Enzo began his journey with us when he was born on January 4, 2025. Like all Bella Grande puppies, he was raised in an enriched, loving environment with daily care, handling, and structured play. From the start, Enzo stood out as a friendly, intelligent, and curious puppy. We had a family waiting for just the right match — and after a few weeks, we knew Enzo was the one.
We quickly increased his enrichment by introducing puzzle toys and early play-based tasks, and Enzo flew through them, eager for more. Now, as he enters the first step of his formal service dog training, we’re excited to share his journey with you. We’ll be checking off milestones, posting updates, and answering questions along the way.
Enzo’s Training Progress Checklist
(Based on Client’s expectations – Updated as Enzo grows)
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8–16 Weeks: Early Puppy Foundation
• ☐Sit, Down, Stay, Focus, Recall (basic grasp)
• ☐ Introduction to leash and manners (no distractions)
• ☐ Willingness to please; learns new command within 5 minutes
• ☐ Follows you consistently indoors or is tethered
• ☐ Minimal indoor accidents; mostly potty trained
• ☐ Introduced to “Get Busy” potty cue
• ☐ Crate trained and sleeping through the night
• ☐ Comfortable with children
• ☐ Exposure to vest and “ready to work” environments
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16 Weeks – 6 Months: Core Obedience & Public Access Prep
• ☐ Basic commands at 100% (with distractions, no food rewards)
• ☐ Leash walking + heel = 80%+ accuracy (training collar okay)
• ☐ “Stand by” behavior: follows naturally or via tether
• ☐ Fully house trained and asks to go outside
• ☐ “Get Busy” cue reliable; no pottying on leash unless cued
• ☐ Calm and responsive with crate commands (“in” and “free”)
• ☐ Daily vest outings and new environment exposure
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6–8 Months: Advanced Skill Building
• ☐ Automatic heel position on leash (nearly 100% of time)
• ☐ Full-day “stand by” behavior — untethered or natural
• ☐ Advanced commands introduced:
• ☐ Back up
• ☐ Forward
• ☐ Stand
• ☐ Get in (tuck)
• ☐ Vocal alert
• ☐ Basic obedience at 95%+ reliability
• ☐ No stress signs, anxiety, or unwillingness to work
• ☐ No hormonal behaviors (marking, humping, posturing)
• ☐ 1–2 vest outings weekly
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8 Months – 1 Year: Maturity & Readiness
• ☐ Off all training collars/tools; walks in heel 100%
• ☐ Potty only on command; no accidents or leash peeing
• ☐ “Stand by” behavior untethered and consistent
• ☐ Advanced commands at 80%+ reliability
• ☐ Frequent vest outings for transition readiness
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Placement-Ready Check
• ☐ Client has met Enzo multiple times
• ☐ Enzo shows no nervousness or insecurity during visits