Meet Dolly! 🐾

Say hello to Dolly, a fun-loving 2-year-old Labrador who has officially joined us for our two-week Board & Train program! Like many young Labs, Dolly is full of energy and excitement, but that enthusiasm has started to show up in ways that make everyday life a little more challenging.

One of Dolly’s biggest struggles is becoming hyper-fixated on her surroundings during walks, which leads to excessive leash pulling and makes it difficult for her to stay engaged with her handler. Throughout her training, our goal will be to teach her how to work through distractions, walk calmly on leash, and develop a more relaxed state of mind both at home and out in public. Building calmness isn’t about taking away her personality—it’s about helping her learn when it’s time to settle and make better decisions.

The great news is that Dolly already has an amazing foundation. She’s incredibly social, loves both people and other dogs, and has a sweet personality that makes her a joy to work with. We’re excited to channel all of that energy into productive behaviors and help her become the well-mannered companion we know she can be.

Follow along over the next two weeks as we document Dolly’s progress and show you just how much can change with consistency, structure, and the right training. We can’t wait to share her transformation with you!

Pupdate 2:

Date: July 1st, 2026

Weight: 57.63lbs

Morning Feed: all

Evening Feed: all

Training Highlights:

Today we started introducing leash pressure and teaching Dolly that the leash is a communication tool, not something to pull against. Right now I’m not asking for too much—it’s all about building trust, creating a good working relationship, and helping her understand how to follow the guidance instead of dragging on the leash. Every time she makes the right choice, I’m rewarding those behaviors to build value and make learning enjoyable. This foundation is what leads to loose leash walking and better communication down the road. Great work, Dolly girl!

Pupdate 3:

Date: July 2nd, 2026

Weight: 57.63lbs

Morning Feed: all

Evening Feed: all

Training Highlights:

Dolly is an incredibly energetic and fun girl who brings enthusiasm to everything she does. She absolutely loves chasing and playing with a tennis ball, and we’ve been using that as a high-value reward to build engagement, strengthen our bond, and make training both motivating and enjoyable for her. She has shown great progress and continues to learn quickly, responding well to positive reinforcement and interactive play. Dolly is developing into a confident, eager learner who truly enjoys working, making every training session rewarding and full of personality. She’s coming along exceptionally well and has been an absolute pleasure to work with.

Pupdate 4:

Date: July 3rd, 2026

Weight: 57.63lbs

Morning Feed: all

Evening Feed: all

Training Highlights:

Dolly has been an absolute joy to work with. We’ve been incorporating play into her training sessions to keep her engaged, motivated, and excited to learn. By making training enjoyable, she’s becoming more confident and offering the behaviors we’re looking for with greater consistency. Her leash walking has improved tremendously, and she’s learning to stay connected and follow guidance instead of pulling ahead. The one command she still finds challenging is “down,” but that’s completely okay. We’re continuing to work through it with patience, consistency, and plenty of positive repetitions. Every day she’s making progress, and it’s been great watching her confidence and understanding continue to grow.

Pupdate 5:

Date: July 4th, 2026

Weight: 57.63lbs

Morning Feed: all

Evening Feed: all

Training Highlights:

Today, we continued integrating Dolly with the pack, helping her build confidence and practice staying engaged around other dogs. The goal isn’t just for her to coexist with the pack, but to learn that she can still focus, listen, and perform her commands even with distractions all around her. This is an important step in developing reliable obedience in real-world situations where other dogs are present. Dolly did a great job working through the excitement, and after putting in the effort, she earned her favorite reward—a chance to chase the ball she absolutely loves. Using play as her reward keeps training fun, strengthens our relationship, and motivates her to continue making great choices.

Pupdate 6:

Date: July 5th, 2026

Weight: 57.63lbs

Morning Feed: all

Evening Feed: all

Training Highlights:

Integrating play into our training sessions keeps Dolly motivated, engaged, and, most importantly, having fun while she learns. Instead of relying solely on food rewards, we use the ball as a powerful motivator to reinforce the behaviors we want. After she puts together several successful repetitions and makes the right choices, I release her with the command “break,” giving her permission to chase the ball she loves. This helps build a clear understanding that focus, obedience, and effort are rewarded, making training both effective and enjoyable.

Pupdate 7:

Date: July 6th, 2026

Weight: 57.63lbs

Morning Feed: all

Evening Feed: all

Training Highlights:

Today marked Dolly’s first public outing, and we took her to Lowe’s for a training and socialization experience. She absolutely loves being around people and was excited to explore a new environment while staying engaged with her training. Despite the many sights, sounds, and distractions, she did an excellent job performing most of her commands in public, showing great focus and progress. The one command she continues to struggle with is “down,” especially in stimulating environments, but we are consistently practicing and are eager to help her build more confidence and reliability with it. Overall, this outing was a positive experience and an important milestone in Dolly’s training journey.

Pupdate 8:

Date: July 7th, 2026

Weight: 57.63lbs

Morning Feed: all

Evening Feed: all

Training Highlights:

Today we took Dolly out to Hollywood to put her training to the test in a busy, high-distraction environment, and she absolutely crushed it. We focused on keeping her engaged and connected while working through large crowds of people, rewarding her for making good decisions and staying calm. Instead of becoming overwhelmed by everything going on around her, she chose to stay focused and work alongside me. Seeing her confidence continue to grow with every outing has been incredible. I’m so proud of this girl and the progress she’s making every single day.

Pupdate 9:

Date: July 7th, 2026

Weight: 57.63lbs

Morning Feed: all

Evening Feed: all

Training Highlights:

Day 2 at Hollywood and things are really starting to come together. She is beginning to settle in, build confidence, and make meaningful connections through her training. Her enthusiasm for both work and play continues to grow each session. She especially loves engaging in tug, showing great drive and focus while using it as a reward. Tennis balls are one of her biggest motivators, and she also has a strong interest in push toys, making both excellent reinforcers during training. Her eagerness to interact, learn, and work for these rewards is helping establish a solid foundation as we continue to build her skills and relationship.

Pupdate 10:

Date: July 8th, 2026

Weight: 58.17lbs

Morning Feed: all

Evening Feed: all

Training Highlights:

Dolly is coming along incredibly well and continues to impress me every day. Her recall has become one of her strongest skills, giving her the freedom to safely explore while staying engaged and responsive. Thanks to that reliability, she was able to make new friends at the beach and enjoy positive social interactions in a real-world environment. She absolutely loves the water and didn’t hesitate to splash around and have fun. Watching her confidently run, play, and enjoy the beach while still checking back in was a huge milestone. She had an absolute blast, and I’m really proud of the progress she’s making.

Pupdate 11:

Date: July 9th, 2026

Weight: 58.17lbs

Morning Feed: all

Evening Feed: all

Training Highlights:

Dolly has made a huge breakthrough—she’s finally performing the down command confidently and consistently. To make sure the behavior was reliable and not just happening in a quiet environment, we raised the difficulty by asking her to hold the command with two other dogs working alongside her. Despite the added distractions, she stayed focused, maintained her position, and made great choices throughout the session. It’s exciting to see her confidence continue to grow, and moments like these are a testament to all the hard work she’s been putting in. Great job, Dolly!