Aspen | King Shepherd | Bakersfield, CA
Meet Aspen 🐾
Meet Aspen, a beautiful 1½-year-old King Shepherd who is joining us for our 4-week Board & Train program!
At home, Aspen is incredibly loving and devoted to her owners. However, when it comes to meeting strangers and navigating new situations, she can become uncomfortable and unsure of how to respond appropriately.
Aspen currently struggles with leash pulling, overall obedience and manners, and nervous or protective behaviors around unfamiliar people. When she feels uncomfortable—or when someone gets too close to her owners—she may even nip as a way of creating distance.
Our goal over the next four weeks is to help Aspen build confidence, impulse control, structure, and better social manners, while teaching her clear boundaries and reliable obedience.
We’re excited to watch this girl grow and see just how far she can come with the right guidance, consistency, and training.
🐕 Stay tuned for Aspen’s transformation! We’ll be sharing her progress throughout her 4-week journey.
Pupdate 2:
Date: August 12th, 2026
Weight: 64.16lbs
Morning Feed: half
Evening Feed: half
Training Highlights:
Taking things slow with Aspen and giving her the time she needs to come out of her shell. Right now, a big part of her training is helping her understand the concept of following on the leash and learning that she doesn’t always have to be in her own head or worried about everything around her. We’ve also started introducing her to some of the other dogs to bring out that natural pack drive, get her moving, interacting, and ultimately just let her be a dog. Sometimes the best progress comes from taking the pressure off, allowing them to relax, gain confidence, and learn how to enjoy themselves. Aspen is settling in really well so far, and we’re starting to see more of her personality come out each day. We’re going to continue building that trust, confidence, and structure while letting her experience what it’s like to simply relax, have fun, and be comfortable in her environment.
Pupdate 3:
Date: August 13th, 2026
Weight: 64.16lbs
Morning Feed: half
Evening Feed: half
Training Highlights:
I took Aspen to Hollywood Boulevard today to put her to the test in a completely different environment. We walked through an area filled with tons of people, kids, noise, and distractions. She was definitely a little nervous at first, which is completely understandable, but I made sure to keep her safe, calm, and moving forward through the environment. The biggest thing is that even with all the people around, Aspen didn’t try to jump on anyone or nip at anybody. She was able to walk past people and take everything in without reacting negatively. These outings are all about building confidence and showing her that she can navigate the world calmly and safely. I know with more exposure and continued work, she’s going to be much more comfortable the next time we come back. This is just another step in helping Aspen come out of her shell and become a more confident, well-rounded dog.
Pupdate 4:
Date: August 14th, 2026
Weight: 64.16lbs
Morning Feed: all
Evening Feed: half
Training Highlights:
The day has finally come—Aspen’s muzzle is off, and we’re starting to see a whole new side of her come out. She’s beginning to open up, become more comfortable in her surroundings, and show a lot more confidence. Today, she was able to share space with a smaller dog, and seeing her tail wag more and more was such a great sign that she’s feeling happier and more relaxed. We took her to the dog park, and she had an amazing day experiencing new things, being around other dogs, and simply getting to be a dog. There’s still plenty of work ahead, but these are the moments that make the progress worth it. One day at a time, and Aspen is getting better and better.
Pupdate 5:
Date: August 15th, 2026
Weight: 64.16lbs
Morning Feed: all
Evening Feed: half
Training Highlights:
Back at the dog park again, and she has come such a long way since the day she was first picked up. It’s incredible to see how much she has opened up and how much more comfortable and trusting she has become. Putting her collar and leash on, moving around her, and simply being in her space has gotten so much easier. There’s no more nipping, no more trying to jump all over me, and no more sudden, quick attacks when she feels unsure or overwhelmed. She is learning to trust, learning that she is safe, and showing more and more of her sweet personality every day. Watching this progress has been so rewarding, and she deserves all the credit for how hard she’s working. Great work, girl—you’re doing amazing!
Pupdate 6:
Date: August 16th, 2026
Weight: 64.16lbs
Morning Feed: all
Evening Feed: all
Training Highlights:
Aspen has done amazing today. We spent some time at the playground around large groups of kids, different noises, and plenty of activity, which can still make her a little skeptical and unsure at times. She was even able to stay calm while kids were around and holding her down, and although she was clearly taking everything in, she did a great job pushing through that uncertainty and staying composed. Another big win today was seeing her appetite improve—she finally ate both of her full servings, which is a great sign that she’s becoming more comfortable and settling into her routine. Overall, Aspen is coming along really well, and we’re continuing to see more confidence, trust, and openness from her every day.
Pupdate 7:
Date: August 17th, 2026
Weight: 73.87lbs
Morning Feed: all
Evening Feed: all
Training Highlights:
Today, we took Miss Aspen out to train in Downtown LA, giving her the opportunity to experience a busy city environment and be exposed to larger groups of people. Overall, she did a great job handling the constant foot traffic and remained calm and focused as people passed by her. We are still working on improving her comfort level with people getting into her close personal space, especially when someone reaches over her or makes sudden movements near her, but she is showing steady progress in these areas. One of the biggest positives from today’s session was how nicely she is walking on leash, consistently staying on my left side without pulling or lunging at people as they pass. She is becoming much more confident and composed in public environments, which is exactly what we want to see as we continue building her socialization and obedience skills. Another major accomplishment is that we have officially outgrown the biting behavior that was previously occurring between her and me, which is a huge step forward in our relationship and overall training. Today’s session was a very positive one, and Miss Aspen continues to show great improvement with each new environment and challenge we introduce.
Pupdate 8:
Date: August 18th, 2026
Weight: 73.87lbs
Morning Feed: all
Evening Feed: all
Training Highlights:
Today we took Aspen’s training to The Americana in Glendale, putting her in a highly distracting environment where she was surrounded by people and constant activity. She handled the experience really well overall, continuing to walk nicely on leash and remaining responsive to me for the most part despite all the distractions around her. Her sit and heel are coming along great, and she’s showing that she can stay engaged even in busy public spaces. She still needs a little more guidance and consistency with her down, but that’s something we’ll continue to work on as she gains confidence and becomes more reliable. Overall, Aspen is making some great progress and showing us more and more of what she’s capable of every day.
Pupdate 9:
Date: August 19th, 2026
Weight: 76.87lbs
Morning Feed: all
Evening Feed: all
Training Highlights:
Took Miss Aspen to the Glendale Galleria today for some indoor training, especially with the weather being pretty warm lately. She’s come such a long way since she first started, and it’s been amazing to see her confidence and obedience continue to develop. She’s beginning to hold her sit for longer periods of time, and the down command is becoming much easier for her to understand and execute. Most importantly, she’s becoming much easier to manage in real-world environments, even with all the people, distractions, and activity around her. We’re continuing to take things one step at a time, but Aspen is making some really solid progress. 🤎🐕🦺
Pupdate 10:
Date: August 20th, 2026
Weight: 76.87lbs
Morning Feed: all
Evening Feed: all
Training Highlights:
Aspen is continuing to open up more and more each day, and we’re starting to see some really positive changes in her trust and confidence. She’s now comfortable taking treats directly from me, which is a great step forward and shows that she’s beginning to feel safer and more comfortable in her environment. Large groups of people, especially in places like busy malls, can still make her nervous and scared, but she’s handling these situations much better than she did on day one. We’re continuing to take things at her pace while gradually exposing her to new environments, people, and distractions. Overall, her progress has been really encouraging, and we’re excited to keep building on this foundation.
Pupdate 11:
Date: August 21st, 2026
Weight: 76.87lbs
Morning Feed: all
Evening Feed: all
Training Highlights:
Aspen is continuing to make great progress with her obedience, especially when it comes to holding commands like sit and down. These commands are becoming much easier for her to understand and complete, and we’re starting to see more consistency with each training session. In highly distracting environments, she still needs leash guidance to help keep her focused and make the right decisions, but that’s all part of the learning process. With every repetition, Aspen is becoming more responsive, more confident, and more comfortable working through distractions. Each rep gets a little better, and we’re continuing to build on that consistency one step at a time.
Pupdate 12:
Date: August 22nd, 2026
Weight: 78.23lbs
Morning Feed: all
Evening Feed: all
Training Highlights:
Today we worked with Aspen in Home Depot, putting her in an environment with closer proximity to people and a variety of new distractions. Being a fearful dog around unfamiliar environments, sudden noises, and things like forklifts and the sound of shopping carts can be overwhelming for her and cause her to become nervous. Although she was initially uneasy and needed some time to process everything around her, she did a great job working through those feelings. What’s most encouraging is that she is beginning to self-regulate much quicker, recovering from moments of anxiety and returning to a calmer, more focused version of herself. Each outing like this is helping build her confidence and showing her that these new environments don’t have to be something to fear.
Pupdate 13:
Date: August 23rd, 2026
Weight: 78.23lbs
Morning Feed: all
Evening Feed: all
Training Highlights:
It was a hot one out here in the Valley, so we decided to take our training to the beach and get Aspen working in a completely different environment. We spent some time around the fishermen along the Venice Pier, giving her plenty of opportunities to experience new sights, sounds, people, and distractions. Aspen did great walking past other dogs. She can still become fixated when she sees one, but she’s doing a much better job responding to guidance and coming back into a calmer, more manageable state. The biggest improvement is how quickly she’s able to disengage and refocus, allowing us to continue moving forward without letting the environment overwhelm her.
Pupdate 14:
Date: August 24th, 2026
Weight: 78.23lbs
Morning Feed: all
Evening Feed: all
Training Highlights:
Continuing to work through Aspen’s quirks and helping her make better, calmer decisions around distractions. On day one, she was extremely fixated on this cat and was trying to go after it, so being able to see her calmly holding her place today without attempting to attack or chase the cat is huge progress. These moments show just how much structure, consistency, and repetition can change a dog’s behavior over time. She’s learning that she doesn’t have to react to everything around her, and we’re continuing to build that self-control one rep at a time. Keep up the great work, Aspen! 🐕🦺🔥
Pupdate 15:
Date: August 25th, 2026
Weight: 78.23lbs
Morning Feed: all
Evening Feed: all
Training Highlights:
Aspen has made some incredible improvements, especially when it comes to learning how to slow down her brain and make better decisions instead of constantly feeling like everything needs to be exciting or chaotic. We’re teaching her that not every activity requires a big reaction or a rush, and even something as simple as going through a doorway is an opportunity to practice self-control. Instead of dragging you through the door the second it opens, Aspen is learning to calmly wait, hold her position, and understand that she doesn’t get to decide when we move forward—the handler does. These small moments of patience and impulse control may seem simple, but they add up to a much calmer, more manageable, and confident dog in everyday life.
Pupdate 16:
Date: August 26th, 2026
Weight: 78.23lbs
Morning Feed: all
Evening Feed: all
Training Highlights:
Aspen is making some new friends, and this time she’s getting to know Max, our Belgian Malinois. It took Aspen a little bit of time to fully acclimate to Max and feel comfortable having him around, but she’s finally settled in and is doing great. Now, the two aren’t just learning how to peacefully coexist around each other—they’re learning how to work together as part of the pack. Building that ability to stay focused, follow direction, and work alongside another dog is a huge part of creating a well-rounded, reliable dog. Great work, Aspen and Max! 🐕🔥
Pupdate 17:
Date: August 27th, 2026
Weight: 78.23lbs
Morning Feed: all
Evening Feed: all
Training Highlights:
Aspen is doing really well with her new training mate, a male Belgian Malinois. She’s been very respectful of his space and boundaries, and the two continue to get along extremely well. It’s been great watching Aspen become more comfortable and confident as she settles into the routine. She’s slowly letting her personality shine through and, most importantly, just being a dog—playing, interacting, exploring, and enjoying herself. Seeing her come out of her shell and show more of her true personality has been one of the best parts of her progress. She’s coming along beautifully, and we’re going to continue building that confidence while keeping her interactions balanced and appropriate.
Pupdate 18:
Date: August 28th, 2026
Weight: 78.23lbs
Morning Feed: all
Evening Feed: all
Training Highlights:
Bringing Aspen and Max together has been a wonderful opportunity to practice obedience while also allowing them to engage in healthy, structured play. The two of them are doing an amazing job working together, and their progress has been so encouraging to see. Max is catching on quickly and responding really well, while Miss Aspen continues to be the great leader she is by setting a positive example and helping guide him through each exercise. Their teamwork, focus, and growing confidence are truly impressive. Great work, guys!
Pupdate 19:
Date: August 29th, 2026
Weight: 78.23lbs
Morning Feed: all
Evening Feed: all
Training Highlights:
The place command is becoming a great tool for Aspen when it comes to managing guests at the door. Instead of allowing her to charge toward the entrance or become overly aroused when someone comes inside, we’re teaching her to calmly hold her position and give everyone the space they need to enter. This creates a much more controlled environment and helps Aspen practice staying calm while people come through the door, rather than feeling like she needs to be involved in the greeting. The goal is to give guests enough room to comfortably enter without Aspen bombarding the doorway, while also teaching her that she can relax and wait for direction. Great progress, Aspen! 🐾
Pupdate 20:
Date: August 30th, 2026
Weight: 78.23lbs
Morning Feed: all
Evening Feed: all
Training Highlights:
Today we took Aspen’s training back to the Venice Pier, and she was holding her own so much better in a busy, unpredictable environment. We had plenty of distractions around us, and she handled herself with noticeably more confidence and composure. At one point, a group of tourists absolutely loved Aspen and wanted to take a picture with her, giving her another great opportunity to practice being comfortable around new people. Seeing how much she has grown since the beginning has been incredible. She’s becoming so much more confident, comfortable, and secure in her own skin, and it’s amazing to watch her personality continue to come out. Great work, girlfriend!! 🐾❤️
Pupdate 21:
Date: September 1st, 2026
Weight: 78.23lbs
Morning Feed: all
Evening Feed: all
Training Highlights:
We’re back in Hollywood, right where we started with Aspen on Day 1. In the beginning, the sights, sounds, crowds, and constant movement of the city had her extremely overwhelmed. She was tense, skittish, and unsure of her surroundings, but fast-forward to today and the difference is incredible. Aspen was calm, confident, and comfortable navigating the same environment that once had her on edge. People were able to walk right by her without her becoming overwhelmed, and she was able to stay composed and focused through it all. This is exactly why we put dogs in challenging environments—not to overwhelm them, but to give them the opportunity to learn, adapt, and build confidence. Watching Aspen become more comfortable in her own skin has been amazing to see. She’s doing SO great! 🔥🐕🦺
Pupdate 22:
Date: September 2nd, 2026
Weight: 78.23lbs
Morning Feed: all
Evening Feed: all
Training Highlights:
Back at Hollywood Boulevard today, putting Aspen back into an environment filled with loud noises, crowds, and constant distractions. It’s incredible to think about how overwhelming this same environment was for her when we first started training. In the beginning, she was tense, unsure, and constantly looking for an escape from everything happening around her. Fast forward to today, and she’s moving through the same environment with a completely different mindset. She’s finding comfort in her surroundings, settling into herself, and even letting her goofy personality come out—rolling around on the floor, relaxing, and simply enjoying being a dog. This is the kind of progress that goes beyond obedience; it’s about building confidence and helping her feel comfortable in the world around her. Great work, girl! 🐾🔥
Pupdate 23:
Date: September 3rd, 2026
Weight: 78.23lbs
Morning Feed: all
Evening Feed: all
Training Highlights:
Aspen is finally OFF LEASH, and this is such a huge milestone for her! She has worked incredibly hard to get to this point, and over time, she has earned my trust through her consistency, willingness to work, and ability to make better decisions in different environments. She has definitely been quite the project, but watching her transformation from where she started to the confident dog she is becoming has made every bit of the work worth it. I’m so proud to see her flourishing, enjoying herself, and finally getting to experience more freedom while still maintaining the structure we’ve worked so hard to build. So much time, patience, and energy has been poured into this girl, and seeing it all come together is an amazing feeling. I absolutely love Aspen, and I can honestly say she has become one of my favorites. ❤️🐾
Pupdate 24:
Date: September 3rd, 2026
Weight: 78.23lbs
Morning Feed: all
Evening Feed: all
Training Highlights:
Back at Home Depot with Fergie and Aspen, giving Aspen another opportunity to experience the real world while working alongside another female dog. Having her around different environments, distractions, and another dog allows us to continue building her confidence and reinforcing the obedience we’ve worked so hard on. Aspen did an amazing job today, performing all of her commands and staying focused throughout the outing. She’s come such a long way, and seeing her confidently handle these real-world situations is exactly what we want. Great job, girl! 🐾
Pupdate 25:
Date: September 3rd, 2026
Weight: 78.23lbs
Morning Feed: all
Evening Feed: all
Training Highlights:
Here’s a polished version that keeps it natural and client-friendly:
Today we gave Aspen a much-needed bath, and her place command really came in handy. It allowed us to keep her in one position while we were able to towel dry and blow dry her without her constantly trying to move around. Aspen definitely isn’t the biggest fan of bath time, but she handled it well and continued to work through it with us. After everything she’s accomplished throughout her training, it was only right to send her home clean, fresh, and smelling great! Great work, girl! 🐾
