Taco | Chihuahua/Dachshund Mix | Encino, Ca. | In Training
- heatheroffleashsoc
- Nov 23, 2025
- 14 min read
Updated: Dec 6, 2025
Meet Taco!
Taco is a five-month-old Chihuahua–Dachshund mix from Encino, CA, and this tiny cutie has officially joined us for our two-week Urban Board & Train program! Full of charm, spunk, and all the puppy energy a little body can hold, Taco has been lovingly described as a hyper whirlwind who keeps his family on their toes. Between his chaotic leash walking and his urgent need for some potty-training structure, this little guy is definitely ready for a bit of guidance.
Over the next two weeks, we’ll be focusing on building Taco’s basic obedience, introducing solid house manners, and laying down a strong foundation for consistent potty habits. Our goal is to help him channel all that enthusiasm into positive, manageable behaviors—making life at home smoother, happier, and more enjoyable for everyone.
We’re so excited to watch Taco learn, grow, and show us exactly what he’s capable of! Stay tuned—this is going to be a fun journey. 🐾✨
11/23/2025
Today Taco and I headed out to the park for a nice walk so we could get better acquainted and so I could take a moment to see what he already knows. And just as expected… the moment our walk began, Taco’s puppy excitement took over! He wanted to sniff, explore, investigate, and inspect absolutely everything around us.
As we continued walking, he eventually settled just enough for me to start introducing the heel command. Like any young pup, Taco was a bit resistant to my corrections at first—and that’s perfectly normal. With plenty of repetition, consistency, and encouragement, he’ll start to understand what’s being asked of him.
Once he grew comfortable with me, his sweet (and silly!) personality started to shine through. He offered little kisses, and even tugged on my pant leg a bit—his playful way of testing boundaries and showing affection.
I can already tell this little guy has a big sense of humor and an even bigger heart. I’m so excited to work with him and get him started on his obedience journey! This is going to be a fun two weeks!
11/24/2025
Today Taco and I headed out to the park to meet up with some fellow trainers, and this little guy had quite the day! My original plan was to keep things simple — focus on heel and make a gentle introduction to the e-collar so he wouldn’t get overwhelmed. But in true Taco fashion, we ended up touching on a little bit of everything!
Heel is still very much a work in progress, which is completely expected for a puppy. Every leaf, stick, and sound is brand-new and fascinating to him. Even so, he tried his best, and in between his puppy-distracted moments, he showed some really nice effort.
The big win of the day: Taco learned sit and down! He picked them up so quickly and is already proving how smart he is. Once he settles into the work, he really shines.
As for potty training, Taco is doing wonderfully. He had one small accident yesterday after we got home, but since then he’s been such a big boy and has gone potty outside every time. Each time he chooses the right spot, we make it a whole event — excited praise, cheerful “Good potty!” celebrations, and sometimes even a treat. He’s definitely starting to understand that outdoors is the place to go.
All in all, Taco is already doing so well. I’m proud of the progress he’s making in such a short time. Watching him explore such a big, exciting world — one that’s practically giant compared to his tiny self — is both adorable and hilarious. He’s a joy to work with, and I can’t wait to see what he learns next!
11/25/2025
Today Taco and I headed back out to the park to continue working on the commands he’s learned so far—heel, sit, and down—while also making some gentle introductions to the come to sit command. From the moment we arrived, Taco made it pretty clear that “work mode” was not on his agenda. As soon as I began with some leash guidance, he protested and threw in a bit of that classic puppy stubbornness. Totally normal—and totally okay!
So instead of pushing too hard right away, we shifted gears and simply started with a relaxed walk. I let him explore and check things out as long as he remained by my side. Once he settled into that rhythm, I began sprinkling in some sit commands, and to my surprise, he accepted them without any pushback. That was my cue: today was a “go slow” kind of day.
With the heel command, Taco is showing that he understands he should walk at my side, but those puppy instincts are strong—every noise, leaf, and mystery smell is an irresistible adventure waiting to happen. Small leash and e-collar reminders helped bring his focus back each time, and he responded well as we moved along.
His sit command is definitely improving—he understands what’s being asked, though we’re still working on building up the duration. For down, he needed a little extra encouragement with the leash today, but with patience and repetition, he made steady, small steps in the right direction.
We did introduce come to sit, but very lightly. Taco seemed a bit overwhelmed, so we kept it simple and just focused on showing him the movement and building familiarity without pressure.
It’s important to remember that puppies have their good days and their stubborn days. One session they’re nailing every command like little superstars, and the next it can feel like you’re starting over. What truly matters is consistency, structure, repetition, and lots of encouragement—all the things that build confidence and help them grow.
Despite his resistance at the start of our session, Taco made meaningful progress today. He learned that even a tantrum doesn’t get him out of working toward becoming the bestest, most well-mannered little dude he can be. And that’s a win worth celebrating.
11/26/2025
For today’s training, Taco and I stayed close to home and worked his commands around my neighborhood. Since he seemed a bit overwhelmed yesterday, a quieter one-on-one session felt like the right move—and it definitely paid off. Our goal today was slow, steady progress and building confidence.
We started with heel, which is coming along nicely. Taco still wants to check everything out, and corrections can make him a little flustered, causing him to bounce around. But he’s really beginning to understand that staying by my side keeps everything calm and correction-free. That connection is starting to click for him!
As we heeled, I sprinkled in some sits. Taco absolutely understands how to sit—the current challenge is getting him to sit facing the correct direction rather than turning away from me. Since he’s still very young, we’re focusing on helping him understand the general motion first and not overwhelming him with too many details at once.
We also worked more on come to sit, which is very much a work in progress. Right now we’re focused on showing him the motion with lots of repetition and encouragement. Each attempt looks a little better than the last, and he’s gradually starting to understand what the finished behavior should feel like.
His down command went more smoothly today, too. While he showed some initial resistance, he eventually realized that working with me—not against me—is the easiest path. Once he settled into that mindset, he started offering some really nice downs.
Potty training is also going well! Taco is doing great during the day and handling his business like a big boy. Nights are still a bit tough for him, which is completely understandable at his age. As he grows and can hold it longer, this part will get easier.
Overall, Taco did really well today. We took many small but meaningful steps forward, and each one helps him grow into the smart, confident pup he’s becoming!
11/27/2025
Happy Thanksgiving from Taco! 🌽🦃
Today Taco and I made our way out to the park to work through all the commands he’s currently learning. His heel is getting better by the day — it’s becoming much easier to keep his focus as we walk, and he’s starting to resist the urge to veer off and investigate every interesting smell or sound around him.
Taco is also beginning to really grasp both his sit and down commands. He did so well with them today that we were able to introduce a bit of distance and duration work. At first, the moment I stepped away he popped right up and ran back to me, but after calmly redirecting him back into position, we tried again with me backing away slowly. By the end of the exercise, I was nearly able to reach the end of my 15-foot line before he broke — such a big improvement!
His come to sit is still a bit of a challenge. Instead of looping around my left and sitting neatly at my right side, Taco prefers to run straight between my legs. But that’s okay — at least he’s coming when called, and we’ll keep practicing the proper motion until it clicks for him.
All in all, Taco made great progress today. He’s really starting to grasp the majority of his training, and I’m so proud of this sweet boy!
11/28/2025
Today Taco and I headed out to Home Depot to work on his commands around plenty of distractions. This trip turned out to be a bit overwhelming for him—being such a little guy in a bustling store full of loud noises, carts, and people definitely had his attention scattered. Because of that, we kept things simple and focused on helping him feel supported.
We started with heel. At first it was a bit shaky as Taco was far more interested in everything happening around him, but with a few reminders and gentle corrections, he began to settle in and his heel started to improve.
Next, we added in his sit command. Taco wasn’t too sure about this at first. He tried to dart the other way or shuffle between my feet, but with extra guidance we brought him back to my side and helped him into position. To keep him from spinning around or sitting facing the wrong direction, I tightened up the slack on the leash and gave clear direction. After a few tries, he began to understand what was being asked.
We also practiced his down command, which he understandably struggled with today. Feeling overwhelmed, he kept trying to lay down over my feet—his way of telling me he didn’t feel completely comfortable in the environment. But that’s exactly why we went to Home Depot: to gently introduce him to busy places and help him learn that he can trust his handler to guide him through new and noisy situations.
On the bright side, I’m happy to share that Taco had his very first accident-free night last night! He made it all the way to morning potty time—such an awesome milestone. Go Taco!
11/29/2025
Today Taco and I headed out to an outdoor mall to work on his commands, but most of our focus ended up being on building this little guy’s confidence hopping up onto a small surface for his place command. At first, Taco wasn’t quite convinced he could get up there—he gave a few hesitant tries, but no luck. So I decided to give him a helping hand by laying my backpack down as a makeshift step. With that extra boost and a few treats to entice him, he finally made the leap!
Once he hopped up successfully, he earned his treat and we celebrated that win. From there, we spent the rest of our session practicing not only getting onto the platform, but also holding either an extended sit or extended down once he was up there. We repeated this in different areas around the mall so he could start getting comfortable performing the command anywhere, not just in one spot.
His extended commands are still a work in progress—he’s not totally confident with me stepping away from him yet, especially in unfamiliar environments—but we’re taking it one step at a time. His come-to-sit has also improved a lot. Every now and then he still tries to wiggle between my legs, but with each correction he’s starting to understand where he’s supposed to be.
All in all, today was a much better outing than yesterday. Taco was noticeably less nervous, and he made some great progress. Proud of this brave little boy!
11/30/2025
Today Taco and I headed back out to the outdoor mall to continue working on his commands around distractions. Our main focus for the day was strengthening his place command along with his extended sit and down. Taco understands each of these commands well, but like many young pups, he’s still building the focus and self-control needed to hold them for longer periods. With daily practice, patience, and plenty of encouragement, he’s making steady progress.
While we were out, we also took the opportunity to work on his greeting manners. A few passerby’s absolutely fell in love with him—no surprise there—and stopped to say hello. Our goal is for Taco to remain seated when people approach and offer pets. As expected, he sat nicely at first, but once the affection started, he couldn’t help but pop up with kisses and happy little hops. With a quick correction he settled back into a sit, which was wonderful to see.
Overall, today was a great day of practicing patience and self-control. With continued effort and consistency, Taco is well on his way to becoming the most well-mannered little pup he can be!
🔥 Quick Note: There was a fire that started somewhat close to my house today, but there’s absolutely no need for concern — all the fur babies are completely safe! I kept everyone indoors, monitored the situation closely, and made sure we were well out of any danger. Everything is under control.
12/1/2025
Today Taco and I headed back out to the outdoor mall to work through all the commands he’s been learning. Much like his big sister, the majority of our focus ended up being on his extended commands. The difference with Taco, of course, is that he’s still such a little puppy—sometimes staying focused is tough when you’re a tiny dude in such a big, exciting world!
At the beginning of our session, anytime someone walked by, Taco would quickly scurry back to me and tuck himself between my feet. Each time, I gently redirected him back to his original position and we started again. With repetition and encouragement, it gradually became easier for him to stay put and trust that he was safe exactly where he was.
Our next challenge was distinguishing between “sit” and “down.” When I asked for a sit, Taco kept offering a down instead, so we took some time to clearly separate the two for him. With practice, the difference started to click.
One of the highlights of our day was when someone nearby paused to watch our training. I asked if he’d like to say hello, which gave us a great opportunity to practice greeting manners! Taco was very excited at first and tried to hop up, but with a reminder to sit, he settled in nicely—still soaking up every bit of love and attention. It’s always adorable to watch him melt when someone gives him affection.
All in all, today was a wonderful day filled with distraction training and plenty of repetition. By the end of our session, Taco walked away with a clearer understanding of his commands—and that’s a step in exactly the right direction!
12/2/2025
Today Taco and I headed out to Home Depot to practice his commands with plenty of distractions—and we also took a moment to work alongside his buddy Coco!
During his solo session, Taco did well and is really beginning to show that he understands what’s being asked of him. His extended commands are improving, and though we’re still working on differentiating “sit” from “down,” he’s making steady progress. It’s adorable to see how proud he gets when he knows he executed a command correctly—his little tail wags say it all!
When practicing next to Coco, Taco was definitely excited and a bit all over the place, but honestly, for his very first time doing this exercise, he did great. The biggest challenge was keeping him from wanting to scoot closer to Coco, but that’s totally normal—she is his buddy after all! With more practice and experience, this will get easier for him.
On the potty-training front, Taco is making fantastic progress. He’s getting much better about not having accidents in the crate or house, and I’ve started noticing that he’ll whine to let me know he needs to go out—huge step! As for nighttime, taking him out around 10 PM seems to work best. As long as he gets out first thing in the morning, we’re starting the day with no mess and no stress.
All in all, Taco is truly coming along in every aspect of his training, and I couldn’t be more proud of this little guy!
12/3/2025
Today Taco and I kept things close to home so we could focus not only on reinforcing his commands, but also on introducing a fun new exercise to help him build confidence with jumping. Lately, getting him to hop up onto objects for his place command has been a little tough. I started out using my backpack as a step-up, but honestly, what Taco really needed was a big confidence boost that says, “Hey little guy, you can do this!”
So—we got creative! I set up a long line between two chairs and created our own little “jump bar.” We began at the lowest level to get him comfortable with the motion and gradually raised it as he improved. With every successful hop, Taco got tons of encouragement, praise, and excitement to keep that confidence growing. He did great all the way up until we reached one of the highest settings. At that point his little legs said, absolutely not, and he put on the brakes no matter how many times we tried. And that’s totally okay—there’s only so much hop those tiny legs can provide!
The best part is that this exercise accomplished exactly what I hoped it would. It helped Taco realize that he can hop up onto things, and for the first time since being at the house, he actually jumped onto the couch all on his own! In my book, that makes the entire exercise a huge success.
After our jump session, Taco got to work alongside his buddy Coco, and oh my goodness—he was incredible. Seeing him run through his commands so effortlessly right next to her made me so proud. His focus, confidence, and willingness to work really shined through.
All in all, today was a fantastic day of training. Progress was definitely made, confidence was built, and Taco put in such a great effort. Wonderful job, little buddy!
12/4/2025
Today Taco and I headed out to the park to practice his commands both on his own and alongside his buddy Coco!
During his solo session, Taco did a fantastic job. He’s really starting to show that he understands the concept of each command, responding with more confidence and consistency every day. Once we got home, we took some time to work on his off-leash recall, and he absolutely crushed it! Almost every time he’s called in the front or backyard, he comes running right over and sits neatly on my left side—such a good boy!
Working with Coco, Taco continued to do well, responding promptly to each command given even with the extra distraction. His potty training is coming along great, too! As long as we stay on top of his schedule, there are no accidents, and just like before, he’s really good about alerting me when he needs to go out.
Overall, Taco is making wonderful progress and had a blast on our little park adventure today. Proud of this sweet guy!
12/5/2025
Today Taco and I headed out to Santa Monica to continue preparing for his final, and this little guy put in some great work! Not only did he practice his commands on his own, but he also got in another joint session with his buddy Coco.
Our main focus today was Taco’s place command. As I’ve mentioned before, he hasn’t been too eager to hop up on many platforms—those tiny legs can only do so much! So we spent time exploring different surfaces and finding ones he could comfortably hop onto. At first, Taco wasn’t too convinced about any of them, but eventually we found a perfect spot that had steps leading right up to the platform. That made all the difference.
Once he got up there, I asked him for a down. He did break it and sit instead, but with one gentle reminder he laid right back down. Good boy, Taco! He tried, regrouped, and got it right.
When it came time to work with Coco, he showed his usual enthusiasm and focus around her. They make a great little training duo, and he did very well practicing alongside her.
All in all, today was a wonderful day of training. Taco faced a few challenges but worked through them with patience and heart. He continues to show steady progress, and I’m really proud of him!
12/6/2025
Today was a big day for Taco! We headed out to Santa Monica not only to work through his commands, but also to film his final—and what a wonderful job he did! Every command went exactly as it should, and you could truly see how proud he was of himself when it was all said and done. His little tail and big confidence said it all!
Taco has really grown into a well-mannered boy on leash, and he’s made noticeable progress with his potty training too. It has been such a joy working with this sweet, silly little guy. He brings so much personality to every session, and watching him learn has been nothing short of adorable.
I want to take a moment to thank you for trusting me with Taco’s care and for allowing me to be part of his training journey. I hope that everything he has learned with me helps lay a solid foundation and provides you with the best tools as you move forward with this growing boy. He has so much ahead of him, and I know he’ll continue to learn and thrive as he discovers all life has to offer.
Great job, Taco! 🎉🐶❤️
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