MOXIE | PITBULL-LAB MIX | BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA
Moxie is a 3-year-old Pitbull Lab mix joining us for a two-week Board & Train program. This sweet girl struggles with severe separation anxiety, leash pulling, and low confidence — challenges we’ll be working through together over the next couple of weeks.
But don’t let that fool you — Moxie’s got a playful side too! She loves playing frisbee and is incredibly friendly with both dogs and people. We can’t wait to help her build confidence, find calm, and learn to thrive both on and off the leash. Stay tuned for her transformation journey!
Pupdate 2:
Date: November 12th, 2025
Weight: 50.17lbs
Morning Feed: 1/2
Evening Feed: all
Training Highlights:
Moxie is settling in well and beginning to adjust to her new environment, though trying new things continues to be a significant challenge for her. She tends to react in a very flighty manner when faced with unfamiliar situations, which highlights the importance of helping her work through that mental stress in a calm and structured way. Our focus is on guiding her through those moments of uncertainty, rewarding her for her efforts, and showing her that new experiences can lead to positive outcomes. One key exercise in this process is teaching her the “place” command — encouraging her to get onto a new surface or object. This not only helps build her confidence but also reinforces trust in her handler, teaching her to face discomfort with composure and courage.
Pupdate 3:
Date: November 13th, 2025
Weight: 50.17lbs
Morning Feed: 1/2
Evening Feed: all
Training Highlights:
Moxie is opening up little by little, and it’s been amazing to watch her confidence grow. I’ve been using play as our main tool to build trust, helping her relax and see training as something fun and rewarding. This shift has made a huge difference, especially when guiding her through more challenging situations. For example, she’s now able to practice an extended sit with distance—something that once seemed overwhelming for her. By pairing structure with play, she’s learning to stay engaged, work through stress, and trust that I’ve got her back every step of the way.
Pupdate 4:
Date: November 14th, 2025
Weight: 50.17lbs
Morning Feed: 1/2
Evening Feed: all
Training Highlights:
Moxie is continuing to work through her anxiety, and adding a new dog into the mix definitely pushed her comfort zone — her tail tucked, her body stayed tight, and you could see how flighty she still feels in unfamiliar moments. But that’s exactly why we take this journey one session at a time. Each rep helps her process those big emotions instead of running from them. We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us, but this is only the beginning, and every small win builds the foundation for the confident dog she’s becoming.
Pupdate 5:
Date: November 15th, 2025
Weight: 50.17lbs
Morning Feed: all
Evening Feed: all
Training Highlights:
Moxie is really starting to open up, and you can see her confidence growing day by day. She’s now eager to play fetch, which is a huge milestone for a dog who came in so unsure of herself. I finally heard her bark—normally that might seem like a bad thing, but in this case it’s a sign she’s becoming more comfortable, more expressive, and excited to interact with me. She’s also not a big fan of the rain, so we’ve been training in a covered area to keep her feeling safe while still pushing her forward. She’s learning that it’s okay to have fun, okay to communicate, and okay to trust. Great work, Moxie.
Pupdate 6:
Date: November 16th, 2025
Weight: 50.17lbs
Morning Feed: all
Evening Feed: all
Training Highlights:
Moxie continues to make steady progress in her training, especially with her leash manners—she’s becoming more responsive and far less reactive on walks. The down command is still a challenge for her, but that’s completely normal for a dog still building confidence and learning to trust the process. With consistency, patience, and persistence, she’ll get there. Every session helps her grow a little more, and it’s been rewarding to watch her confidence strengthen day by day.
Puodate 7:
Date: November 17th, 2025
Weight: 50.17lbs
Morning Feed: all
Evening Feed: all
Training Highlights:
Moxie is improving day by day, and it’s been exciting to watch her confidence grow with each new experience. Today we took a trip to Lowe’s, giving her the chance to work around plenty of human distractions—carts rolling by, people walking past, new sounds, new smells. She handled it all so much better than before. Moments like this show how consistent exposure and calm guidance can really help a dog settle into unfamiliar environments. She’s still learning, but her progress is clear, and we’ll keep building on these wins.
Pupdate 8:
Date: November 18th, 2025
Weight: 50.17lbs
Morning Feed: all
Evening Feed: all
Training Highlights:
Today we took another trip to Lowe’s, and while Moxie can still act a bit flighty with unfamiliar or sudden noises—such as the forklift operating nearby or the clatter of carts—she showed noticeable improvement. Overall, she moved through the store with much more confidence than before, taking in the environment with less hesitation. Although she continues to struggle with the “down” command, she responds well to gentle leash guidance, which helps her understand what is being asked of her. With continued practice and exposure, she’s steadily building both her skills and her confidence.
Pupdate 9:
Date: November 19th, 2025
Weight: 50.17lbs
Morning Feed: all
Evening Feed: all
Training Highlights:
Another trip out in public went really well today. She’s showing solid progress with her recall, and she’s responding reliably to the “out” command, dropping the ball without hesitation. Her leash manners have also improved, and she’s walking much more comfortably at our side. The one lingering challenge is still the “down” command—she continues to struggle with it, even as we guide her through the steps. Despite that hurdle, it was an overall great training session, and her improvement is clear.
Pupdate 10:
Date: November 20th, 2025
Weight: 50.17lbs
Morning Feed: all
Evening Feed: all
Training Highlights:
We took a trip to Home Depot today, giving her a chance to work in a completely new environment filled with new smells, sounds, and distractions. With all this rain lately, she’s shown much more confidence training indoors than outside, and every day you can see her blossoming a little more. She absolutely loves her ball, which helps keep her motivated and engaged during our sessions. While she still struggles with the down command, it’s becoming easier for her with consistent leash guidance. Once she’s in her down, she’ll hold it beautifully—it’s just the concept of performing it on her own that we’re continuing to shape. Overall, her progress has been steady, and watching her confidence grow day by day is incredibly rewarding.
Pupdate 11:
Date: November 21st, 2025
Weight: 50.17lbs
Morning Feed: all
Evening Feed: all
Training Highlights:
We’ve been proofing her recall and commands out in public, and the progress is really starting to show. She still struggles with the down command and needs a bit of guidance, but her confidence has grown so much since day one. Her anxiety is easing, and she’s beginning to trust the process. We’re even able to mimic off-leash work—without me holding the leash—while practicing duration sits and solid recall. Every session is a step closer to the calm, reliable dog she’s capable of becoming.
Pupdate 12:
Date: November 22nd, 2025
Weight: 50.89lbs
Morning Feed: all
Evening Feed: all
Training Highlights:
The day has finally come—we finally got the “down” with Moxie. She had been struggling with the command for so long, but something clicked today, and she performed it beautifully. I’m incredibly proud of her and amazed at how far she’s come in such a short amount of time. Her progress has been nothing short of inspiring. Tomorrow, we’ll head over to Hollywood to put all our commands to the test, and I can’t wait to see how she handles the new environment and challenges.
