Vivaldi | Sheepadoodle | Fullerton, CA

Meet Vivaldi! A sweet four month old Sheepadoodle has joined us for our Three-Week Board and Train Program to work on a few behaviors. Vivaldi's owners have been struggling with her jumping whenever overly excited, which often leads to nipping of the ankles or clothing. Vivaldi is a curious puppy, who loves to counter surf whenever she has the chance and has a mind of her own.

Over these next three weeks, Vivaldi and I will begin to visit new places as we emphasize our work on proper socialization, and confidence building. We will work on creating a healthy relationship, built on mutual respect and motivation to work! Stay tuned for her Three-Week Transformation!

Vivaldi and I explored our surroundings as we roamed the park together, testing what she knew. She responded to her name occasionally, however was very curious of her surroundings. We worked on establishing a relationship as I called her name, rewarding her with some love when she would respond by walking over to me.

Once we got to her new temporary home we got her all settled in. She is hesitant to go inside the crate. We will work on building a positive association with her crate over these next few weeks as we introduce her to new commands!

Vivaldi and I started our day by introducing her to a communication tool, such as the slip lead. The slip lead is used to guide Vivaldi with directional changes of the leash. I apply leash pressure in the direction I want her to go and the second she follows the path created for her, I turn that pressure off and offer her verbal praise along with a reward which may be her kibble, or treats. Vivaldi at first resisted the leash pressure. Once I marked and rewarded the few steps she took in the direction I wanted her to go, she began to understand how to turn the pressure off. She still resists every now and then but is learning to follow my lead.

I introduced her to Come to Sit which is the action of Vivaldi coming around behind me to Sit on my left hand side ready to Heel. She was a natural at this and learned quickly that all of the good stuff came to her when he Sat on my left side. This is how I begin to build value with Vivaldi in a specific position. I Cued Vivaldi’s name frequently, rewarding her when she offered me her attention. This is called the name game and is a great game to practice around distractions to build engagement during training. A focused dog is a dog that is ready to work!

Vivaldi and I ventured out to the park where we worked on her Come to Sit, short increments of Heel, the name game, and Extended Sit. When we first arrived to the park, Vivaldi was very excited to be there as I allowed her to roam around and go potty. There were plenty of new distractions for her to soak in, such as wildlife, kids running around, and other dogs. It is important for Vivaldi to receive plenty of socialization around different distractions at a young age. After some exploring, we worked on her Come to Sit utilizing leash pressure from the slip lead. She is following the directional changes of the leashes quite well. Since she was not food motivated at the park, I rewarded her with affection as I marked her good behavior with a Yes.

After a few laps Vivaldi caught on to following the direction of my left leg. If she tried to pull ahead of me, I turned into her, applying spatial pressure to keep her on my left hand side along with a pop of the leash in a backward motion. As we keep practicing this, she will begin to understand that her placement is on my left hand side until she is released with the cue Break. We are starting with short increments of Heel before she is released. As we build more consistency, we will practice longer duration Heels in new environments.

Vivaldi and I had the chance to take a trip to the park today as we worked on her Come to Sit, Heel, Extended Sit, Down, and Place. She was more food motivated today during training, hopping onto Place after some encouragement and guidance of the leash. She was responsive to her name, and held her Extended Sit for up to a minute! When walking, she tries to take the lead which I correct with a pop of the leash in a backward motion, as I make frequent left turns. I will be introducing her to new communication tools moving forward into this weekend.

I then introduced her to Down, which she became very fluent with as we built duration for her Down. Initially she was only able to offer the behavior for a few seconds. After our session she was able to hold her Extended Down for up to 30 seconds! We will keep building distance and distractions for all of her commands.

Vivaldi and I spent the day shaping her Heel as we walked around the neighborhood, heading towards the local park. I call her name to keep her engaged while Heeling, as I make frequent left turns to counter-condition any pulling. Vivaldi can be quite excitable when first out somewhere new, so letting her explore and release some energy with frequent breaks, and even playtime when she first arrives, helps socialize her, raising confidence, as she can be a nervous pup when encountering new environments.

We worked on Vivaldi’s Come to Sit, which she is doing well with. If there is a time that she does not respond to Come, I pop the leash towards me to reinforce the cue given. It is important to have her follow through with what is requested of her, to build consistency with her commands. We then practiced Place on different surfaces to help build Vivaldi’s confidence. She is quite hesitant with jumping onto new surfaces. I work her through this by guiding her with the leash onto new Places, and rewarding her with treats or affection when she follows through. Vivaldi is learning to trust her handler, which helps raise a well rounded confident pup that is ready to work!

Vivaldi and I ventured out to the park where we exposed her to new distractions such as loud skateboards, kids running wild at the jungle gym, other dogs and crowds of people playing basketball. Vivaldi was very intrigued by her environment. Some distractions she was excited about such as kids. Other distractions she was nervous about, like skateboards and strollers. I rewarded her as soon as those triggers passed by us to help her pair the stimuli with the reward, this is called classical conditioning. By exposing her to this frequently, and working her through it, she will gain confidence and build a positive outlook on these scenarios.

We practiced Place on new surfaces, as building Vivaldi’s confidence has been our primary focus. She needed some encouragement at first. I guided her with the leash upwards as I walked to the other side of the bench which motivated her to jump. Once I marked and rewarded this, she built consistency, jumping onto the bench all on her own!

Vivaldi and I took a trip to The Citadel Outlets to practice her commands in a very busy, crowded environment. We Heeled around The Outlets as she checked in with me. Upon first arriving somewhere new, we focus on engagement as puppies tend to be very distracted when being introduced to the world! I guided her with directional changes of leash pressure as we made frequent turns, jumping onto new Place surfaces. Vivaldi is very responsive to visual cues, which we utilize quite often. She is appearing more confident while we explore new environments, which is great!

Vivaldi and I worked on all of her commands as we built duration for her Extended Sit and Down while near plenty of distractions. Vivaldi’s biggest distraction is other dogs, as she is a very curious pup. I introduced her to a new training collar today to help communicate to Vivialdi more effectively. I utilized a 2.25 mm Herm Sprenger prong collar which I recommend purchasing to continue to work on Vivaldi’s training moving forward at home. She took well to the guidance of the leash paired with the collar. It established even pressure around her neck to discourage her from pulling, as I redirected her with frequent turns, embarking on a pack walk around the park. We encountered plenty of wildlife and practiced her Off command when she was interested in pulling towards the other pups. Vivaldi responded well to her name being called, checking in with me and jumping onto new surfaces with more confidence than ever before!

Today Vivaldi & I ventured out to the park where we had the opportunity to train nearby other dogs, as well as proof her commands while we increased distance & duration for her commands. Her Heel has improved, as she stays closer to my side, correcting herself when she starts walking too far ahead. I remind her to Heel whenever we change direction or pace in our walk. If something grabs her attention, I cue Off as I pop the leash in a forward motion. If she offers me her attention voluntarily, I mark it with a Yes then reward her with affection or her kibble. It is important to keep her guessing when she will be receiving a reward, by rewarding her with an intermittent ratio reinforcement which means she receives rewards at random and unpredicted intervals to increase overall consistency with commands. Vivaldi has increased motivation to work as she is appearing more confident in new environments!

Vivaldi and I started our day with working on her Food Manners. She is expected to hold her Sit or Down while being fed. After the food bowl is placed on the floor, that is not her cue to get up. Her cue to eat is when I release her with the Cue Break. Although tempted, Vivaldi was able to hold her sit while I eventually went out of sight. We then worked on her impulse control as we practiced her Off command while utilizing pieces of bacon as temptation.

Shortly after we went on a trip to the beach today shortly after where we proofed her commands some more. It was very windy which was great exposure for her to work through all of the distractions such as bicyclists, skateboards, other dogs, etc. We will keep working on building duration for her commands as well as build distance between us to keep improving her confidence.

Vivaldi and I worked on proofing her commands while out at the mall. She has adjusted well to the Herm Sprenger prong collar, Heeling nicely by my side, as I pop the leash in a backward motion whenever she attempts to pull ahead which is not often. She Comes to Sit by my left hand side with little guidance of the leash and visual signals as well. If I call Vivaldi’s name to check in with me, she does so very quickly, remaining engaged as we train. With structured walks, Vivaldi knows she is free to sniff around and explore whenever she is on Break. When I call her to Come she is expected to check back in with me and Sit on my left hand side, ready to Heel. This clear communication helps Vivaldi succeed as we need to be consistent with our expectations on her behavior whenever we are with her. Training is a lifestyle!

Vivaldi enjoyed an eventful morning of play as she ran around with her furry friends, chasing each other all over the backyard. She is receptive to other dogs social cues now, allowing space in between each other if a break is needed. It is essential to step in whenever one pup is overwhelmed by another, as this helps teach them when to give it a break.

Vivaldi is much more patient when inside the kennel, sitting at the door, waiting for my release to engage in play with her friends. With added structure, all dogs learn to listen, even when overstimulated during play!

We practice the name game, to help her remain engaged with her handlers instructions while dogs are near.

Vivaldi and I practiced her commands as we strolled around the mall, desensitizing her to new sights, smells, crowds of people, and even other dogs. As we were exploring the mall, there was a reactive dog pulling heavily on the leash, towards Vivaldi. I body blocked the other dog from invading Vivaldi’s space by positioning myself in between that dog and Vivaldi. Uninvited encounters with unfamiliar dogs while on leash is never recommended, and can create an insecure/reactive dog while on leash. It is best to advocate for Vivaldi, and provide a safe space for her at all times. This is how we create a confident dog, who trusts her owner. Pack walks are a great way to start a relationship between two dogs without actually interacting. Then only once they both show interest in each other, may they interact Off Leash in an enclosed environment. The leash can create added tension for an already nervous dog, often making them feel trapped. By providing a safe space, and giving Vivaldi a slow introduction to a dog you know & trust, she will continue to have a positive outlook on other dogs moving forward.

Vivaldi and I ventured out to the park where we participated in a pack walk with fellow trainers and their pups. When we first arrive somewhere new, I allow her to explore a little and take a potty break. Once she has done her business, we begin to train. While we walked as a pack, Vivaldi remained by my side, as I reminded her to Heel. We worked on her Extended Sit, Down, and Place as the other dogs circled around her, desensitizing her to their movement. She responded to her name, remaining engaged with me despite the distractions. We will begin to film content for her final video soon, as she has demonstrated she is ready!

Vivaldi and I ventured out to the mall where we had an eventful day working on her greeting manners as she said hi to a few friendly people today. There were children present as well during this visit. It is important to communicate to people to practice proper social skills with any pup they are interacting with. This means only petting in appropriate areas and making sure a dog is comfortable with the petting as well. Vivaldi can be a bit unsure of new people at first, so having treats handy will help her warm up to them more quickly, as well as create a positive outlook on new interactions. Having Vivaldi on a leash with a Herm Sprenger prong collar, ready to step in when needed during interactions is essential in forming good habits at a young age. Puppy nipping is a common behavior at this age and can be corrected with a pop of the leash whenever Vivaldi is overly excited, attempting to nip. Having a toy handy when playing with her is a great way to teach her where she is allowed to bite, which is a much better alternative than our fingers! Eventually, if conditioned to play with toys enough, Vivaldi will bring a toy over to you to ask to play.

Vivaldi and I began to prepare for her Final video by practicing everything she has learned over these past few weeks, while out at the mall. There were quite a lot of distractions for her to work through, which she has done well with! She is not nearly as nervous of her environment as she was before. She often took about 20 minutes to acclimate to her surroundings and appear confident, now she looks confident as soon as she hops out of the car, with her tail wagging, held high!

She checks in with me frequently, responds her to name on cue, and is very visual when following instructions. She no longer hesitates to jump onto new surfaces, and waits for my release when in a stationary position. Great job Vivaldi!

Vivaldi and I proofed her commands as she performed her Heel, Extended Place, Down, and Sit for a minimum of one and a half minutes, however she has held it up for up to two minutes quite often! She is consistent with her commands, appearing more motivated when starting her training sessions, however can tire quickly which is common for puppies. Frequent breaks help keep her engaged for longer periods of time when needed.

We are now focusing our work on new interactions with people. She can be a bit shy around strangers, unsure of them when first being approached. To create a positive association, having a new person reward her when she approaches on her terms, will help her overcome any fear or uncertainty that she may have.

Vivaldi and I began to film content for her Final video today as we practiced all of her commands at the mall. She held her Extended Sit, Down and Place for a minute and a half as plenty of distractions passed by us. She was very aware of her surroundings as it was a busier than usual environment, however she responded to her name when being called.

She can Come to Sit from distances of 15ft or more, and Heel consistently by my left hand side. We will continue to work on added distance and distractions in our environment as she builds confidence everyday!

Vivaldi and I were able to practice everything she has learned over these past few weeks while out at the mall on a busy Saturday afternoon. Exposure to new sights, smells, and noises has been an important part of developing confidence with Vivaldi, as she has a tendency to be nervous when first encountering someplace different.

She said hi to a friendly new person, and even took a treat from them! We worked near other dogs, which is always something that catches Vivaldi’s interest. She works through it and is learning to check in with her handler whenever unsure of anything. The name game is a great game to play with her daily to continue to build her attentiveness.

We then went on a trip to the park today shortly after where we proofed her commands some more. It was great exposure for Vivaldi to work through the distractions near us as plenty of wildlife circled around the pond. Initially she was very intrigued by it but after about 5 mins of Heeling she was fluently performing everything she has learned!

Vivaldi and I spent our day together working on all of her commands as we strolled around the park, training near other trainers and their pups. We emphasize our work on distance away from each other, which I recommend keeping up with to prevent any separation anxiety from escalating. It is best to never make it a big deal when you come and go so Vivaldi doesn’t see it is a big deal either. Crate training also greatly helps with separation anxiety, especially when at home with Vivaldi. Periods of time alone throughout the day helps prepare her for time apart.

Vivaldi has overall become more confident, can hold her Place and Extended Sit for a minimum of two minutes, and can Come to Sit from about 15 ft away. I recommend constantly taking Vivaldi to new environments. Since she can be a nervous girl at times, desensitization to new places will only further improve her training. She is a loving girl who needs a lot of guidance, structure and leadership to thrive and follow instructions. She has come a long way and we can not wait to show you what she has learned. Thank you for trusting me with Vivaldi!

Vivaldi | Sheepadoodle | Fullerton, CA | In-Training

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