Too cute!!! Go back for the decorated set and get one in large for our Wally.
Do you know what type of mastiff those are? They look like my Italian Mastiff, Zita.
The reason the trainer tells the class to say the command with or just after the behavior is that connects the action with the word in the dogs' brain. The potty command is a good example. If someone says Go Potty before the dog goes, there is nothing to associate. No action, no reward, just meaningless babble from the owner toward the dog.
If the desired action occurs with the command and the reward, it all connects way faster. There is some fancy dog psychology word for that...
I'd snug the harness a bit tighter. A pup that slender tends to walk backwards out of harnesses.
