Nala | German Shepherd Mix | Bakersfield, CA

This week, we’re excited to welcome Nala, a 10-month-old, 65-pound German Shepherd mix, to our two-week board and train program. Nala is a sweet and social family dog who gets along wonderfully with other dogs and loves her humans deeply. However, she struggles with separation anxiety, making it difficult for her to relax when left alone. She also pulls heavily on the leash, which can be a challenge given her size, and tends to bark at certain people she doesn’t approve of. Over the next two weeks, we’ll focus on helping Nala feel secure and confident when alone, master loose-leash walking, and learn to stay calm around new people. By building on her strengths and addressing these challenges, Nala is set to make big strides toward becoming the best version of herself!


 

Pupdate 2:

Date: January 21st, 2025

Weight: 63.25lbs

Morning Feed: all

Evening Feed: all

Training Highlights:

Today, we introduced Nala to all five basic commands, and she’s already making tremendous progress. Her leash walking is improving quickly—she stays on my left side and is learning to walk calmly. Nala is an incredibly smart and sweet girl who simply needs a little guidance to reach her full potential.


 

Pupdate 3:

Date: January 22, 2025

Weight: 63.33lbs

Morning Feed: all

Evening Feed: all

Training Highlights:

Today, we focused on the place command, helping Nala learn to control her impulses. She’s doing exceptionally well transitioning on and off the place cot, demonstrating progress with her self-control. Teaching her that certain energies are appropriate at specific times and places is an essential part of her training.


 

Pupdate 4:

Date: January 23, 2025

Weight: 63.33lbs

Morning Feed: all

Evening Feed: all

Training Highlights:

Today, we trained with Nala at the park and focused on reinforcing her commands. She’s becoming more attentive and is responding well, showing significant improvement in her leash manners. Nala is incredibly sweet and has a playful side, especially when it comes to tug-of-war.


 

Pupdate 5:

Date: January 24, 2025

Weight: 63.77lbs

Morning Feed: all

Evening Feed: all

Training Highlights:

Today, we continued reinforcing commands, and she’s doing really well holding her sit command. However, she still struggles with submissive urination when she gets overly excited, but we’re actively working on it. She loves training and is always eager and ready to go!


Pupdate 6:

Date: January 25, 2025

Weight: 63.77lbs

Morning Feed: all

Evening Feed: all

Training Highlights:

Nala loves playing with your toys, and playtime is an excellent way to build trust and strengthen your relationship with her. Teaching her the “out” command during play helps her learn how to engage and disengage, making playtime both fun and productive!


 

Pupdate 7:

Date: January 26, 2025

Weight: 63.77lbs

Morning Feed: all

Evening Feed: all

Training Highlights:

We’re continuing to reinforce her commands, and she’s doing an amazing job with her heel command. She absolutely loves the place command and is eating all of her food. She’s highly motivated by both toys and food, and she genuinely enjoys working and learning!


 

Pupdate 8:

Date: January 27, 2025

Weight: 63.79lbs

Morning Feed: all

Evening Feed: all

Training Highlights:

Today, we trained at Lowe’s to work on introducing human distractions. While she doesn’t have an aggressive bone in her body, she is eager to meet every single person she sees, so we focused on helping her stay calm and focused in these situations.


 

Pupdate 9:

Date: January 28, 2025

Weight: 64.11lbs

Morning Feed: all

Evening Feed: all

Training Highlights:

Today, we trained at Lowes to build her confidence through the place command and trust. She loves her toys, which we used as motivation during the session. The place command helps keep her isolated on a designated spot, providing structure and reinforcing impulse control. This can easily be practiced indoors using a dog bed or furniture, helping her feel more secure and independent in different environments.


Pupdate 10:

Date: January 29, 2025

Weight: 63.79lbs

Morning Feed: all

Evening Feed: all

Training Highlights:

Today, we continued training and worked on teaching her the “out” command, which means releasing the toy on command. She’s  doing amazing!


 

Pupdate 11:

Date: January 30, 2025

Weight: 63.79lbs

Morning Feed: all

Evening Feed: all

Training Highlights:

Nala is successfully completing all of her commands and showing great progress, especially with her down command, which she has significantly improved on. With her obedience foundation solidifying, we are now taking the next step in her training—introducing life off-leash. This transition will help her build confidence, reinforce her reliability in responding to commands without the restriction of a leash, and strengthen her overall impulse control. She’s making impressive strides, and it’s exciting to see her growth!


 

Pupdate 12:

Date: January 31, 2025

Weight: 63.87lbs

Morning Feed: all

Evening Feed: all

Training Highlights:

Nala is making great progress with her off-leash training, starting in a controlled environment to ensure she remains focused and responsive. We are reinforcing her recall, ensuring she comes back consistently when called, while also practicing other essential commands to build her reliability and confidence. By working in a closed space, she has the opportunity to learn without distractions, setting a strong foundation before advancing to more open areas. Her improvement is evident, and she’s showing great potential in mastering off-leash obedience!


 

Pupdate 13:

Date: February 1st, 2025

Weight: 63.91lbs

Morning Feed: all

Evening Feed: all

Training Highlights:

Today, we took our training session to Lowe’s, focusing on reinforcing obedience and engagement in a busy public environment. With all the distractions people walking by, carts rolling, and various noises she remained focused and responsive, demonstrating great progress in her ability to work through real-world challenges. Her confidence continues to grow, and shes handling distractions like a pro. Its amazing to see how far shes come, and today was another solid step toward building reliable behavior in any setting. She’s absolutely killing it out there!


 

Pupdate 14:

Date: February 2nd, 2025

Weight: 63.92lbs

Morning Feed: all

Evening Feed: all

Training Highlights:

Nala’s recall has improved tremendously, and it’s exciting to see her progress in real-world environments. Today, we practiced calling her from different areas of the store, and she responded beautifully, turning and coming back without hesitation. With all the distractions people walking by, loud noises, and the tempting smells of a retail space she remained focused and eager to follow commands. This level of responsiveness is a huge step forward in her training, building trust and reliability in any setting. Her confidence is growing, and it’s clear that all the work is paying off!


 

Pupdate 15:

Date: February 3rd, 2025

Weight: 63.95lbs

Morning Feed: all

Evening Feed: all

Training Highlights:

We continue to make great progress in developing her off-leash skills, building both her confidence and reliability in different environments. She has an incredible drive and a real passion for training, always eager to engage and work through new challenges. One of the biggest improvements has been her ability to redirect her biting instincts rather than nipping at my hand, she’s learned to channel that energy into her toys. This is a huge milestone in her impulse control and overall obedience. Watching her grow and refine her behaviors has been so rewarding. Great work, mama!


 

Pupdate 16:

Date: February 4th 2025

Weight: 63.97lbs

Morning Feed: all

Evening Feed: all

Training Highlights:

We continue to reinforce Nalas commands and advance her training, and she has made significant progress. Where she once reacted to every noise with fear, Nala is now more confident in various environments. Her growth is truly remarkable, and shes becoming more comfortable navigating the world around her. One of her favorite activities is play, which has become an excellent tool for both training and strengthening our bond. Through play, were able to not only keep her engaged but also build trust and foster a deeper connection, which makes her training even more effective.


 

Pupdate 17:

Date: February 5th, 2024

Weight: 64.28lbs

Morning Feed: all

Evening Feed: all

Training Highlights:

Today, we took Nala on a shopping trip as part of her ongoing training and exposure to public environments and various distractions. Introducing her to different settings helps build her confidence and reinforce her obedience in real-world scenarios. While she is improving, she can still be skittish around certain noises, such as the loud release of air brakes from large delivery trucks, which momentarily startle her. However, despite these occasional moments of hesitation, she is making great progress. She can hold her commands well, maintain focus, and perform reliably in busy public spaces, demonstrating her growing ability to navigate new experiences with more confidence.


 

Pupdate 18:

Date: February 6th, 2024

Weight: 64.77lbs

Morning Feed: all

Evening Feed: all

Training Highlights:

Today, we took Nala to the shopping center for a training session, providing her with valuable exposure to a busy environment filled with distractions. One of her favorite exercises is the place command, which not only helps reinforce obedience but also plays a significant role in building her confidence. She enjoys the challenge and is eager to hold her position, even with people and noises around her. Additionally, her heel work is consistently strong, as she remains focused and walks nicely without pulling. Her recall has also shown noticeable improvement, responding more reliably to the command each day. With continued practice, she is becoming increasingly responsive and well-mannered in public settings.


 

Pupdate 19:

Date: February 7th, 2024

Weight: 64.77lbs

Morning Feed: all

Evening Feed: all

Training Highlights:

Today, we took Nala out for a public training session, continuing to work on her obedience and confidence in different environments. I only allow her to be off-leash in open park areas where there aren’t too many overwhelming distractions that might trigger her skittish behavior. In busier city settings, she remains on-leash to ensure her safety and maintain better control. Even while leashed, she continues to walk nicely on my left side, demonstrating good leash manners and attentiveness to my movements. With consistent training, she is learning to navigate both calm and busy environments with increasing confidence.