Teddy | Belgian Malinois | Costa Mesa, CA | In Training
- gregoffleashsocal
- Dec 21, 2025
- 8 min read
Updated: Jan 10
Teddy is a Belgian Malinois here for our Three Week Reactive Board and Train program. He’s an intense, driven dog with a lot of energy, and right now that’s showing up as reactivity, jumping, and biting behaviors. These are common challenges for high-drive dogs who haven’t yet learned how to properly channel their energy or respond calmly under pressure.
Over the next three weeks, we’ll be focusing on structure, clear boundaries, and impulse control—teaching Teddy how to make better choices, stay engaged, and navigate stimulation without escalating. With consistency and guidance, dogs like Teddy can make huge progress, and we’re looking forward to helping him build the foundation he needs to succeed.
Teddy | Belgian Malinois | Pupdate 12/22/2025
Teddy had his first day, and it was all about structure, safety, and setting clear expectations. He’s intense, driven, and very capable—but if given the opportunity, he will bite, so management and clarity are key right now. In public settings, he’s been working with a muzzle to keep everyone safe while still allowing him to be out, think, and learn.
The focus today was on engagement, boundaries, and building a working mindset without escalating arousal. Teddy handled the structure well and showed he can settle when given clear direction. A solid, responsible start for him, and an important foundation for the work ahead.
Teddy | Belgian Malinois | Pupdate 12/23/2025
Teddy is learning quickly and showing strong drive during training. He’s picking up commands fast and is beginning to understand structure, but he’s still a bit wild and full of energy, which we’re actively working to channel. Training has been focused on clear communication, impulse control, and following direction even when he’s excited.
With consistency and repetition, Teddy is starting to slow down, think before reacting, and make better choices. He has a ton of potential, and as training continues, his control, focus, and reliability will keep improving.
Teddy | Belgian Malinois | Pupdate 12/24/2025
’Twas the night before Christmas, and Teddy tried hard
To remember his manners instead of going wild.
Big feelings, big energy, all turned up high,
But learning to pause before he reacts or jumps by.
Impulse control is becoming the theme,
Thinking things through more than acting on steam.
Still bold, still spicy, but choosing what’s right—
Teddy made progress this Christmas Eve night.
Teddy | Belgian Malinois | Pupdate 12/25/2025
Teddy is bringing big Malinois energy straight from Santa’s workshop 🎅🔥. He’s been working hard channeling all that excitement into structure and obedience, learning when to turn the “naughty list” impulses off and the “nice list” behavior on. Training sessions have been full of progress, boundaries, and plenty of wins, even when his wild side tries to sneak out like an elf on the shelf. With consistency and guidance, Teddy is learning how to be powerful and polite—making him a strong, smart pup ready for a more disciplined new year.
Teddy | Belgian Malinois | Pupdate 12/26/2025
Rainy days didn’t slow Teddy down one bit! Today he embraced the indoor adventure with gusto, turning our multiple training sessions into a playful exploration of focus, energy, and curiosity. We even wandered through Home Depot, where he navigated aisles and new surroundings like a little whirlwind, learning and growing with every step. Teddy’s wild spirit shone bright, but so did his intelligence and determination — proving that even on a soggy day, fun, progress, and mischief can all coexist. By the end of the day, he was a happy, proud, and a slightly tired powerhouse, ready for whatever comes next.
Teddy | Belgian Malinois | Pupdate 12/27/2025
Teddy had a packed day that really suited his high-energy, go-go-go personality. We spent time giving him purposeful outlets for that drive, mixing movement, engagement, and structure so his day stayed productive without being chaotic. He was fully present and invested the whole time, bringing intensity and focus into everything we did.
Between the action, we made sure to build in calmer moments where he could decompress and settle, balancing his natural enthusiasm with downtime. He finished the day mentally satisfied and physically tired, relaxed and content after a day that let him work, think, and just be Teddy.
Teddy | Belgian Malinois | Pupdate 12/28/2025
Teddy had a strong day focused on accountability and follow-through. We spent time working through movement and environmental challenges, asking him to stay connected and purposeful instead of defaulting to pure drive. He showed improvement in holding himself together longer, especially when transitioning between activities. The goal right now is teaching him that calm, clear choices are what earn freedom, and he’s starting to understand that expectation. Still powerful, still confident—but increasingly more intentional in how he carries himself throughout the day.
Teddy | Belgian Malinois | Pupdate 12/29/2025
Teddy has made a huge leap in confidence, especially in busy, high-traffic environments. He’s noticeably more comfortable being around lots of people and activity, taking everything in without becoming overstimulated. One of the biggest wins is how calm and steady he remains while holding a down, even with a ton of people moving all around him. That kind of composure shows real mental growth—he’s learning to trust the situation, settle himself, and stay grounded no matter what’s happening nearby. Overall, he’s carrying himself with much more assurance and control, and it really shows.
Teddy | Belgian Malinois | Pupdate 12/30/2025
Today was about putting Teddy in situations where everything was competing for his attention and asking him to make better choices anyway. High foot traffic, constant movement, and unpredictable surroundings forced him to slow down and think instead of reacting on impulse. You can see him starting to process the environment rather than getting swept up in it, which is exactly the kind of real-world pressure that builds lasting reliability. These sessions aren’t flashy — they’re about teaching Teddy how to stay composed when the world is loud.
Teddy | Belgian Malinois | Pupdate 12/31/2025
Teddy spent New Year’s Eve training in the rain, focusing on real-world work that reflects what he’ll experience in parks and neighborhoods. The wet conditions and everyday public distractions gave him a chance to practice staying grounded and attentive even when things aren’t comfortable. He showed increased awareness of his surroundings and continued learning how to move through these environments with more calm and intention. Training through weather like this helps build reliability, and Teddy handled the challenge well as he closed out the year with steady progress.
Teddy | Belgian Malinois | Pupdate 1/1/2026
Teddy had a productive, well-rounded day today. We did one focused indoor session where he worked on holding his place and down while people moved around and everyday activity was happening nearby. He stayed composed and thoughtful in his work, even when distractions tried to pull his attention. We also made sure to get outside and work in the rain as well, giving him exposure to real-world conditions despite the weather. He handled it all with confidence and a calm attitude. Teddy continues to show maturity in his work, and we’re happy with how steady he’s been day to day.
Teddy | Belgian Malinois | Pupdate 1/2/2025
Teddy had a big day focusing on composure in high-traffic environments. We spent a lot of time around constant movement, unfamiliar people, and background noise, and he handled it with noticeably more confidence. Instead of getting caught up in everything happening around him, he stayed mentally present and comfortable holding himself together for longer stretches of time. You can really see the growth in how calmly he processes busy situations now — he’s learning that he doesn’t need to react to everything, and that sense of ease is becoming more natural for him each day.
Teddy has been doing so well that his sessions in public now do not require a muzzle(we still use it in some environments and only remove it when safe to do so).
Teddy has developed two small irritations on top of his snout. They do not line up with the positioning of the muzzle and appear to be slight skin irritations. We have attached a picture for your reference.
Teddy | Belgian Malinois | Pupdate 1/3/2026
Today Teddy continued working in very busy, high-distraction environments while practicing all of his commands. These settings are intentionally challenging and help teach him how to stay engaged and responsive despite constant movement, noise, and unfamiliar people around him.
His reactivity is continuing to improve, and we are now safely working without a muzzle, which is a meaningful step forward. This shows increased emotional control, trust, and confidence in these environments. By pairing structured obedience with real-world exposure, Teddy is learning how to move through busy spaces calmly and make better choices, even when things around him would have previously triggered a reaction.
Teddy | Belgian Malinois | Pupdate 1/4/2026
Today Teddy worked through all of his commands, with time spent reinforcing door manners and calm behavior during transitions. We continued focusing on his reactivity in a safe, structured way, giving him the space he needs to think things through and make better choices. He’s learning how to stay engaged and composed even when there are distractions around him. These sessions are about building confidence, clarity, and consistency so his training carries over into everyday life. He’s putting in good effort, and the steady, thoughtful work is starting to show.
Teddy | Belgian Malinois | Pupdate 1/5/2026
Today we focused on Teddy’s car manners, working on calm, controlled behavior around the vehicle. He practiced waiting in a sit while the car door was opened, then jumping into his crate only when given the cue. This builds patience, impulse control, and safety around cars.
Like all of our training, these exercises are repeated multiple times so they become second nature, not just something he can do once. Teddy did a great job staying composed and responsive, and this kind of repetition helps make everyday outings smoother and more predictable.
Teddy | Belgian Malinois | Pupdate 1/6/2026
Teddy put in real work today, running through all of his commands repeatedly in high-distraction areas. The focus was precision and follow-through — not just responding once, but staying in the behavior until released. Even with constant movement, noise, and people nearby, he stayed engaged and worked through the reps without shutting down. The repetition is paying off, and you can see his confidence building as the expectations stay clear and consistent.
Teddy | Belgian Malinois | Pupdate 1/7/2026
Teddy has been showing a really nice shift in his mindset lately. Across his sessions, he’s displaying much more calm than before and is able to hold his positions with greater confidence and clarity, even when there’s activity around him. This is a big improvement from where he started and shows that the foundation work is really paying off. He’s learning that staying composed and following through on commands is both expected and rewarding, and that understanding is carrying over more consistently each day. Overall, Teddy is settling into his work and making progress we’re very happy with.
Teddy | Belgian Malinois | Pupdate 1/8/2026
Training for Teddy took place at Newport Beach Pier, a loud, windy, and highly stimulating environment. We kept things intentional by doing multiple short sessions, prioritizing calm behavior and holding positions rather than rushing through commands. Teddy is showing much better self-control, even when the environment is challenging, and he’s beginning to settle himself instead of reacting to every sound or movement. Each session ended with him more relaxed than the last, which is exactly the progress we’re looking for.
Teddy | Belgian Malinois | Pupdate 1/9/2026
Today’s work with Teddy centered on slowing things down and reinforcing calm behavior under pressure. We spent time drilling his commands with an emphasis on patience, longer holds, and choosing to stay engaged instead of reacting to what’s happening around him. His ability to settle between reps is noticeably improving, and he’s starting to carry that calm through transitions rather than resetting each time. We also added structured movement to help him stay focused while in motion. Overall, Teddy is showing more composure and better follow-through as his training continues.
Teddy | Belgian Malinois | Pupdate 1/10/2026
Teddy wrapped up his last full day of training today and showed just how much progress he’s made. We focused on polishing all of his commands in high-distraction environments, asking for calm, steady responses and longer duration holds. His ability to settle, think through pressure, and stay engaged has improved significantly.
We spent time reinforcing neutrality and confidence in public, making sure his obedience holds outside of structured sessions. Teddy is moving more thoughtfully now—less reactive, more composed, and far more consistent than when he first arrived.
He’ll be heading home tomorrow, and he’s leaving with a much stronger foundation and clearer communication. We’re proud of the work he’s done and excited for his family to continue building on it at home.
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