to work on Stevie’s obedience in an environment with lots of distractions, specifically indoors with many people walking around. Upon entering the mall, we smoothly passed through the sliding doors, walking together at a steady pace. Our first goal was to help Stevie get acclimated to the busy environment. As we walked around the mall, she remained calm and confident, taking in all the sights and sounds.
The main focus of today’s training was reinforcing Stevie's "down" command. Initially, when I asked her to lie down, she would either become playful or try to resist the command. However, we worked through these distractions in each section of the mall, helping to build her confidence in performing the command. Over time, Stevie was able to hold her down position for up to two minutes, and she was praised when released. At one point, a guest approached us to greet Stevie, and she responded well, automatically sitting as she’s accustomed to when strangers interact with her. We then moved to another area of the mall to practice the "place" command, which went smoothly.
By this stage, Stevie was consistently responding to commands, so we made another lap around the mall, walking through a few stores to simulate a shopping experience. While exiting one store, we ran into two friends from my hometown. We chatted briefly while Stevie stayed in a down position until they left. As we were leaving the mall, we focused on reinforcing her "sit" command, particularly when stopping to let people pass by. Stevie handled this well, staying confident and calm during the interactions. Overall, our visit was enjoyable, and Stevie showed great progress in her training. She responded to her commands with ease, and we used the e-collar less than we usually do.
Pupdate 4/9/2025
This morning, Hunter and Stevie enjoyed a 45-minute walk together before heading back home for some playtime in the backyard with the dogs. After playing for a while, they went inside for breakfast.
In the video above, I had Stevie in the hallway with the door open to see if she would enter the kitchen while I cleaned the dishes. To my surprise, she stayed in the "down" position for the entire duration of the video, remaining calm until I finished cleaning. Once I was done, I walked back to my side of the house, and Stevie followed me into my room without rushing toward the kitchen.
Later, we went to Citadel Outlets in Commerce, CA, for more training in a public environment to build conditioning and exposure. Upon arrival, we took an elevator to the floor level. Stevie was initially fine inside, though she seemed a bit confused when going down. Once inside the outlet, we walked around to let Stevie become familiar with the area, helping her feel comfortable in her surroundings. We let the leash drag while working on her obedience, and Stevie did an excellent job staying next to me without drifting away. I was pleased to see her perform each command with ease, without displaying any nervousness or problematic behavior. A few people commented on how well-behaved she was, and even a parent stopped their child from running up to Stevie because they noticed she was in training.
Before we left, we practiced by standing near the busiest part of the outlet and having Stevie lay down while observing the many people walking by. I rewarded her for staying obedient amidst the distractions, which included people with strollers, wheelchairs, and other dogs. Stevie remained calm and unfazed by these distractions.
The rest of the day was spent reinforcing her obedience inside the house, and we also trained with my younger brother to help condition Stevie to respond to commands from teenagers.
Pupdate 4/10/2025
This morning, the dogs had their usual walk followed by some playtime once they returned home.
I experienced some car trouble, so we stayed home and focused on training. We worked specifically on impulse control in front of the house, making sure Stevie could maintain her down-stay while I moved around the neighborhood. In the video above, I ask Stevie to lie down as a neighbor walks by. After he passes, I walk to the end of the street and make a full loop around the nearby houses before returning to her. At one point, I was completely out of her sight, yet she stayed in position the entire time until I returned and rewarded her for holding the command so calmly and confidently.
In the second video, we focused on door manners at the front entrance. Again, Stevie performed exceptionally well. I left her line of sight with the front door wide open, and she remained calm and in place. She waited patiently until I returned and cued her to heel, as if we were about to begin a walk.
Once I got the car up and running again, we headed to Anaheim Pet & Feed to escape the mild heat and continue training indoors. Upon entering the store, Stevie was calm and composed, showing much less impulsiveness despite the variety of scents and distractions. We worked off-leash throughout the store, running through all her commands in the aisles and open areas. She stayed focused and responsive, even greeting guests appropriately when they showed interest. A key goal during this session was testing her ability to remain in a sit or down while I briefly stepped into another aisle, removing myself from her view. Each time, she held her position until I returned to release her, showing great consistency and self-control.
Stevie spent about thirty minutes reviewing her obedience training with my brother, Nick, before he headed back inside. After that, I continued working with her in front of the house, focusing on reinforcing her ability to remain calm and neutral while I walked increasingly farther away from her.
Pupdate 4/11/2025
Today, we visited the Santa Monica Pier in Los Angeles, CA to work on Stevie’s off-leash obedience and give her some valuable exposure to a busy environment. Before getting started, we waited for a few friends from our Off-Leash group to join us.
In the video above, you’ll see us walking through the pier while practicing obedience commands off-leash. At one point, I asked Stevie to “place,” and despite being surrounded by large crowds, she remained calm and focused. Nothing seemed to faze her as she waited patiently. I then gave her a heel command and we continued walking together before I asked her to “down.” While she was holding her down command, a group of women passed by and commented on how cute and well-behaved she was. Throughout it all, Stevie stayed neutral and confident.
After the video ended, we walked further down the pier to enjoy the ocean breeze and take in the sights. Toward the end of the pier, we took a water break. During this time, a few elderly visitors approached Stevie. They were touched by her calm presence and shared that she reminded them of a beloved dog they had lost. Stevie greeted them gently, laying in a relaxed down position the entire time, never breaking her calm demeanor. We later reconnected with our Off-Leash friends to do some additional training together before wrapping up our day and heading home.
Overall, our visit to the pier was a great experience. Stevie showed a lot of confidence and handled the busy, stimulating environment with ease. She responded well to her obedience commands without showing signs of stress or fatigue. The exposure was incredibly beneficial for her, and it proved that high-traffic environments are very manageable for a dog like Stevie. We finished the day by practicing more obedience at home with my younger brother and training alongside Hunter, both inside and outside the house.
Pupdate 4/12/2025
Today followed our usual routine—an early morning 45-minute walk with Hunter to start the day, followed by some playtime at home for both dogs. It’s a rhythm they’ve come to expect and enjoy, and it helps set a positive tone for the rest of the day.
As the temperature began to rise later on, we decided to switch up the activities and played fetch in the backyard. Stevie usually has great recall and is quick to bring the ball back when called by name. She typically responds well to the “drop it” cue when I hold out my hands. However, during this session, she seemed a bit more tired than usual, likely because she had already been active for much of the morning. Despite that, she still gave her full effort, which is a testament to her enthusiasm and work ethic.
Afterward, we moved indoors for more relaxed play with Hunter. By this point, Stevie was clearly worn out and eventually curled up for a well-deserved nap.
Later in the day, my brother and I took some extra time to work on training with Stevie. She remains consistent and focused when working with me, and she listens well to my brother too. Although he's a young teenager and sometimes less naturally motivated, he’s been doing a great job pushing through and staying committed. His growing confidence and effort are helping Stevie maintain her obedience and responsiveness with different handlers, which is great to see.
As Stevie's Board and Train program nears its end, I’ve been reflecting on how rewarding this experience has been. From the very beginning, she’s shown steady progress and an eagerness to learn that makes working with her truly enjoyable. Her friendly and open nature shines through in every interaction—whether with people or other dogs—making her a joy to bring into different environments. Outings that I initially thought might be challenging, like visits to shopping centers, malls, or the beach, ended up being some of the most positive and memorable parts of our time together. Stevie consistently surpassed expectations and turned each outing into a fun, successful learning opportunity. Stevie is ready to go home back to her family!
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