Max's Story: A Malinois Mix Who Needed More Than an Hour a Week

Where Max started

Maxamillion, Max to his family, is a Malinois and Shepherd mix. He came to us at six months old for private lessons: an hour a week with Jesse and our team.

The lessons went well. His owner wrote that "Maxamillion did good & the guys were fantastic." But a few weeks in, the family made a call that a lot of Malinois owners eventually make. In their words, "with so much Malinos in him," Max would benefit from something more intensive than an hour a week.

The training journey

So Max moved in with one of our trainers for a board and train stay, which his family describes as a month. While he was there, they got "Pupdates" every couple of days, so they could see the work as it happened instead of waiting for pickup day.

Two weeks in, the trainer brought Max out to show the family where he was. Their reaction: "WOW what a difference! Max was calmer, listening to commands."

A mid-point visit like that is worth a lot to a family. It turns the stay from a leap of faith into something they can see, and it gives them an early look at the handling they will be doing themselves.

What actually changed

• He is calmer. Visible to his family by the two-week visit.
• He listens to commands. The core of what they came for.
• He came home obedient. His owner's word on the day he came back.
• He is still Max. Obedient, in the family's words, "all while not killing his spirit."

★★★★★

“We took our 6 month old Malinos/Shepherd mix, Maxamillion to do training with Jesse & Miguel for an hour a week training sessions. Maxamillion did good & the guys were fantastic!!! After a few weeks we decided with so much Malinos in him, Max (Maxamillion) would really benefit from their one month board & training session. So we sent Max to Anthony to stay for a month. Anthony would send "Pupdates" every couple of days & it didn't take long to see AMAZING progress!!!! After two weeks Anthony brought Max to show us his progress, WOW what a difference! Max was calmer, listening to commands & we were thrilled with his progress! […] We can't begin to thank Anthony for loving our boy, helping become obedient all while not killing his spirit!!!!!”

Robert Rose, Google review, September 2026

What it changed for the family

The line his family kept coming back to was that last one. A high-drive working breed is a lot of dog, and owners of one often worry that training means flattening what they love about him.

It should not. The goal with a dog like Max is to give that drive a job and a structure, so the energy goes somewhere useful instead of everywhere at once. A calm, obedient Malinois is still a Malinois.

Why Max's story matters to us

Starting with lessons and moving to a board and train is a common path at Off Leash K9 Training Bakersfield, and it is not a sign that the lessons failed. Lessons show a family what their dog needs. For some dogs, the honest answer is more hours than a family can put in, and a stay with a trainer is how those hours get done.

His family also said something we appreciate: that whichever trainer a dog ends up with here, they were confident the owner would be happy with the process. That is the standard we hold the whole team to.

Max's path started with private lessons; Basic Obedience is where most families begin. For a high-drive dog who needs more than weekly sessions, our board and train programs, starting with the 2 Week Board and Train, put a trainer on the work full time. Every program and price is on our plans and pricing page.