Winnie | Pug | Van Nuys, CA. | In Training.
- heatheroffleashsoc
- Apr 12
- 26 min read
Updated: May 2
Meet Winnie! š¾
This spunky little lady is a one-year-old Pug from Van Nuys, California, and she has just joined us for our Two Week Board and Train Program!
Winnie is bursting with young pup energy, and she isnāt shy about showing it. From table surfing (because whatās yours is obviously hers) to enthusiastic jumping during greetings, she approaches life with a āgo big or go homeā attitude. Along with all that charm comes a bit of a challengeāWinnie is still working on listening to direction and making the best choices in those exciting moments.
Itās also been noted that Winnie has a touch of separation anxiety. Ironically, this can lead to accidents in the home even when her family is aroundābecause in Winnieās world, stepping away might mean missing out on something important. Additionally, while she shows curiosity when meeting people out in public, she can be a little unsure at first, giving us a glimpse of a more sensitive side beneath all that spunk.
With all of this in mind, itās safe to say Winnie is ready for some guidance. Over the next two weeks, weāll be working closely with her on basic obedience and house manners, helping her channel that puppy energy into more thoughtful, controlled behaviors.
Our goal is to provide Winnie and her family with the tools they need for clearer communication, better choices, and a more confident pup.
Stay tuned for Winnieās transformationāitās sure to be a fun one!
4/12/2026
Winnie and I kicked off our first day of training by taking things nice and easy with a walk at the park. This gave us a great opportunity to get acquainted while I assessed what she already knows and began introducing a few foundational commands.
Right from the start, Winnie was very curious about her surroundings. She was much more interested in checking out people, sights, and smellsāand of course, trying to forage for anything she could fit in her mouth! This gave me the perfect opportunity to introduce the āoffā command, paired with a leash correction. She wasnāt too thrilled about it at first, but she picked up on it quickly.
We also began working on āheelā and āsit.ā Winnie initially loved darting ahead and choosing her own direction during our walk. Each time she tried to get ahead, I turned in the opposite direction and applied a light leash correction to guide her back with me. After a few repetitions, she started walking much more nicely by my sideāgreat progress!
As for āsit,ā I get the sense she already knows itā¦ she just prefers to do it on her own terms š. To help her understand consistency, I applied gentle upward leash pressure along with light encouragement to guide her into position. After a bit of practice, she gave us a solid sitāand we celebrated that win! With a few more repetitions, she was sitting on command, which was really exciting to see.
After our walk, we headed back to the car. Winnie did whine a bit in her crate at first, but once she realized that wasnāt going to get her out, she settled in nicely. Good girl!
When we arrived at my home, I let her explore her āhome away from homeā for the next couple of weeks. She seemed quite comfortable overall! The only complaint came at nap timeāshe wasnāt too happy about the crate and barked when I walked away.
However, just like earlier, she eventually settled once she realized barking wouldnāt change the situation.
Later in the afternoon, we had another short training session in the yard to reinforce what we started earlier. She did well, so we followed it up with some playtime and even a cuddle on the couch after dinner. She is such a cutie!
All in all, Winnie had a great first day. Sheās settling in nicely, and sheās clearly a smart little peanut. I have no doubt sheāll continue picking up her commands in no time!
4/13/2026
Today Winnie and I headed out to a park in Rosemead to meet up with some fellow trainers and their pups. During our time there, we worked on a socialization exercise where a couple of my male colleagues spent time sitting with Winnie to see if she would begin to warm up to them.
When they first took the leash, Winnie made it clear she wasnāt a fan and kept her eyes locked on me for reassurance. If I stepped out of sight, she would cry. However, with a bit of time and patience, she was able to settle enough that Mike was even able to give her some petsāwhich is a great win!
After that, we shifted our focus to her training. Her heel is coming along nicely. She still needs some corrections here and there, and weāre using both leash and e-collar corrections together to help guide her. Sheās not a big fan of either just yet, but this is all new to her and she will adjust with time.
Her ācome to sitā is still a work in progress, which is completely okay since itās a more technical command. On the bright side, her sit command is becoming much more reliable and on cue, which is great to see. Her down command is still a bit challenging, but with steady leash pressure sheās beginning to understand whatās being asked of her.
Place was also a bit of a challenge today, as she was unsure about hopping up onto the place cot. With some encouragement, though, she was able to get up there successfully.
Overall, today was full of new introductions and experiences, and Winnie handled it quite well. Iām especially proud of how brave she was when it came to meeting new men. Weāll continue to build on this progress in the coming days, and Iām excited to see her keep growing!
4/14/2026
Today Winnie and I worked in two different locationsāHome Depot and my neighborhoodāto continue building her skills in a variety of environments.
For our morning session, we headed to Home Depot to focus on her commands with added distractions. As much as I would have loved to share a video of this outing, I ran into some technical difficultiesābut donāt worry, weāll definitely be back again soon! Winnie showed some initial anxiety in this new setting, so we took things slow and started with heel work in the garden center. Once she began to relax, we moved into her extended sit and down commands.
Her sit is coming along nicely, though she will occasionally break command or offer a down instead. This is completely normalāsheās not only learning, but also testing boundaries to see what she can get away with. Each time she offered something other than a sit, I simply redirected her into position and reset. The same applies to her down command, though she still needs a bit more guidance there. That said, with each repetition, sheās requiring less and less correction, which is great progress.
We eventually ventured inside the store for a short walk to let her take everything in. She was a bit on edge at first, but by the time we left, she was much more relaxedāand that tail was wagging!
After heading home and giving her some time to rest, we had a second session in my neighborhood. This session mirrored some of the same boundary-testing behaviors, but we also worked on the place command. Initially, hopping onto the cot was a bit of a challenge, but by her second attempt, she got it and laid down right away. Silly girlāsheāll happily lay down on the cot without correction, but ask for a down on the ground and suddenly itās negotiable!
We also worked on her come to sit. Sheās making progress, though sheās still tempted to go straight to my left side instead of wrapping around from the right into position. To help her figure it out, I take a few steps back to give her space to think it through, and step forward if she tries to lag behindāguiding her into that proper finish position.
Overall, Winnie is making great progress. Sheās a very smart little peanut, and I have no doubt sheāll continue putting the pieces together more and more each day!
4/15/2026
Today Winnie and I headed out to the park to continue working on her commands in a more distracting environment. Being that the park has quite a lot going on, Winnie brought all of her nervous energy to our sessionāsheās just a little lady, after all!
As we worked on her heel command along the walking path, I noticed that Winnie would try to tuck behind me whenever people passed by. I encouraged her to stay confidently at my side using a combination of treats and verbal praise. For the most part, this worked wellāas long as no one was running past us, which is something weāll continue to build on.
For her come-to-sit, Winnie made a big step forward today! She was able to go around my right side and sit nicely on my left without me needing to guide her with extra footwork, which is a huge win.
We also practiced sit and down with increased distance and duration. She did have a bit of trouble staying put at first, but with a little repetition, she started to understand what was being asked of her. Itās great to see things beginning to click for her.
For place work, we moved beyond the place cot and introduced new surfaces like park benches and picnic tablesāgreat exercises for building confidence. At first, Winnie was hesitant and didnāt want to hop up, but after a few ārunning starts,ā she was able to get up and settle on just about anything I asked. What a brave girl!
While exploring the park, we also encountered a bridge over some rushing water, which made Winnie pretty nervous. We slowed things down, walked over it a few times, and even took a moment to sit there so she could process and realize she was safe. Later on, when we crossed it again on the way back to the car, she handled it with much more confidenceāanother big win for her.
All in all, Winnie is making great progress with her commands and is handling these confidence-building exercises as well as can be expected. We had quite a few wins today, and Iām so proud of this little brave bean!
Potty Training Update: Winnie has not had any accidents with me during the day. We go out every few hours, and I walk with her until she finds the right spotāwe donāt head back in until she goes. During bedtime, she has been having one accident each night, but I am consistently working on improving timing to help her become fully accident-free.
4/16/2026
Today Winnie and I headed out to Home Depot to continue working on her commands with plenty of real-world distractionsāand there were definitely a lot of them! Our main focus was on her heel, extended sit, extended down, and come to sit.
When we first arrived, Winnie was a bit nervous and understandably overwhelmed, as the store was much livelier than our previous visit. Thatās perfectly okayāwe took things slow and started with her heel. Once she was able to walk nicely at my side without pulling or darting in different directions, we began working through her commands.
Initially, her extended sit and down were a bit challenging. With all the unfamiliar noises and activity around us, Winnie really just wanted to stay close to me. However, we stayed consistent and gently redirected her back into position each time she broke command. With patience and repetition, she started to settle in and successfully hold her positions. This is such an important exerciseānot only is Winnie learning to follow through on commands despite distractions, but sheās also building confidence and beginning to understand that a busy environment isnāt something to worry about.
Her come to sit is coming along beautifully! Sheās getting to the point where she needs much less leash guidance, which is wonderful progress. Every now and then she still needs a little help, and thatās totally okayāsheās continuing to show just how smart she is.
By the end of our session, I could see a noticeable change in Winnie. She seemed much more relaxed and even a little proud of herselfālike she knew she had accomplished something big. Overall, she had a great day, and Iām so proud of her for working through her initial nerves and pushing forward.
Potty Training Update: Winnie had a full day without any accidentsāgreat job! Water was picked up around 6:30 PM, dinner was served at 4:30 PM, and her final potty break was around 10:30 PM. Weāre building a solid routine, and hopefully we can keep this momentum going!
4/17/2026
Today Winnie and I headed back to Home Depot to continue building on the progress we made yesterday, and there was a noticeable improvement! While she was still a bit nervous about her surroundings at times, she did a wonderful job trusting me and holding her extended commands. Even when a loud cart passed by and caused her to break position here and there, she was quickly redirected and got right back into place like a little pro.
Her heel is coming along nicely as well. She still has moments where she wants to tuck behind me when something feels intimidating, but we worked through those by calmly walking back and forth past whatever caught her attention. This helps her realize itās only a big deal if she makes it one, and sheās starting to gain more confidence in those situations.
Her come-to-sit is also improving! Every now and then she gets a little silly and tries to swing over to the left side, but overall sheās showing a strong understanding of whatās being asked of her.
All in all, today was another great day focused on building confidence and reinforcing her commands. Winnie is making steady progress and itās great to see her starting to trust the process more and more.
Potty Training Update: Winnie is officially two days accident-free! Nothing new was introducedāwe simply stuck to the same schedule, and seems to be working so far.
4/18/2026
Today Winnie and I headed out to the park to continue working on her commands around distractions. I specifically chose the park on a busy weekend because thereās always so much going onālots of people, activity, and other pupsāwhich makes it a great environment to help Winnie learn how to navigate it all confidently. She handled the challenge really well.
As we heeled through the park, Winnie showed nice improvement. Sheās becoming less likely to tuck in behind me when people pass by, which is a great step forward. She still gets a bit nervous when someone is running or moving quickly, but thatās completely understandable and something weāll continue to build confidence around.
Her extended commands are coming along, though today she had a bit of a āsilly girlā momentāwhen asked to sit, sheād offer a down, and when asked to down, sheād offer a sit. This kind of mix-up isnāt uncommon and can sometimes be a bit of boundary testing, but we stayed consistent and only accepted what was asked. By the end of the session, she was back on track and making the correct choices. Smart girl!
Her come-to-sit is looking nice as well. The only thing weāre working through is that her nervousness can cause her to swing a bit wide when coming around to my right side. With more confidence and repetition, that should tighten up over time.
We also worked on her place command, which is progressing well. Weāre still building her confidence when it comes to jumping up onto objects, but sheās making steady progress there too.
All in all, Winnie had a great day of training and made meaningful progress. Iām really proud of this little lady!
Potty Training Update: We are on day three with no accidentsāgo Winnie go! š¾
4/19/2026
Today Winnie and I headed back out to Lake Balboa Park to take advantage of all the great distractions the day had to offer. While we worked through all of her commands, our main focus was on strengthening her place command in a variety of real-world settings.
Although Winnie is known to confidently hop onto things like tables at home, she showed some hesitation when asked to jump onto unfamiliar objects outdoors. To work through this, we explored different benches and safe elevated surfaces throughout the park. Each new object took a little encouragement, sometimes even a few running starts, before she felt comfortable hopping up. At one point, I used my backpack as a small step to help her build confidence. After a successful attempt with that support, I removed it and had her try againāand she nailed it! By the end of our session, Winnie was hopping up onto anything I asked without hesitation. Huge progress!
Alongside this, weāve been reinforcing the difference between being invited onto something versus making that decision on her own. When sheās asked to hop upāgreat job! But unsolicited table surfing? Absolutely not. Weāre using the off command to clearly communicate those boundaries, and Winnie is starting to understand the rules. Sheās a smart girl and catching on quickly.
Winnie also did very well with her other commands today, staying engaged despite the busy environment. We even had a great socialization moment when a tall gentleman with a pug wanted to greet her. At first, Winnie was nervous when he bent down toward her. To help her feel more comfortable, I reassured her and handed the gentleman a treat. He adjusted by sitting down to her level, which made a big differenceāWinnie accepted the treat and even allowed some pets. What a brave girl! She received lots of praise for working through that moment.
Iāve noticed Winnie can be uncomfortable when people bend over her, which is understandable given her size. Even during routine things like putting on her collar, she may cower slightly. To help build her confidence, I take things slow and only proceed when she relaxes and offers a calm sit. This is still a work in progress, but we are seeing gradual improvement.
Overall, Winnie had a fantastic day. Sheās responding well to the confidence-building exercises, and Iām very proud of how brave and willing she was throughout our session.
Potty Training Update:
We are officially on day four with no accidents! Even better, Winnie kindly let everyone sleep in until 7am today without any whining to go outāwhat a win!
4/20/2026
Today Winnie and I headed out to a park in Rosemead to meet up with some fellow trainers and continue working on her commandsāand she did well! Along with our usual training, I had Mike step in to work with Winnie for two important reasons. First, she tends to show some anxiety when approached by people outside of her immediate circle, and second, itās important for her to understand that listening is expected no matter who is holding the leash.
At first, Winnie was not too happy about Mike taking over. All she wanted to do was make her way back to me, clearly unsure of the situation. Mike worked with her at a pace that respected her comfort level, practicing what he could without pushing her too far.
He also took some time to get down on her level and offer her some affection to help ease her nerves. While she didnāt suddenly become overly affectionate or completely relaxed, the fact that she wasnāt trying to make a quick escape by the end of the session was a big step in the right direction.
After training, we spent some time relaxing in the park. I gave Winnie a bit more freedom on the leash to see how she would respondāwhether sheād stay close or venture out on her own. To my surprise, she chose to explore! She even went up and greeted a couple of the other dogs. Watching her go nose-to-nose with a chocolate lab named Oso was such a rewarding moment and definitely brought a smile to my face. Itās really encouraging to see her growing more comfortable in her surroundings.
Overall, it was a great day of training, and Winnie showed a lot of bravery and progress. Iām excited to keep building on this momentum!
Potty Training Update: Winnie is officially on day five with no accidents!
4/21/2026
Today Winnie and I headed indoors to Home Depot to escape the rainy weather while continuing to work on all of her commands with added distractionsāand wow, did she surprise me!
At first, Winnie was a bit nervous, which is completely understandable in a busy indoor environment. But it didnāt take long before her spunky personality started to shine through. One of the biggest highlights of the day was her progress with meeting new people. Instead of cowering or trying to move away, Winnie confidently sniffed hands and happily accepted pets. She even showed curiosity by sniffing people as they walked by, which is a huge step forward! Itās clear that all the effort weāve been putting into building her confidence is really starting to pay off.
On top of that, Winnie did a great job performing all of her commands just as weāve been practicing. She stayed engaged, responsive, and handled the distractions of the environment very well.
Overall, today was a fantastic training day, and I couldnāt be prouder of her progress. To top it all off, Winnie seemed to really enjoy coming back home, getting cozy on the couch, and relaxing with some snuggles and a movieāhonestly, the perfect way to end a cold, rainy day!
Potty Training Update: Winnie is now six days accident-free! Last night, her final potty break was at 9:30 PM, and she successfully held it until 6:30 AM for her morning pottyāno early wake-up calls at 5:00ā5:30 AM. Huge progress!
4/22/2026
Today Winnie and I headed back out to Home Depot to meet up with another trainer and continue building on her commands with added distractions. And once again, Winnie showed up with that signature spunk!
We started our session with me handling Winnie, and she performed everything just as weāve been practicing. With her doing so well, I decided to hand the leash off to my colleague for a portion of the session. This serves two important purposes: helping Winnie understand that commands apply no matter who is holding the leash, and building her confidence when working away from whatās familiarāme.
Winnie definitely had some thoughts about that transition! She spent some time looking back for me and showed a bit of hesitation while heeling with her new handler. Her extended down also proved to be more challenging with someone new, but with gentle leash guidance and encouragement, she was able to settle into the command.
One of the most encouraging moments from today was seeing Winnie break command not out of fear, but out of curiosity. Instead of trying to retreat from passing people, she chose to move toward them to check things out. This is a big shift and shows that the work weāve been doing to build her confidence around people is paying off. Now, our next step is helping her understand that she doesnāt need to get up and greet everyone who passes by.
We worked through this by repeating the extended down exercise until she was able to hold her position while people walked past. Once she succeeded, we gave her a well-earned break filled with lots of love and praise!
Overall, today was a great session, and Winnie continues to make steady progress. Sheās a smart, spirited girl, and Iām very proud of how brave she was today!
Potty Training Update: We are officially on day seven with no accidentsāholy cow! Winnie is also continuing to do a great job in the mornings, no longer waking the house up around 5:00ā5:30am and instead waiting patiently until about 6:30am. This is such lovely progress and a big win for everyone!
4/23/2026
Today Winnie and I headed over to Topanga Village Mall to continue practicing her commands around new distractions. Winnie took this change of environment completely in strideāwhich honestly comes as no surprise. If she can handle the chaos of Home Depot, she can handle just about anything!
She performed all of her commands just as weāve been practicing, only breaking one extended command. This happened because she wasnāt comfortable having her back turned to me in this unfamiliar setting. Thatās totally fairāI like to see whatās coming too! The great part is that as soon as I stepped forward, Winnie corrected herself, showing she clearly understands whatās being asked of her. Itās been really rewarding to see her start to think things through and make those decisions on her own.
We did, however, discover a new āmortal enemyā for Winnieāthe escalator. When we first walked by, she panicked and tried everything she could to steer us away from it. Of course, that made it the perfect opportunity for a confidence-building exercise. We kept it simple and just practiced calmly walking past it over and over. The goal was to show her that itās only a big deal if she makes it one. It took some time, but she made noticeable progress and was eventually able to walk by with much more composure than at the start. We made sure to celebrate those wins with lots of love and excitement!
Overall, today was another great day of training and confidence building. Iām very proud of Winnie for pushing through her uncertainties and continuing to grow!
Potty Training Update: day eight of no accidents and still remaining solid with not waking up the house at 5-5:30 am. Winnie is on a roll!
4/24/2026
Today Winnie and I headed back out to the Topanga Village Mall to continue building on her commands in a more distracting environmentāand she did a great job!
We focused on her āplaceā command across a variety of different surfaces, as sheās previously shown a bit of hesitation when asked to jump up onto unfamiliar objects. At first, she needed a little encouragement and a few ārunning startā attempts, but with some patience and repetition, Winnie found her confidence and successfully hopped up onto each surface. It was great to see her push through that uncertainty and come out more self-assured on the other side!
Winnie also performed very nicely with her extended commands, as well as her come-to-sit and heel. Sheās becoming more consistent and responsive, even with the added distractions of a busy mall environment.
One of the highlights from today was seeing more of Winnieās brave and social side shine through. Instead of shying away from people, she showed curiosity and even gravitated toward them a bit, which is a lovely shift in her confidence.
Overall, Winnie is making solid progress in so many areas, and itās really starting to show. Iām so proud of this little bean and how far sheās come!
Potty Training Update: Day nine with no accidentsāgreat job, Winnie! š
4/25/2026
Today we focused on Winnieās house mannersāspecifically her food manners, door manners, and car manners. While this is something weāve been practicing daily, I wanted to dedicate the day to really reinforcing these behaviors and making them more consistent. Winnie can get pretty excited, especially when food is involved or when she knows weāre about to head outside or hop in the car for an adventure. And in her mind, who has time to sit politely when all of that is on the line?
Overall, Winnie handled her manners well today. She did try to rush things at first, but after a few repetitions she started to understand that patience is what gets her what she wants most.
For her food manners, Winnie practiced sitting politely while I prepared and placed her food down, and continuing to wait until she was released. This included moments where I stepped away to make sure she understood the expectation regardless of my movement. Sheās doing well here, though she still likes to be a little cheeky at times and tries to beat me to the punch.
With her door manners, the goal is for Winnie to sit at the door, allow me to walk outside first, and then wait calmly until she is released. This is another area where her excitement can get the best of her, but with consistent practice she showed improvement and better patience as we went on.
For her car manners, Winnie worked on sitting calmly by the car while I got everything ready, and then loading up only when given the cue. Sheās very eager when it comes to the car since she associates it with fun outings, but by the end of our session she showed a much clearer understanding of waiting for direction.
All in all, Winnie did a great job with todayās focused work and showed a stronger understanding of whatās expected of her. Way to go, Winnie!
Potty Training Update:
The streak has unfortunately been broken. This morning, after going outside for potty time and coming back in for breakfast, Winnie decided to sneak in a number two in the living room while I was making eggs. She took advantage of the brief moment of freedom instead of settling for her usual post-breakfast routine. As a result, she had some crate time instead of morning snuggles before we got started with our training. Moving forward, weāll be continuing with consistent crate training and supervision to help reinforce that going potty in the house is a big no-no, and to set her up for better success and consistency.
4/26/2026
Today Winnie and I headed out to the park to continue working on her commands around distractions, and she did such a great job! She performed each command just as weāve been practicing, even with people passing by fairly close. Itās always a big step when pups can stay focused in a busy environment, and Winnie handled it like a pro.
She had a couple of polite dog introductionsājust some quick sniffs before going their separate ways. I havenāt seen her try to initiate play with other dogs just yet, but itās really encouraging to see that sheās not shying away either. Sheās finding her comfort zone at her own pace, which is exactly what we want.
Winnie also met a few new people today, and this is where her personality really started to shine! She was much more eager to engage, even handing out some sweet little finger kisses. Itās safe to say sheās a fan of calm, gentle energy. Loud or high-pitched voices arenāt quite her thing (totally understandable!), but when the vibe is relaxed, sheās all in.
Overall, itās been really heartwarming to watch her confidence continue to grow. She clearly understands her commands, even if she occasionally likes to pretend she doesnātāif it were up to Winnie, sheād definitely choose doing her own thing sometimes!
Potty Training Update:
Day 1 with zero incidentsāgreat start! Weāre continuing to utilize crate training when she canāt be directly supervised, and making sure to stay outside until she fully goes potty. She sometimes needs that extra reminder, otherwise sheāll do a quick tinkle and make a dash for the door. Consistency here will really help solidify those good habits.
Winnie is making wonderful progress, and itās been a joy watching her come out of her shell more each day! š¶š
5/27/2026
Today Winnie and I headed to the park to put her commands to the test, relying less on the leash and more on the e-collar. Overall, she showed a solid understanding, with come to sit and down being the most challenging.
With come to sit, Winnie tended to stop in front of me without finishing the command. By taking a step back, I helped guide her into completing it properly, and by the end of the session she showed noticeable improvement. Down was a bit more of a struggle todayāshe seemed more playful than focused, often scooting forward or trying to kiss my hands as if to say sheād rather play than work.
Since she was in a playful mood, we kept training reps short and positive. After making progressāespecially with come to sitāwe took a break for some play. When she became a bit mouthy, I let my hands go limp to remove the fun from nibbling, and once she settled, we resumed play. She can be stubborn in these moments, but weāre continuing to work through it.
Overall, it was a nice balance of work and play, and Winnie continues to make steady progress.
Potty Training Update: Day 2 with zero incidents! Weāre managing this by limiting unsupervised roaming in the house and giving her clear reminders outside to stay focused and finish her business.
4/28/2026
Today Winnie and I headed out to Santa Monica to continue building on her commands with real-world distractions, and she did a fantastic job!
A big focus for today was her place command, using it as a tool to continue strengthening her confidence. Iām so happy to share that it took far fewer ārunning startsā for Winnie to hop up onto different surfaces. This is a huge win and a clear sign that her confidence is growing! She also had no issues navigating a brand new environmentāin fact, she seemed eager and curious to explore, which was great to see.
Winnie performed very well with her extended commands, even as people walked by at close distances. She held her positions nicely and remained composed. On our walk, she stayed right at my side and didnāt try to scurry away when people passed, which shows great progress in her comfort level around others. Her come to sit is also looking solid and continues to improve.
She had a few opportunities to meet both adults and children today, and she handled each interaction very well. As long as the introductions were calm, Winnie matched that energy perfectly and remained polite and relaxed.
Overall, Winnie handled todayās outing with so much grace. Itās been amazing to watch her confidence grow and her consistency improve day by day!
Potty Training Update:
Weāre on day three with zero incidents! Winnie is also starting to go outside and immediately take care of her business with very little reminder of why weāre out there. When she does, I make sure to praise her right away and follow it up with some playtime. So far, so good!
4/29/2026
Winnie and I headed out to Home Depot today to continue strengthening her commands while also working on her greeting mannersāespecially around men. Overall, Winnie did a great job holding her commands through a busy environment. There was a moment where she got a bit spooked when someone nearby made a sudden loud noise, which understandably shook her confidence. During those moments, anytime she broke position or seemed unsure, I calmly and patiently guided her back into the command and gave her a chance to try again. By the end of our session, she was able to reset and work through her commands like a little pro again!
When it came to greetings, Iām learning more about what Winnie is comfortable with. She clearly loves women and children, and she can do well with men tooāas long as they are calm, gentle, and move slowly. Loud voices, quick movements, or high energy can make her nervous, which is completely understandable given her past experiences. Our goal today was to create as many positive interactions with men as possible. For the most part, she handled this really well! There were a few moments where she showed some hesitation, but with a bit of encouragement, she chose to be brave and engage.
One standout moment was with a gentleman who approached her perfectlyāhe calmly knelt down and slowly extended his hand. Winnie immediately felt comfortable, gently kissing his fingertips and inviting affection. It was such a great example of how she can respond when she feels safe, and she earned lots of praise for that!
Anytime Winnie made a positive choice, I made sure to reinforce it with calm praise so she can continue building those good associations. This is something that will need to be maintained even after she goes home, as building confidence takes time and consistency. Progress like this canāt be rushed, but Winnie is absolutely moving in the right direction. With continued patience and positive experiences, she will keep improving.
Potty Training Update: We are officially on day four with zero accidentsāgo Winnie!
4/30/2026
Today Winnie and I headed back out to Home Depot to pick up right where we left off yesterday, continuing to practice her commands while also working on building her confidence around people. And Winnie was an absolute rockstar with her commands today! She showed great consistency and focus, really demonstrating how much sheās starting to understand.
When it came to people, Winnie did well overall. However, there was one gentleman she just didnāt feel comfortable with, and despite giving her some time, she wasnāt able to settle around him. Rather than push her through that moment, I chose to respect how she was feeling and removed the pressure. This is just as important as the training itself. Because Winnie has had several negative experiences in the past, our goal is to avoid reinforcing those feelings and instead focus on creating positive ones. Dogs learn through association, so the more good, safe interactions she has, the more her overall perception of people can begin to shift in a positive direction.
With that in mind, we continued working on introductions and looking for a better experience for her. We met another gentleman who she hesitated with at first, but after a moment she began to warm upāher little tail started to wiggle, she gave her signature āfinger lick of approval,ā and happily accepted some pets! That was a big win for her, so we chose to end the session there to avoid overwhelming her and to finish on a high note.
All in all, Winnie did very well today and continues to make steady, meaningful progress!
Potty Training Update: Day five of zero incidentsāgo Winnie! š Though we did have to wake up around 3am because Winnie had a little tummy trouble. And thatās okay! She did let me know she needed to go. All is well, Winnie was back to her usual spunky self after breakfast!Ā
5/1/2026
Today Winnie and I headed out to the Santa Monica Promenade to continue practicing her commands with real-world distractionsāand she was an absolute rockstar! She handled the busy environment beautifully and executed each command just as weāve been working on. Even hopping up for her āplaceā command was a breeze!
Itās been so rewarding to watch her confidence grow more and more each day as we continue working together. Winnie also got tons of compliments while we were outānot just for how adorable she is, but for how well she listens and responds to my cues. At one point, we even had people stopping to film us during our training session!
I couldnāt be more proud of how well she handled herself on this outing and the progress she continues to make.
Potty Training Update:
We are officially on day six with zero potty incidentsāgreat job, Winnie! Iāve started taking her out every couple of hours since sheās been needing more frequent potty breaks over the last couple of days. As long as we stay consistent with her schedule, sheās doing fantastic!
5/2/2026
Today Winnie and I headed out to the park to continue working on her commands while also incorporating a confidence-building exerciseāand she did such a wonderful job!
Winnie showed great understanding of all her commands today. Sheās really starting to put everything together, and itās been so rewarding to see her progress. After running through her commands, I gave her some time to just be a dog. I allowed her to take the lead (as long as she wasnāt pulling), giving her the freedom to explore, sniff, and check things out at her own pace.
This was intentional for her confidence building. By allowing Winnie to move slightly ahead, sheās learning to explore her environment more independently instead of relying on me as her safety net. Dogs that are a bit unsure will often stay glued to their handler or fall behind, but this exercise encourages her to take initiativeāsniffing new things, observing her surroundings, and realizing on her own that everything is okay. At the same time, Iām still right behind her providing that sense of security, so sheās building independence without feeling overwhelmed. Itās a really nice balance, and Winnie handled it beautifully. She seemed to genuinely enjoy herselfāears perked, tail wagging, and fully engaged with her surroundings.
One of the biggest highlights was how she handled passing people. Instead of retreating or trying to hide behind me, Winnie stayed curious and relaxed, simply sniffing in their direction and continuing on her way. This is something weāve been gradually working on during our walks, and itās so encouraging to see that effort paying off. Just a few weeks ago, walking past people was a real challenge for her, and now sheās navigating those moments with much more ease. She may still have occasional moments with certain individuals, but thatās completely normalāand with continued exposure and consistency, sheāll keep improving.
I also want to take a moment to sincerely thank you for trusting me with Winnie and allowing me to be part of her training journey. My goal has always been to not only help Winnie grow, but to equip you with the tools to continue building on this progress. She is such a sweet little lady and truly deserves the very bestāIām so excited to see her continue to blossom!
Potty Training Update:
The streak continues to hold strongāgreat job, Winnie! š
Comments