Max | Belgian Malinois Mix | Bakersfield, CA
Meet Max: A New Journey Begins
Hi everyone! 👋 Meet Max, our Belgian Malinois mix who will be joining us for our 4-Week Board & Train Program!
Max is a social guy who does really well around both people and other dogs. His biggest challenge right now is impulse control. His curiosity can sometimes get the best of him, causing him to become easily distracted or even bolt out when given the opportunity.
Throughout his four weeks with us, we’ll be working on building better focus, teaching him to make calmer decisions, improving his obedience, and helping him learn how to channel that natural curiosity in a more productive way.
Max has a great foundation to build from, and we’re excited to see how much progress he can make with structure, consistency, and daily training.
Stay tuned for Max’s transformation! 🐕🦺🔥
Pupdate 2:
Date: August 26th, 2026
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Training Highlights:
Max is settling in really well with the pack and is becoming more comfortable with his new routine. Today, we introduced something simple but extremely important: the concept of leash pressure. We’re beginning to teach Max that the leash isn’t just something that restrains him or keeps him from going somewhere—it’s a form of communication between him and the handler. Through clear, consistent guidance, he’s learning how to understand that pressure, respond appropriately, and make better choices instead of automatically pulling against it. We’re keeping things simple and building a strong foundation first, because understanding how to communicate through the leash will play a big role in everything else we work on moving forward.
Puodate 3:
Date: August 27th, 2026
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Training Highlights:
Getting into the flow of training, Max is already starting to settle in and make some new friends around the pack. Today he connected with Aspen, our King Shepherd, and the two have been having a great time together. Max is such a fun dog to work with—curious, energetic, and always ready to engage. One thing he especially loves is hopping up onto elevated surfaces, which gives us a great opportunity to work on confidence, body awareness, and impulse control while keeping training fun and engaging. We’re still early in his program, but he’s already showing us a lot of potential. 🐕🔥
Pupdate 4:
Date: August 28th, 2026
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Training Highlights:
Max is coming out of his shell and settling in really well, especially with his training mate Aspen. The two are getting along great, and Max has been showing more and more of his personality each day. He’s an incredibly fun dog to work with and loves getting out, playing, and engaging with his environment. With this current heat wave, we’ve been adjusting his training schedule to keep him comfortable and safe by getting our work done in the early mornings and later evenings when temperatures are cooler. During the hottest parts of the day, Max is relaxing in the AC, getting plenty of rest, and staying well hydrated. He’s making great progress, and we’re excited to keep building on it!
Pupdate 5:
Date: August 29th, 2026
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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 6:
Date: August 30th, 2026
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Training Highlights:
Max is still working on becoming more consistent with his down command when the place command isn’t part of the equation. The place cot has been a great tool for helping him build confidence and better understand the expectation of holding his position, which is giving us a strong foundation to transfer that understanding into other environments. He’s starting to put the pieces together and showing some great improvement with each session. And so far, it’s safe to say the place command is definitely Max’s favorite command 😂 Keep up the great work, bud! 🐾
Pupdate 7:
Date: August 31st, 2026
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Training Highlights:
Leash walking is becoming much easier for Max, and it’s been great to see how quickly he’s starting to understand what we’re asking of him. He’s such a fun dog to train, eager to work, and continues to get along really well with everyone around him. With the weather finally being much better today, we were able to get out and train throughout the day, giving Max plenty of opportunities to practice in different environments and work through distractions. He’s making some great progress and continuing to become more confident and reliable with each session. Keep up the great work, Max! 🐾💪
Pupdate 8:
Date: September 1st, 2026
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Training Highlights:
Today we took Mr. Max out to Hollywood Blvd. to put his training to the test in a completely different environment. The loud noises, heavy foot traffic, and constant activity of the city were a little overwhelming for him at first, but with some time to settle in and process everything around him, Max became noticeably more comfortable and started navigating the environment with a better state of mind. This was a great temperature check to see where he currently stands with public distractions and gives us a clear idea of what we need to continue building on. Every outing is another opportunity for him to learn how to stay calm, focused, and confident regardless of what’s happening around him. Great work, dude! 🐕🦺🔥
Pupdate 9:
Date: September 2nd, 2026
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Training Highlights:
Night 2 out in Hollywood. We continue to challenge Max with new environments. The noises of the city can definitely be a little spooky to him. The positive in that is he eventually acclimates and is more comfy after some time spent there. Great work keep up the hard work max!!!
Pupdate 10:
Date: September 3rd, 2026
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Training Highlights:
Max continues to make great progress with his obedience and is consistently executing his commands with more clarity and reliability. His down command, in particular, has become much easier for him, and he’s beginning to understand what’s being asked of him without as much guidance. His sit and down are both becoming more consistent, which shows that the foundation we’ve been building is starting to click. We’re still putting a lot of focus into his heel command, working on keeping him engaged, maintaining position, and learning to stay connected while moving. Overall, Max is continuing to build confidence, understanding, and better impulse control with each training session. Great work, Max!
Pupdate 11:
Date: September 4th, 2026
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Training Highlights:
Commands are becoming much easier for Max as he continues to learn how to respond to leash guidance and understand what’s expected of him. He’s starting to show more consistency and focus during our training sessions, which is allowing us to build a stronger foundation with his obedience. Max absolutely loves to play tug, so we’re continuing to incorporate that into his training as a motivator. By combining play with obedience, we’re keeping him engaged while teaching him that following commands can be both productive and fun. He’s making great progress, and we’ll continue building on this momentum as his training develops.
Pupdate 12:
Date: September 5th, 2026
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Training Highlights:
Now we’re beginning to extend the duration of Max’s commands, specifically his sit and down. He’s doing much better at understanding that the command doesn’t end immediately after he gets into position. Before, Max would often pop right back up, but he’s starting to show much more patience and understanding as we build duration into his obedience. This is a big step forward because we’re teaching him to stay committed to the command even when there are distractions or when he wants to move. Great work, buddy! We’re continuing to build that patience and consistency one step at a time.
Pupdate 13:
Date: September 6th, 2026
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Training Highlights:
Today we took Max to Lowe’s to continue reinforcing his obedience around real-world distractions. Being in a busy environment with people walking around gave us a great opportunity to work on his impulse control and ability to stay focused despite everything happening around him. He’s doing a much better job holding his commands for longer periods of time and remaining composed instead of immediately reacting to every distraction.
Pupdate 14:
Date: September 7th, 2026
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Training Highlights:
We also continued working on neutrality around people, which has been a major focus for Max. Instead of feeling the need to acknowledge or meet every person he sees, he’s learning to calmly pass people by and stay focused on what we’re asking of him. That ability to ignore distractions and remain neutral is a huge part of creating a reliable, well-balanced dog in everyday life. Max is continuing to put the pieces together, and we’re seeing some really solid progress.
Pupdate 15:
Date: September 8th, 2026
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Training Highlights:
Today we continued working on Max’s impulse control by teaching him to slow down, be patient, and wait for direction before moving forward. Whether it’s coming out of the crate, going through a doorway, or approaching a threshold, we’re reinforcing the idea that he doesn’t need to rush through every opportunity. These small moments of patience are helping him become more thoughtful and controlled in his everyday decisions.
Pupdate 16:
Date: September 9th, 2026
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Training Highlights:
Took the crazy boy Max back out to Hollywood today, and the improvement in his obedience and impulse control is really starting to show. He’s doing a much better job holding his commands even with people, noises, and all the other distractions that come with a busy environment like this. Max absolutely loves this duck toy, so I’ve been incorporating more play into our training to keep him engaged and motivated. The goal is to teach him that even in an area with a ton of stimulation, he can stay focused on me, work through the distractions, and still have fun while doing it. He’s learning how to turn that excitement and energy into something productive, and he’s coming along really well. Great work, Max!
Pupdate 17:
Date: September 10th, 2026
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Training Highlights:
Back in Hollywood today, and it was definitely a hot one! We continued advancing his obedience by working on command duration and reinforcing his ability to stay in position with the leash dropped. With people and bikes passing by, he did a great job maintaining his commands and remaining focused despite all the distractions around him. This is the kind of real-world practice that helps build reliability, impulse control, and confidence outside the home. Great work today! 🐕🦺🔥
Pupdate 18:
Date: September 11th, 2026
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Training Highlights:
Another outing in Hollywood with Max, and he continues to show just how far he’s come. In an environment filled with people, traffic, noise, and constant distractions, Max is learning to remain neutral and focused rather than feeling the need to engage with everyone around him. We’re continuing to reinforce his commands in public, working on his ability to hold positions and maintain control even when the environment gets busy. His impulse control, focus, and overall obedience have improved tremendously, and it’s great seeing him become more confident and reliable with every outing. 🐕🦺🔥
Pupdate 19:
Date: September 12th, 2026
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Evening Feed: all
Training Highlights:
We continue to tighten up Max’s commands and put his obedience to the test around different distractions and environments. One command that really stands out as his favorite is place—he absolutely loves jumping onto different surfaces and settling in. We’re using that enthusiasm to build more structure, patience, and impulse control while reinforcing that he needs to remain where he’s asked, regardless of what’s happening around him. It’s been really rewarding to see how much he’s progressed, and I’m genuinely proud of how far this guy has come. 🐕💪
Pupdate 20:
Date: September 13th, 2026
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Training Highlights:
We’re beginning to introduce off-leash heel work, using a dragging leash to give him more freedom while still emphasizing that he needs to follow my guidance and maintain position. His recall has been really solid, which gives us a great foundation to build on. Little by little, as he continues to demonstrate reliability, focus, and responsiveness around different distractions, I’m becoming more comfortable trusting him off leash. We’re taking it step by step, reinforcing the idea that freedom comes with responsibility and that listening doesn’t stop just because the leash is off.
Pupdate 21:
Date: September 14th, 2026
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Training Highlights:
Took the man to Lowe’s today, where we continued applying his training in a different environment and working through everyday distractions. He’s becoming more comfortable navigating these public spaces while staying engaged and responsive to my guidance. Lowe’s and Home Depot have quickly become some of his favorite places to train, especially because he gets to explore all the different surfaces and obstacles. Of course, he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to jump onto the concrete bags and plywood! Incorporating things he naturally enjoys into our training helps keep him motivated while continuing to build confidence, impulse control, and obedience in real-world settings.
Pupdate 22:
Date: September 15th, 2026
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Training Highlights:
Building his confidence around other dogs means teaching him that being around them isn’t just about play—it’s also about learning how to focus, listen, and work. We took him to a shopping center in Beverly Hills, where he practiced his commands alongside another Belgian Malinois in a busy public environment. This was a great opportunity to reinforce his obedience around another dog while helping him understand that he can remain engaged with his handler despite the excitement and distractions. The goal is to create a dog who knows how to socialize, but also knows when it’s time to work, demonstrating that play and obedience can coexist.
Pupdate 23:
Date: September 16th, 2026
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Evening Feed: all
Training Highlights:
We’re continuing to tighten up Mr. Max’s commands while introducing different distractions to challenge his focus and impulse control. Each session is about helping him understand that obedience doesn’t stop when the environment changes. We’re also giving him opportunities to meet and work around new dogs, teaching him how to remain calm, stay engaged, and follow through with his commands rather than immediately getting distracted by every dog he encounters. Proud of the progress he continues to make! 🐕🦺💪
