At A Glance
Remy is an 8-month-old chocolate Pit Bull mix who entered a 2-Week Board and Train program with Off Leash K9 Training in Upstate New York and trainer Crystal. Remy was described as affectionate, playful, and full of energy, but she also lacked confidence, could become reactive, and pulled heavily on the leash.
During her initial assessment, Remy showed some understanding of sit and recall, but her responses became less dependable when distractions were present. She also did not appear to understand down or a clear release command yet. Her training focused on building confidence, improving leash manners, strengthening obedience, and helping her remain engaged around distractions.
Dog: Remy
Breed: Pit Bull mix
Age: 8 months
Location: Upstate New York
Program: 2-Week Board and Train
Trainer: Crystal
Main Focus: Confidence, reactivity, leash pulling, recall, heel, social skills, distraction training, and foundational obedience
Outcome: Training underway to build better confidence, leash control, social skills, and more reliable obedience
The Challenge
Remy entered training as a young, energetic dog with a friendly personality but several areas that needed more consistency.Crystal noted that Remy lacked confidence and could show some reactive behavior. She also pulled heavily on the leash, making walks and structured movement more difficult.
Before training, Remy:
- Had lots of energy
- Lacked confidence
- Could become reactive
- Pulled heavily on the leash
- Had an inconsistent recall
- Needed better leash manners
- Needed stronger social skills
- Needed more distraction training
- Showed some understanding of sit
- Did not appear to understand down
- Did not appear to have a clear release command
- Needed stronger foundational obedience
During the assessment, Remy initially recalled more readily because she was highly interested in Crystal, a new person in a new environment. Once her attention shifted toward distractions, her recall became less dependable. That difference showed why distraction work would be an important part of her training.
The Training Approach
Remy’s 2-Week Board and Train focused on building a stronger obedience foundation while also addressing confidence, leash control, and social behavior.
Training focused on:
- Building confidence
- Improving leash manners
- Reducing heavy pulling
- Strengthening recall
- Developing heel
- Reinforcing sit
- Teaching down
- Establishing a clearer release command
- Improving social skills
- Practicing around distractions
- Strengthening handler engagement
- Building more consistent responses
- Helping Remy remain connected when the environment became more interesting
Crystal also transitioned Remy from the harness she had been wearing to a martingale during the assessment and observed that Remy still maintained strong tension on the leash. Because Remy is physically strong for her age, learning more manageable leash behavior is especially important for everyday handling.
The Results
The supplied transcript documents Remy’s starting point and does not include her final training results.
Early observations showed:
- Sit was one of her stronger starting skills
- Recall showed some understanding but lacked consistency
- Recall became harder when she was distracted
- Down was not yet established
- A clear release command was not evident
- Leash pulling remained significant
- She was willing to engage and work with Crystal
- Confidence and social skills still needed development
Her program was designed to improve:
- Confidence
- Leash control
- Recall reliability
- Heel
- Sit and down
- Release-command understanding
- Social skills
- Focus around distractions
- Handler engagement
- Overall obedience consistency
Specific claims about reduced reactivity, stronger confidence, improved social behavior, or final leash reliability should be confirmed through Remy’s completed training footage before publication.
Trainer Insight
Young dogs can show some understanding of obedience while still struggling to use those skills consistently when distractions appear. Remy’s assessment demonstrated that clearly. She was motivated to approach Crystal when the trainer was the most interesting thing in the environment, but her recall became less reliable once her attention shifted elsewhere. Leash pulling was another significant issue. A physically strong dog can make walks difficult even at a young age, so teaching better engagement and leash responsiveness can provide the handler with more practical control. Confidence and reactivity should also be considered separately from simple obedience. Stronger commands can provide useful structure, but Remy’s comfort around people, dogs, and unfamiliar situations should continue to be evaluated carefully as training progresses.
Ready for Better Confidence and Leash Control in Upstate New York?
If your dog pulls heavily on walks, becomes reactive, lacks confidence, or stops listening when distractions appear, structured training can help build clearer communication and more dependable responses.
Schedule a consultation today to discuss your dog’s needs and available training options in Upstate New York.