Stormi | Norwegian Elkhound | Redondo Beach, CA. | In Training.
- heatheroffleashsoc
- May 24
- 10 min read
Updated: May 30
Meet Stormi! š¾
Stormi is a sweet nine month old Norwegian Elkhound from Redondo Beach, California who has just joined us for our One Week Board and Train Program! Stormi has been described as quite the energetic and curious young pup who loves exploring the world around him. Like many puppies his age, Stormi can sometimes get a little too excited, especially when it comes to strange dogs out in public or people entering the home, often expressing himself with lots of barking. He also has a habit of foraging for unsavory things during outings and tends to forget all about coming when called when thereās something more interesting to investigate!
Over the next week we will be working closely with Stormi on his basic obedience, recall, and house manners in hopes of providing him with the tools to make better choices both in and outside of the home. Our goal is to help channel some of those typical puppy behaviors into calmer decision making, quieter greetings, and improved focus so he can enjoy many wonderful adventures with his family.
Stormi is already such a fun and lovable pup, and we are so excited to begin this journey with him. Stay tuned to follow along with Stormiās transformation!
5/24/2026
Today Stormi and I kicked off our time together with a walk through the park so we could start getting to know one another! This also gave me a chance to assess what he may already know as far as obedience training goes. I learned that Stormi does know āsitāā¦ but definitely on Stormi terms! Weāll be working on turning that into a more reliable, on-command behavior as we continue training.
During our walk we also began introducing āheel,ā as Stormi definitely enjoys taking the lead while walking. Anytime he would try to move ahead, I would apply a small pop to the collar and change directions until he made the choice to walk nicely at my side. And believe it or not, we already started seeing progress! Good boy, Stormi!
We also introduced his ācome to sitā command, which consists of Stormi coming around my right side and sitting at my left. He doesnāt quite understand the full picture yet, but he seems like a very smart boy and Iām confident heāll pick it up quickly with repetition and consistency.
Stormi did have one moment where he became a little overwhelmed when an off-leash Chihuahua approached us. Between the distraction and learning new commands, he decided to simply plop down in the grass instead of offering a sit. In that moment, I calmly encouraged the sit and then allowed him to break for a snack. Ending sessions on a positive note is so important because we never want him to feel discouraged while learning.
After our walk, we headed back to the car to load up. Iāll be honest ā getting Stormi into the car was a bit of a struggle! He acted like I was kidnapping him for a moment there. But once I was able to scoop him up and get him into the back seat, he walked right into the crate on his own. Good boy! There was some initial barking during the drive, but after a little while he settled down and chose to relax for the remainder of the ride.
Once we arrived at my house, I gave Stormi some time to explore the yard and inside the home. Overall, he adjusted pretty well! His biggest complaint came when it was time for the crate, but with a little encouragement and luring, he went in successfully.
All in all, today was a very good first day for Stormi. Heās understandably a little nervous being away from home, but Iām confident heāll settle in and become more comfortable in no time!
5/25/2026
Today Stormi and I headed out to a park in Rosemead to meet up with some fellow trainers and their pups to continue his progress with his commands. I was pleasantly surprised to see that Stormiās only reaction to the other pups was curiosityāno barking or overreacting at all! What really had his attention today were all the exciting smells around the park. While practicing his heel command, he would occasionally catch a scent and immediately try to roll in it. In those moments, we practiced his āoffā command and redirected him back into heel position. At first he resisted a bit, but with leash guidance and paired e-collar corrections, he quickly began to understand what was being asked of him.
We are definitely making progress with his heel command, although it still needs some fine tuning as he has moments where he wants to take the lead. Thatās completely normal at his age and with consistency he will continue improving. We also spent time working on his extended sit command. Stormi is doing well with it, though he is not quite ready to hold it for long periods just yetāand thatās perfectly okay because heās still learning. Anytime he popped up before being released, I simply redirected him back into position and asked him to sit again. Each repetition helps build more understanding and patience, and I gradually increased the duration little by little.
With his come to sit command, Stormi is doing pretty well when given leash guidance and he seems to be picking up on the motion of the exercise. There are definitely moments where, once he gets behind me, he considers heading off to do his own thing instead of fully following through. He is a very smart boy though, and Iām confident heāll get the hang of it quickly with continued practice.
His place command, however, was a breeze! I can tell this is something that gets practiced at home because the moment I asked him to hop onto the place cot, he happily obliged and immediately chose to lay down. Nice job, Stormi!
As I briefly mentioned, today we also introduced the e-collar paired alongside leash corrections so he can properly associate the stimulation with the guidance from the leash. This helps avoid confusion and creates clearer communication for him. He isnāt the biggest fan of it just yet, but with a little more adjustment time heāll settle into it just fine.
We did have a few moments during training where Stormi tried to resist by dramatically plopping himself down on the ground as if to say he was done working for the day. But with encouragement and consistency, I was able to get him back up and engaged in learning again. In moments like these, itās important not to give in when he objects, otherwise he may learn that refusing work gets him out of doing whatās being askedāand thatās not a habit we want to create.
Overall, Stormi did very well today and seemed to learn quite a bit. He is still adjusting to his new surroundings and routine, which can make him a little anxious at times, but with more time and structure I know he will settle in beautifully. Stormi is an incredibly sweet boy and a very smart pup, and Iām excited to continue watching his progress!
5/26/2026
Today Stormi and I headed out to a park here in Chatsworth to meet up with some fellow trainers and their pups to continue working on Stormiās commands around distractions. And Iām happy to say we made some progress today!
Stormiās heel is coming along nicely. Heās starting to understand that sticking close by my side is the best policy, though every now and then he still tries to drift away and do his own thing. Thatās to be expected, as Stormi definitely seems to enjoy his independence. Even so, heās beginning to show more consistency and check in with me more often throughout our walk and training exercises.
With his come to sit, Stormi seems to understand the motion and whatās expected of him, though following through can still be a challenge when the environment around him feels more exciting. One of the bigger hurdles today was asking him to come to sit from his place command. A few times he chose to simply lay there and stare at me rather than respond, so I applied leash and e-collar pressure until he made the choice to get up and move toward me. The moment he committed to the correct behavior, I instantly released the pressure, only reapplying if he became distracted again. We repeated this process several times until Stormi eventually chose to follow through the first time I asked, and that was a big win for him today!
His place command, however, continues to be very easy for him. He settles nicely and seems very confident with that behavior already. No major notes there ā heās a smart boy!
Weāve also been continuing to work on recall using the e-collar in my yard, as Stormi isnāt always the biggest fan of coming when called. When he chooses to ignore me, I apply pressure, and the moment he chooses to turn and move toward me, I release the pressure to let him know heās making the right decision. With repetition, he has started improving with his recall, though thereās still room for growth. Either way, progress is progress, and Iām happy with the effort heās putting in.
Overall, Stormi is doing well, and Iām proud of him for continuing to work through things and put in the effort each day!
5/27/2026
Today Stormi and I headed out to Home Depot to continue his progress working around distractions. When we first arrived, Stormi definitely wasnāt sure what to think about the environment. Between the forklifts moving around, shoppers loading carts with supplies, loud noises, and people everywhere, there was a lot for him to take in all at once. So instead of immediately jumping into training, we took some time to simply walk around and let him observe everything at his own pace. At one point, I asked him to sit and we just watched the world go by together so he could learn that he was safe, that nothing around him was going to harm him, and that he could trust me in those uncertain moments.
With some patience and encouragement, Stormi slowly began to relax. Once he settled in a bit, we started practicing his commands throughout the store. Considering how nervous he initially was, he did a very good job. By the end of our outing, the curl had returned to his tail and he was regularly checking in with me, which was great to see. This trip was especially beneficial because it exposed him to many unfamiliar sounds, sights, and people all in one place. Iām very happy to say that despite everything going on around him, Stormi did not bark at anyone. While he wasnāt necessarily eager to approach strangers, that was perfectly okay. The goal for today wasnāt socializing with everyone around him, but rather learning to remain calm, focus on me, and work through the environment without becoming reactionary. In that regard, he did an excellent job.
Overall, Stormi had a very successful day. Continued exposure to different places and environments after he goes home will be extremely beneficial for him moving forward. Experiences like this help teach him that itās perfectly okay to simply exist in the world without feeling the need to react to everything happening around him.
5/28/2026
Today Stormi and I headed out to Lake Balboa Park to continue his progress with his commands in a more challenging environment. This proved to be exactly the kind of exposure we needed, as the park was full of wildlife, other dogs, and plenty of people ā all things that can commonly trigger reactivity. To my surprise, Stormi handled the environment very well overall!
One obstacle that really challenged him was crossing a bridge with water running underneath it. Initially, Stormi became nervous and began to panic while we were on the bridge. Instead of forcing him through it, I stopped and gave him time to gather himself and investigate the situation at his own pace. After watching a few people calmly walk across the bridge, he realized it wasnāt a threat, and before long we were able to walk over it multiple times completely stress free. Good boy, Stormi!
As we passed other dogs throughout the park, I noticed that Stormi would occasionally begin to fixate on them. Whenever this happened, I simply made a small noise to redirect his attention back to me and praised him once he refocused. Iām very happy to say that we were able to walk through the park without any reactions toward other pups today. We also passed a family of geese, which earned a few little huffs from Stormi, but before it could escalate any further I redirected his focus back to me and he did a great job calmly moving past them.
Stormi also did a wonderful job with his commands today and is clearly beginning to understand them more consistently. Overall, Iām extremely proud of the progress he is making. Stormi is proving himself to be a very clever boy!
5/29/2026
Today Stormi and I headed out to Lake Balboa Park to continue working on his commands around distractions, and Iām happy to report that he did very well! Even with all the activity and commotion that comes with a busy park environment, Stormi was able to perform each of his commands just as weāve been practicing.
The only command that gave us a little trouble today was āplaceā when I asked him to hop onto a park bench. The first attempt was a great success, but after hopping down, Stormi slipped slightly and became a bit nervous about getting back up. Thatās perfectly okay! Rather than pushing the issue and risking a more negative experience, I adjusted our training plan. I was able to get him back onto the bench one more time, where I gave him lots of praise and encouragement, and then we switched over to using my place cot for the remainder of the exercise.
Sometimes in training, compromise is the best approach. Building confidence is just as important as teaching commands, and I want Stormi to continue viewing training as a positive experience. With more exposure to different surfaces and objects in the future, Iām confident his comfort and confidence with the place command will continue to grow.
Overall, Stormi made great progress today, and Iām very proud of the effort he put in. He continues to show me that heās capable of working through new challenges and learning from each experience we share together!
5/30/2026
Today I had a few things that required me to stay close to home, so Stormi and I took the opportunity to work around the neighborhood. We enjoyed a nice long walk where we practiced all of his commands, and he did a wonderful job. He showed great focus and a solid understanding of the new skills heās been learning.
Since he did so well, I gave him some time to relax and just explore his surroundings. It was especially nice to see Stormi feeling more comfortable today and allowing more of his personality to come throughālots of kisses, playful energy, and tail wags. A really positive shift, especially for our last full day together.
Itās not uncommon for Norwegian elkhounds to take a bit of time to fully settle in, so seeing him open up even within a short stay is a great sign. Iām glad I was able to experience that progress with him, and even more glad to see him feeling at ease.
The rest of our day was more relaxed, spent hanging out and playing in the yard, which he seemed to really enjoy and appreciate.
Even in just this short week together, Stormi has made excellent progress, and Iām very proud of him. My hope is that the work weāve done together gives you a strong foundation to continue building on, so you can enjoy many more positive adventures together.
Thank you again for trusting me with Stormi and allowing me to be part of his training journey. He really is a wonderful boy.
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