The Crafty Pup

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The Crafty Pup

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11/12/2026

Ollie Training Update #3

Ollie vs. the leaf blower

Today was Ollie’s first time practicing his down stay outside on his bed, and we decided to throw a leaf blower into the mix!

As you can see, he makes a couple of mistakes before finally getting it right. And that’s perfectly fine! He’s still learning, and this is all part of the process.

The goal is to teach Ollie that when he’s told to stay, he stays, regardless of what’s happening around him.

This is one of my favorite commands to teach because of how useful it is in everyday life. Whether you’re having guests over, working from home, eating dinner, feeding the kids, or just need your dog to settle down, having a reliable down stay makes life so much easier and more enjoyable, in my opinion

It also allows you to include your dog in more of your everyday activities! Whether you’re relaxing outside on the patio, enjoying time with friends, or spending time outdoors, your dog can be right there with you instead of having to be left inside because they’re being crazy and can’t control themself.

We’re not looking for perfection on the first try. We’re building reliability through repetition, consistency, and real world distractions.

Ollie’s making progress, and we’ve still got plenty of work ahead of us!

Follow along for more updates on Ollie’s 4 weeks of training with me!

11/09/2026

Day 1: Meet Bella & Penny

Bella is a 5 month old bernedoodle and actually her sister is Winnie ( who I recently posted below this post )

Penny is a golden doodle who’s a few years old.

Both are smart pups and are going to be very good. But as you can see there’s some chaos going on that we’re going to fix!

I have both of these pups for 4 weeks of training and soon they’re both going to be great pups!

Follow along to see their progress as I’ll post updates as we continue to progress

✌️out ~ Jim

11/03/2026

Day 1: Meet Rocco

Rocco is a 4 month old Boxer who just arrived for four weeks of training with me

As you can see from his drop-off, we’ve got some work to do!

Over the next four weeks, I’ll be teaching Rocco obedience, working on his leash manners, and addressing the behaviors that have been making life difficult for his family.

All of his training will be done using praise, no treats!

Rocco has a TON of energy, so he’s going to be a fun one

Dogs like Rocco can be a handful for their owners, but with the right training, they can turn into incredible dogs.

By the end of these four weeks, my goal is to have these issues behind us and give his family a dog they can truly enjoy.

Follow along to watch Rocco’s transformation

10/21/2026

Winnie’s Training Update 2

Today I’m working with Winnie on her down-stay, and as you’ll see, she’s making some mistakes along the way!

This is completely normal. She’s learning something brand new! When she makes a mistake, I help her understand what I’m asking, and when she gets it right, I reward her with praise.

We work through a few exercises, and she starts doing really well. Then I got a little cocky and decided to drop the leash… and Winnie quickly reminded me we’re not quite there yet!

More mistakes, more teaching, and by the end she’s getting it right and I reward her for doing good.

This is what I call the messy middle of dog training. Dogs make mistakes, I help them work through them, and with repetition and consistency, they get better and better.

In Winnie’s next update, you’ll see her holding her down-stay around other people, dogs, and even while I’m training another dog!

Eventually, this all translates to everyday life at home. Whether her family is eating dinner, working, or just relaxing, Winnie will learn to stay in her spot until she’s released.

Follow along for more Winnie updates as I show you the process, the mistakes, and the progress throughout her four weeks of training!

10/20/2026

Ollie’s Training Update 2

Today I’m teaching Ollie the down-stay command for the very first time, starting with something as simple as walking circles around him without him getting up.

The down-stay command is pretty simple. It means stay until I come back and release the pup.

This translates to everyday life at home, whether his family is eating dinner, working, or just relaxing. Ollie will learn to stay in one spot without getting up.

As you’ll see, Ollie struggles a bit in the beginning, but by the end of the video he gets it right 3 times in a row!

This is what I call the ugly middle of dog training. Dogs are learning something new, they’re going to make mistakes, and that’s completely normal. My job is to help them understand what I’m asking, work through those mistakes, and reward them with praise when they get it right.

This is just the beginning for Ollie. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be building on this until he can reliably hold his down-stay around other people, dogs, and everyday distractions.

By the time we’re finished, the goal is for Ollie to be able to relax and stay on his bed while his family eats dinner, works, or goes about their day without having to constantly worry about him destroying the house ( like before training )

Follow along to see Ollie’s progress

10/17/2026

Day 1: Meet Lucky

Lucky is a 5 month old Husky/Pit mix who’s joining me for four weeks of training.

He’s still just a young pup with plenty of energy and a whole lot to learn! Over the next four weeks, I’ll be working on building a strong foundation, developing reliable obedience, and helping Lucky become a well mannered pup

I’ll be sharing updates throughout his training, showing you the challenges, the process, and the progress he makes along the way.

Follow along to see Lucky’s transformation!

✌️ out

10/16/2026

Day 1 with Winnie

I’ve got her for the next 4 weeks, and right now she’s been giving her owners a run for their money — biting, jumping on everything, going crazy in the house, and basically having no idea how to settle down.

So this is our starting point.

Over the next 4 weeks, I’m going to work on giving Winnie the structure, manners, and obedience she needs to be a much easier dog to live with.

I’ll be posting videos throughout the journey so you can see her progress as it happens, and at the end I’ll put together a full transformation from day 1 to go-home day.

Follow along to see Winnie’s progress as we go

✌️ out

10/15/2026

Day 1 with Ollie the mini mini bernadoodle

I’ve got this little naughty pup for 4 weeks of board and training, and the goal is simple — turn him into the best trained dog in the neighborhood.

I’ll be posting updates throughout his training so you can follow his progress along the way, and at the end I’ll put together a full video showing his transformation from start to finish.

Follow along and watch Ollie’s transformation from day 1 until day 28.

More to come (soon)

✌️ out

09/03/2026

Meet Boone, he’s 4 years old, and his family has an 18 month old (human baby 🤣) at home with another baby due any day now — which means life is already busy enough without an out of control dog adding to the chaos.

Right now, Boone will take off if he’s given the opportunity off leash. On walks, you can see him pulling his owner around on what is supposed to be a “casual” walk… although I’m not sure there’s anything casual or enjoyable about that. 😂

At home, he steals food while they’re trying to feed their toddler, barks nonstop while the family eats, and has gotten to the point where they often have to separate him during meals.

And that’s exactly what I want to change.

Over the next 4 weeks, we’re going to work on giving Boone the obedience and structure he needs so he can actually be included in everyday family life — reliable off leash, enjoyable to walk, calm around meals, and able to be around the kids without constantly needing to be managed or separated.

This is Part 1 of 3.

Part 2 will be a midpoint progress update

Part 3 will be Boone’s complete before and after transformation when he goes home.

Follow along and let’s see what Boone looks like 4 weeks from now. 👀

002 PART 1/3

09/01/2026

Dog 001 Part 1/3

This is exactly why we film the drop-off.

Today you’re seeing Oreo exactly as he came in — pulling, jumping, overstimulated, and with very little obedience / control around his owner.

Good news - that’s why he’s with me

No polished training clips. No before-and-after yet. This is the starting point.

He’ll be with me for the next 4 weeks, and I’m going to document the process along the way so you can see what actually changes — not just the finished product.

This is Part 1 of 3

Part 2 will be a midpoint progress update, and Part 3 will be the full before-and-after transformation at go-home.

Follow along. This should be a fun one. 👀

Address

Glenview, IL

Website

http://www.thecraftypup.com/

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