Hana | Border Collie Mix | Santa Monica, Ca | In Training

Meet Hana! Hana is a 2-year-old Border Collie mix with brains to spare and energy to burn. She's joined us for our two-week Board & Train program, and while she's got a heart of gold, she’s also arrived with a few quirks we’re ready to iron out. Recently, Hana’s been letting her anxiety do the talking—whether it’s nipping for attention, jumping up to say “notice me now,” or guarding her favorite things like a dragon with treasure. She’s also been struggling with separation anxiety, which we’ll be helping her work through so she can feel calm and confident, even when she’s not glued to your side.

Over the next two weeks, Hana will be learning all her basic commands—on and off leash—while we help her replace anxious habits with polite, well-mannered ones. With her smarts, a little structure, and a lot of consistency, we’re excited to help Hana channel all that Border Collie brilliance into becoming the calm, respectful companion she was meant to be. Stay tuned—this girl’s glow-up is going to be a fun one to watch.

---

Pupdate 5/11/2025

Hana kicked off day one of her Board & Train program with curiosity, smarts, and just a little bit of sass. We started the day at the park getting to know each other and assessing what she already knows. At first, she played it cool—acting like she’d never heard the word “sit” in her life—but it didn’t take long before she caught on to what was being asked and started following through. This girl is sharp, and it shows. As we continue training, we’ll be focusing on extending her commands and building the kind of confidence and consistency that sticks.

Back at home, Hana was introduced to her new digs and our resident dog crew. She handled the meet-and-greet like a pro and even showed flashes of her playful side. Her tendency to nip surfaced briefly during the excitement, but a quick “off” had her back on track and engaging appropriately. Though she was a bit reserved when first arriving, it didn’t take long for her to settle in—tail wagging and soaking up the attention like she’s known us for weeks. Right now, we’re giving her time to get familiar with her surroundings while gently reinforcing boundaries and commands. A solid first day for a pup with tons of potential.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s pupdate!