Charlie, a Labradoodle from Glendale, CA went through the Balanced Canine Training SoCal Board and Train Program. Charlie was trained by Jose Ayala in Compton, CA.
Pupdates:
Meet Charlie! He is a two year old Labradoodle who has joined us for our Two Week Board and Train Program. Charlie is here for basic obedience, leash pulling, playful nipping, and chewing on backyard furniture. Charlie loves dogs and people which get him overly excited, and that excitement can cause him to have zoomies inside of the house. He does not know his own strength and can easily knock someone over when pulling on his leash. Over the next fourteen days, Charlie will be working on his behavior and be set up for success, with the hopes of becoming a well mannered pup. Check in to see his progress!
Charlie and I spent the afternoon getting to know each other. Shortly after pickup we went for a walk around the park to establish a bond. From the parking lot to the recreation area, Charlie was heavily pulling on his leash, and was very distracted by the grass smells. To prevent him from pulling, I introduced Charlie to Heel. Heel consists of having Charlie walk with me on my left side, where his right ear aligns with my left knee. To teach Charlie, I would stop, walk in the opposite direction, and give him leash tension to guide him back into position anytime he pulled away. He did very well and understood the concept quick. I will remain consistent with Charlie, as Heel will now be applied on every walk we go on from here on out.
Charlie and I worked on his recall command today which is known as come to sit, which consists of having Charlie come towards my right, going around behind me, and sitting on my left. To teach Charlie, I used leash tension to guide him towards my right, followed by a step forward to help him go around me, and then asking him to sit when getting to my left side. Initially, Charlie had trouble walking towards my right as he would come towards my center, and sit in front of me. When that happened, I would take a step back, and help him follow through by repeating the process. The more Charlie and I continued with our reps, the more progress he made. He still needs some practice, but he is understanding what I am asking. Recall is an important command to teach Charlie as it can ensure his safety by calling him back to you in certain situations. It will also strengthen the bond between you and him, and give him a sense of freedom while still being under your control.
Charlie and I worked on place today. This consists of having Charlie getting onto an elevated object and remaining there in a sit or a down. Place can build confidence in a dog, and it can serve great purpose when guests are over. To teach Charlie, I began with a low object that is not difficult for him to get onto. He was hesitant initially, due to the texture of the object, but with slight leash tension, I was able to assist Charlie into getting his front paws on, followed by his back legs. He immediately came off the object, but I instantly rewarded him with praise for following through. During the initial phase of teaching a new command, it is ok for your pup to come out of what you are asking them to do when they follow through. You want to ensure that your pup gets comfortable, and by keeping it positive and fun, your pup will continue to accomplish the task at hand. After a few reps using this approach with Charlie, he is doing very well and building his confidence.
Charlie and I worked on his recall a little more. He understands the concept well, but he has a tendency of sitting a little far from my left. To help him into not doing so, I used a wall as a barrier to have him sit closer to my left. We worked on a few repetitions, and I then proceeded to practice without the use of the wall. He did very well, and he is improving the more we work on it. I also used my place box as a marker object with Charlie, to assist him in having a straighter sit during his recall. He is doing really well, and I am enjoying the progress he is making. Charlie is very bright and catches onto things quick. Our morning and evening walks have helped a lot for his heel, and I feel that he is ready to work on it in a more public setting with different distractions.
Charlie and I drove out to the pier to work on what he has been learning in a public setting full of distractions. We went for a walk around the pier so that he may adjust to his surroundings, and began our session once he acclimated. Charlie did very well not pulling towards people, as he remained next to me when working on heel. He is doing great with place and has become a much more confident pup the more we work on it. His come to sit continues to progress, and as you may see in the clip after the recall, he does try to nip, but with a verbal “Off,” I was able to keep him from doing so. Towards the end, we practiced a duration sit, but he came out of it a few times. I reset him and kept reminding him to sit as I took a step back. I will be working on his distance and duration sit in the coming days with a longer leash, but it was great to see that within a short distance, Charlie can hold a sit with distractions around him.
Charlie and I drove out to a local park and worked on his Down. Down can be the most difficult to teach considering it being a submissive position, which can also make a dog feel vulnerable being down on all fours. To teach Charlie, I used his biscuits as a lure to guide him towards the ground. I asked Charlie to sit, held his biscuit in front of his nose, then had him follow it towards the floor. Once his nose was close to the ground, I moved the biscuit away from him, and rewarded him with it for following through. He did very well in accomplishing his down, but he is having trouble holding it. In the coming days, I will be working on his distance and duration by using a longer leash.
Charlie and I worked on his stationary positions around people serving as a distraction. He was having trouble maintaining them, and gave me a challenge. There will be times that our furry friends will test us by not wanting to listen, but it is up to us as owners to work our pups through unwanted behaviors. Charlie was challenging me with his down today by not wanting to follow through, as he almost immediately sat up and not want to hold it. He was a little stubborn, but by resetting him and remaining consistent with the exercise, I was able to work him through it. Always remember to remain patient, and if you find yourself getting to the point of frustration, avoid it by ending the session with something that your pup knows, and taking a break before resuming the session.
Charlie and I worked on distance and duration with a long line. After working him through the challenge of his stationary positions, we have made progress, and Charlie is making an improvement by following through. I have been working on distance by taking a foot back in increments of five seconds, meaning one foot back is five seconds, two feet is ten seconds, three is fifteen, and so on. Initially, once I got to the fifteen second mark, he would come out of his position, and we had to reset. Under that circumstance, instead of going back three feet again, I went back to two feet for ten seconds. After a few reps and seeing consistency in Charlie, we went back to three feet. He did really well, and I am able to increase distance from six to eight feet. In the coming days, I will gradually expose him to more distractions, as he enters his final week in training.
Charlie and I spent the day at home today working on more socialization with his buddy Artemis. They have become great friends and enjoy spending time together lounging around the house. Charlie gets playtime everyday whether it is in my backyard or front yard, and I always make sure to be out there keeping my eye on them. He can get overly excited at times when playing, but with a verbal “off,” and a little e-collar stim, I can have Charlie take a break until he is in a calmer state so that he may resume play. Playtime between dogs can be very beneficial as it helps them socialize, exercise, and release pent-up energy. It can also strengthen their bond, improve their overall well-being, and provide mental stimulation.
Charlie and I drove out to a local park and worked on some leash dragging exercises in a public area. We began with a walk throughout the park so that he may adjust to his surroundings. Once he was acclimated and I was comfortable enough with Charlie, I dropped his leash, and continued on our walk by reminding him to heel. He did very well and remained next to me during our laps. He was having trouble with his recall, as it was his first time working on it without any leash guidance. Charlie would come towards me, but would try to sit in front of me, rather than going around towards my left. By moving backwards and using hand guidance, I was able to work Charlie through it. He still needs more practice, but I am working on having it cleaned up. Charlie and I will continue to work with his leash dragging as he prepares for his off leash experience.
Charlie and I worked on some off leash conditioning today. Before removing his leash, we practiced with his leash dragging a few more times, and assisted him with any command he was having trouble with. He did well with them all, except for his down. Charlie still needed assistance and leash guidance to work him through it. We worked on a few reps with leash tension, and after seeing consistency, I was able to have him follow through without any help. I then proceeded to work with him off leash, and he did a very good job with all that he has learned. He remained in his stationary positions until I released him with a “break,” and he did very well walking next to me during our heel. Charlie is just about ready to begin filming for his final, which will be the main focus for the remainder of his program.
Charlie and I have been working in his food manners. During the initial phase of his program, anytime I placed his food bowl down, he would almost immediately make a run towards it. To keep him from doing so, I picked up his bowl and would ask him to sit. I started by using his leash to have more control, and applied tension anytime he sat up. With time, Charlie began to understand the concept, and would sit when I asked him to. There were a few instances in which he made an intent, but would not get up all the way. When that situation occurred, I would verbally remind him to sit and restart the exercise. He has made great progress, and can now wait patiently for my cue to eat his food.
Charlie and I have been working on his greeting manners. During the early stages of his program, anytime I gave Charlie affection or try to greet him, he would turn towards me and try to nip playfully. By remaining consistent with a verbal “off,” and not giving him affection anytime he would try to nip, Charlie has stopped his unwanted behavior. I also conditioned him into remaining in a stationary position anytime someone wants to say hello. If he sits up, I reset Charlie, repeat the process, and ask the person saying hello to take a step back. He has done really well, and can now be properly greeted without having to nip and by having him remain in a calm relaxed state.
Charlie has completed his Two Week Board and Train program. I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity in being his trainer, and for trusting me while he was under my care. It was a pleasure having Charlie in my home these past two weeks and I am going to miss his companionship. He is such a bright pup who is capable of learning so much more, and I am proud of how far he has come along in just a short amount of time. I am looking forward to showing you what he has learned. His final video will be up soon, but in the meantime, here is a sneak peek of Charlie showing what he can do. Thank you Charlie!
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