At A Glance
Rocco is a 7-month-old Great Dane who began a two-week training program with Off Leash K9 Training and trainer Crystal in Upstate New York. He entered training as a shy and somewhat under-socialized puppy who could become uncertain around unfamiliar people, loud noises, and new objects. When uncomfortable, Rocco sometimes tried to run away or hide, and he was not yet reliable with recall, place, or the “off” command. His training focused on building confidence, consistency, obedience, and clearer everyday boundaries as he continued growing into a much larger dog.
Dog: Rocco
Breed: Great Dane
Age: 7 months
Location: Upstate New York
Program: Two-week training program
Trainer: Crystal
Main Focus: Confidence, recall, place, flighty behavior, socialization, boundaries, off-command, and obedience reliability
Outcome: A stronger foundation for confidence, consistent responses, better boundaries, and more dependable everyday obedience
The Challenge
Rocco entered training as a young Great Dane who needed more confidence and consistency in unfamiliar situations.
Before training, Rocco:
- Was shy around unfamiliar situations
- Had limited socialization
- Could become uncertain around new people
- Was sensitive to loud noises
- Sometimes tried to run or hide when uncomfortable
- Had unreliable recall
- Was hesitant to get onto places or unfamiliar objects
- Lacked confidence with elevated or unfamiliar surfaces
- Had difficulty getting onto the scale at the veterinarian
- Did not understand the “off” command reliably
- Tested boundaries
- Put his head on counters
- Needed clearer everyday structure
His family particularly wanted Rocco to develop enough confidence to handle ordinary experiences without immediately trying to escape or avoid them.
Because he was already growing into a large dog, reliable obedience and clear boundaries were also important for making everyday handling more manageable.
The Training Approach
Rocco’s two-week training focused on building confidence while strengthening basic obedience and household structure.
Training focused on:
- Strengthening recall
- Building confidence with place
- Introducing unfamiliar surfaces and objects
- Reinforcing consistent command responses
- Teaching the “off” command
- Improving everyday boundaries
- Addressing counter-related behavior
- Building handler engagement
- Creating more predictable expectations
- Practicing around unfamiliar people and environmental stimuli
- Reinforcing calm responses when Rocco felt uncertain
- Increasing overall obedience reliability
Crystal also introduced tether training and place work to help Rocco learn where to settle when his handler was busy or when he did not need to be directly involved in an activity.
The goal was to give Rocco clearer direction while helping him gain confidence instead of immediately retreating when something felt unfamiliar.
The Results
The supplied transcript documents Rocco at the beginning of his two-week program and does not include a spoken final progress report.
His training was designed to improve:
- Recall reliability
- Confidence around unfamiliar people
- Comfort with new objects and surfaces
- Place
- The off command
- Handler engagement
- Everyday boundaries
- Ability to settle appropriately
- Consistency with obedience commands
- More manageable responses to loud noises and unfamiliar situations
Rocco’s starting point showed that his training needed to address both obedience and confidence. For a dog who sometimes responded to uncertainty by running or hiding, simply teaching commands would not be enough without also helping him become more comfortable navigating new experiences.
Specific final claims about improved confidence, recall reliability, or behavior around unfamiliar people should be confirmed using Rocco’s completed after-training footage before publication.
Trainer Insight
Confidence and obedience often need to develop together in shy young dogs. A puppy may understand what a handler wants but still struggle to respond when fear or uncertainty becomes stronger than the training.
Structured exercises such as place, recall, and controlled exposure to different surfaces can give dogs practical opportunities to succeed without forcing them into situations they are not ready to handle.
For a Great Dane puppy, early boundary work is also especially valuable. Behaviors such as counter surfing, jumping, ignoring recall, or avoiding handling can become much harder to manage once the dog reaches full adult size.
Ready to Build Your Dog’s Confidence in Upstate New York?
If your puppy is shy around unfamiliar people, tries to run or hide when unsure, struggles with recall, or needs clearer everyday boundaries, structured training can help build stronger communication and more dependable habits.
Schedule a consultation today to discuss your dog’s needs and available training options in Upstate New York.