Scruffy, a Cairn Terrier puppy, continued his puppy training program with Marquis Dog Training in Olathe during this session with our dog trainer. The focus this visit was reinforcing the place command, working through crate calm, and addressing the jumping and biting behaviors that had been a consistent area of focus across recent sessions.

On the place command, our trainer demonstrated how a well-defined boundary — including a carpet with clear edges — can serve as a natural place marker once Scruffy has a stronger foundation with the behavior. The session covered how pace and hesitation from the handler directly affect whether Scruffy holds his position, and Margaret got a clearer picture of how her own movement cues his response. The guidance was to shorten the distance if he breaks, enforce calmly, and build positive repetitions before expanding the challenge.

Crate calm was another area of meaningful progress. Scruffy is now entering his kennel reliably with a small treat routine and settling without significant fuss when Margaret leaves the home. The session reinforced the importance of waiting him out when he barks rather than responding to the excitement, and then rewarding the calm. That same principle was extended to greetings at the door — Margaret was coached to come in, settle herself, and only approach the crate once Scruffy is quiet and calm.

Biting and jumping were addressed through redirection using a tether, giving Scruffy an appropriate outlet and teaching him that attention comes from calm behavior, not from pestering. Our trainer noted that Scruffy is redirecting well and that the biting has decreased noticeably compared to earlier sessions. The homework for the week is to continue place work with attention to handler pace, practice the wait-out protocol at the crate, and use the tether to redirect when Scruffy gets overstimulated.

Looking ahead, the plan is to introduce the down command at the next session. A board-and-train stay is also planned to keep Scruffy’s routine and training consistent, and our trainer will use that time to reinforce whatever skills are still in progress so Margaret returns to a dog who has made measurable gains.

Olathe families working through the puppy stage know how much the early months matter, and Scruffy is proving that steady, consistent work pays off. He is a different dog than he was at the start of this program, and that progress belongs to the work Margaret has put in every day between sessions.

About this session
Service: Puppy Training
Location: , Olathe KS
Dog: Scruffy, Cairn Terrier
Date: 2026-06-05

If your dog is dealing with similar challenges in Olathe KS, we offer in-home training across the Kansas City metro. /contact-us/