T’Challa | Staffordshire/Labrador Mix | Los Angeles, CA | In-Training

Meet T’Challa! He is a sixteen month old Staffordshire Labrador mix who has joined us for our Two Week Board and Train Program. T’Challa is here for basic obedience, leash pulling, and jumping to greet. He does well with other people but will jump at them when meeting someone. He also gets overly excited when he sees another dog, and will pull on his leash to try and interact. The goal for T’Challa is to behave around other pups, and to improve his leash manners. Over the next fourteen days, T’Challa will be working on his obedience and be set up for success with the hopes of becoming a well mannered pup. Check in to see his progress!

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T’Challa and I spent the day getting to know each other by going for a walk at the park. Our walk served not only as a leisurely outing, but also as an important training session focused on establishing a bond and enhancing Tchalla’s obedience skills. Throughout our time together, I noticed T’challa exhibiting behavior where he would frequently pull ahead of me. To address this, I introduced him to the heel command, which requires him to walk beside me on my left side. This command is crucial for ensuring that he remains focused and close during our walks, thereby fostering a safer and more enjoyable experience for both of us. To reinforce the concept of heel, I employed a technique where I would stop walking whenever T’Challa pulled away from my side. This method involved making a U-turn and guiding him back towards my left with appropriate leash tension. This approach not only helps T’challa understand the desired position, but also teaches him the importance of maintaining proximity and attentiveness to my movements. While T’challa is still mastering this skill, I am committed to incorporating the heel command into every walk moving forward to solidify his understanding and compliance. He did really well in his crate on the ride home, and he is adjusting to his new environment for the next two weeks. 

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T’Challa and I worked on place. Place is an essential command that serves to establish boundaries and promote desired behaviors in various situations. This command instructs T’Challa to go to a designated spot such as a bed, mat, or a specific area of your choosing, and remain there until given further instructions. Teaching T’Challa place not only enhances obedience, but also contributes to a more organized and calm environment, making it useful in managing guests, meal times, or moments when he needs to be settled. To teach place effectively, it is important to focus on the principles of leash pressure and positive reinforcement. Initially, I used the leash to guide T’Challa to the designated spot we practiced on which was a park bench at a local park. As I approached the bench with him, I applied gentle tension on the leash to encourage him to move forward. When T’Challa stepped onto it, I immediately released the tension on the leash, signaling that he has made the correct choice. Timing here is crucial, so the moment T’Challa made contact with the bench, he was immediately rewarded with praise and affection. Using a cheerful tone of voice, petting, and verbal affirmations like "good boy," helps reinforce this positive behavior. Once T’Challa began to understand the association between the leash pressure and the verbal place, I gradually increased the duration he remained there. Consistency is key in this training process, so with regular practice sessions, combined with patience and positive reinforcement, it will help T’Challa understand the command fully. Over time, I will introduce distractions gradually while he maintains the place command, ensuring that he learns to remain in position regardless of environmental changes.

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T’Challa and I concentrated on his recall exercise known as come to sit. This exercise is designed to have T’Challa approach my right side, navigate behind me, and then settle down on my left. To enhance his understanding of this sequence, I utilized leash tension as a guiding tool, which helped him grasp the desired behavior. T’Challa demonstrated comprehension of the task and adapted to the instructions, but still had some trouble as he would not sit at times when he came to my left, so to work him through it I utilized slight leash tension by pulling up. Once T’Challa began showing consistency in executing the command, I introduced verbal cues, specifically “come,” and "sit," alongside leash tension to further reinforce his behavior. He still needs more practice but the training session went well, as he is learning to respond, indicating his understanding of the cues being presented.

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