Watson | Maltipoo/Pitbull Mix | Lakewood, CA | In Training
- Tanner Strong
- Apr 6
- 10 min read
Updated: Apr 20
Meet Watson! He is a two year old Maltipoo/Pitbull Mix from Lakewood, California here for our Two-Week Board and Train Program! Watson loves to bark at just about everything in sight, from people, to dogs and small critters, he always let's them know what he thinks. He's also a huge leash puller, making walking him a difficult task. He is familiar with some commands, but he decides whether or not he wants to listen, and often has trouble staying still for more than a few seconds. He also loves jumping and putting his paws up on you, and sometimes marks his territory a little too much! Over the next fourteen days we will work on Watson's obedience skills and impulse control. We will help mitigate his barking, jumping and pulling, as well as help with him manners in and out of the house, and help Watson become the best pup he can possibly be! Stay tuned for Watson's two week transformation!
Pupdate: 4/6/2025
Watson and I had an eventful first day together! When I first picked him up, he had a lot to say and barked quite a bit at me. But he pretty quickly warmed up to me!
Once we got home, I gave him some time to sniff around and explore so he could settle in and get comfortable with me and his new environment. After that, we headed out to the park for a walk.
Watson definitely has a strong opinion on where he wants to go — he pulled heavily on the leash and was mostly focused on following his nose. He was able to perform the Sit command for me about half the time, though he struggled to hold it for very long before wanting to get up and move again.
While we were at the park, Watson barked at a person who passed by us several times, showing a little bit of that alert, vocal personality. Other than that, we've had a fun first day getting to know each other, and I'm looking forward to working with him more!
Pupdate: 4/7/2025
Watson had a big day today at Whittier Narrows Park! We met up with some other trainers and their dogs, which gave Watson a great opportunity to practice staying calm and focused around distractions. When we first approached the group, Watson was very eager to pull toward the other dogs and bark. Instead of rushing in, we took our time with the approach, only moving forward when Watson was able to settle and stay calm. With some patience and practice, we were able to join the group without any barking — a big win for him!
Once we joined everyone, Watson was still pretty excited to be around so many new friends, which is totally understandable at this stage. But our goal moving forward is to help him shift more of his attention to me rather than all the distractions around him.
We spent most of our session working on his Heel command, focusing on having Watson walk politely at my side without pulling forward. He had some really nice moments today but still needs practice with consistency. We also worked on his Sit command — he's getting a little better about holding his Sit but still needs reminders to stay put.
Overall, the biggest success of the day was simply being around a busy, distracting environment without barking! Watson worked hard today, and I’m proud of the progress he’s making.
Pupdate: 4/8/2025
Watson and I went to Almansor Park today for his training session! We started off with a walk in the neighborhood, where Watson did bark once at a dog. I corrected this with our Off command, which we’ll be using consistently moving forward for any unwanted behaviors — whether that’s barking, jumping, or anything else we don’t want him doing. Watson is already starting to catch on! By the time we got to the park, he was still vocalizing a little at distractions, but it was much more controlled — more of a quiet ruff under his breath rather than a full bark. Later in the day, a little kid ran by, and Watson looked at them, almost barked then looked at me without me having to say anything. It was a great step forward, and he got rewarded heavily for this.
Once at the park, we spent most of our time working on Heel, focusing on getting Watson to walk politely at my side. We also introduced his Come To Sit command, where I want him to come to my right side, loop around behind me, and sit on my left with his ears lined up at my knee. This can be a tricky maneuver to learn, but Watson is already making great progress! By the end of our session, he was starting to complete the motion with very little leash guidance.
Pupdate: 4/9/2025
Watson and I spent some time exploring Whittier Narrows Park today! It was a bit quieter than usual, which gave us a great opportunity to focus on his training without too many distractions. I'm happy to report that Watson didn’t bark at anyone during our outing — a big win for him!
We spent a lot of time working on his Place command. For Watson, this means hopping up onto a raised surface like a bench or cot and staying there until released. This skill is super useful both out in public — for building his confidence — and at home when I need him to settle while I’m busy cooking, cleaning, or welcoming guests.
At first, Watson was pretty skeptical about the cot and tried to avoid stepping onto it, preferring to circle around instead. But with a little patience and encouragement, he started to get more comfortable and even showed some moments of confidence while hanging out up there. My goal moving forward is to help him not just tolerate the Place command, but actually enjoy being up there and see it as his own little safe space.
Pupdate: 4/10/2025
Today Watson took a big step in his training with a field trip to Home Depot! While he was a bit nervous at times, he often found his rhythm and settled into the environment fairly well. He walked nicely for much of the outing, staying engaged and checking in with me frequently.
One of the most important moments today was an unexpected interaction with another dog. The other dog was pulling and barking toward Watson, but Watson handled it like a star. He stayed calm, used his nose to sniff in the other dog's direction, wagged his tail, and most importantly — he didn’t bark or make any noise. He kept checking in with me, and I made sure to reward him and give him a break for this behavior. This was a big win for Watson and a clear sign of progress!
Aside from that moment, Watson also did a good job navigating all the usual distractions of Home Depot — carts, people, loud noises, and new smells. There were definitely moments where his nerves kicked in and he reverted to pulling for a few seconds, but overall, he exceeded my expectations and showed real signs of progress.
Pupdate: 4/11/2025
Today was a big adventure for Watson — we took a trip out to the Santa Monica Pier! This was by far the most crowded and distracting environment Watson has experienced, and overall he handled it fairly well.
At the start, he was definitely feeling a little overwhelmed — excited, curious, and a bit nervous with all the new sights, sounds, smells, and people. But after hanging out and sitting around for a bit, Watson began to settle in and adjust to the busy atmosphere.
We were joined by my girlfriend on this outing, and she also spent some time handling Watson. He was willing to work for her, responded pretty well, and seemed to really warm up to her by the end of the day — always great to see him building trust with new handlers!
There were plenty of other dogs out and about, which provided a huge challenge in terms of distractions. I was super proud of Watson for staying mostly composed — no barking or lunging, even when other dogs were nearby.
Overall, this was a tough environment for Watson, but he handled himself better than expected. With more practice in busy settings like this, his confidence and focus will only continue to grow!
Way to go, Watson!
Pupdate: 4/12/2025
Watson had a fun and eventful outing today at the Santa Monica Promenade—he got to reunite with his brother, Link! Watson was definitely excited to see him, and while that enthusiasm led to a few reminders to hold his Sit position when they were close together, he did a nice job staying polite overall.
As they walked side by side, both boys showed they were willing to perform their commands and kept relatively composed. Watson had a couple of moments where his excitement bubbled up, but he was able to refocus and continue on with good energy. It was a great opportunity to work around a familiar distraction and practice staying calm under fun circumstances.
All in all, it was a great day for Watson, and it was heartwarming to watch the brothers spend some time training together!
Pupdate: 4/13/2025
Watson had another great outing in Santa Monica! We spent more time around the promenade this time, and it didn’t take him long at all to settle in. He behaved really well throughout the visit, taking in the sights and sounds calmly. We stayed out for quite a while, so by the time we got home, he was more than ready for a well-earned nap.
At home, we’ve been putting extra focus on his Place command. While Watson still occasionally leaves the cot before being released, he's showing steady improvement. He’s gradually increasing how long he can stay put, and the goal is to eventually have him hold Place while I cook and eat dinner—without needing to be reminded. We’re not there just yet, but we’re definitely moving in the right direction, and I’m proud of the progress he's making!
Pupdate: 4/14/2025
Today, Watson worked on his commands with the leash dragging. This exercise gives me a sense of how he might perform off leash while still allowing me to access the leash if needed. During our morning session, he had some trouble staying responsive without the leash in hand—I had to pick it up often to guide him and keep him on track.
After taking a long lunch break, we returned to the park, and the downtime seemed to help. Watson came back more focused and much more responsive. While he's not perfect yet, the improvement was clear.
In the video above, you can see his progress—he performed his Come To Sit, Place, and Heel commands fairly reliably without me needing to touch the leash. He still needed a bit of help with his Down command, but overall, this was a solid step forward in his training.
Pupdate: 4/15/2025
Today, Watson continued making progress toward his off-leash training! We focused on leash-dragging work using a smaller, lighter leash to better simulate the sensation of being off-leash. His recall was pretty solid throughout the session—he responded well when called and came back with good enthusiasm.
A main focus today was refining his Heel command. While he stayed relatively close, he did begin to lag behind from time to time. With a few timely reminders, he usually caught back up and got back into position. He’s showing that he’s understanding what’s expected, but just needs a bit more consistency.
Overall, Watson did a great job today. If all goes well, we’re aiming to start testing him with the leash all the way off tomorrow!
Pupdate: 4/16/2025
Watson did a good job today! For each training session, we began with a warm-up on leash to help him settle in and focus. Once I felt confident in his responsiveness, I removed the leash—and he did quite well! He was able to remain off leash for a few minutes at a time, staying engaged and following commands nicely. This step-by-step approach really worked for him. The next goal is to continue this process in more distracting environments to strengthen his consistency and focus. Great progress today, Watson!
Pupdate: 4/17/2025
Today’s Pupdate is all about manners! Watson and I have been working on building his impulse control in everyday situations, and he’s making great progress.
For food manners/food refusal, our goal is for Watson to ignore food that’s been dropped on the floor until he’s given permission. This is a valuable safety skill in case something unsafe falls while cooking. He’s doing well with this — he’s learning to pause and look to me for guidance rather than diving in!
For door manners, I want to be able to open the door without Watson rushing through before me. He should only cross the threshold when I say it’s okay, whether we’re heading out or coming back inside. This has been the most challenging for him, especially when he’s excited about going out or re-entering the house. But with daily practice, he’s getting the hang of it. We’ve also been applying this at gates and other thresholds to build consistency.
When it comes to car manners, Watson is learning to wait calmly when I open the car door, then go straight into his crate on cue. He’s picking this up quickly and has become more patient during the loading routine.
We practice these manners a little each day, and it’s been awesome to see his progress. With continued consistency, Watson is well on his way to being a polite and well-mannered pup!
Pupdate: 4/18/2025
Today Watson took on the bustling Santa Monica Pier for his training session, and he did a great job! We started with a warm-up on leash to help him settle into the environment, and it definitely paid off. Once he was more focused, we took off the leash—and he held it together fairly nicely!
With tons of people around, I wasn’t sure how he'd do off-leash, but he rose to the challenge. While there were a few moments of distraction, he was quick to bounce back and stay with me. We also worked on his greeting manners, practicing calm, polite sits when strangers wanted to pet him. He’s getting the hang of it and showing more impulse control each time.
Super proud of Watson today—this was a big step forward!
Pupdate: 4/19/2025
Today, Watson took a trip to the Santa Monica Promenade! Compared to the pier, he seemed to enjoy the vibe here a bit more—it was slightly more relaxed, and he definitely settled into the environment nicely. We gave him some off-leash time for about half the visit, and he handled it like a pro. Watson did a great job with his commands and kept his manners in check throughout the outing. It was a solid day of training and fun, and he made it clear he was enjoying himself!
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