Lucy | Bernadoodle | Thousand Oaks | In Training

Meet Lucy, a 4.5 month old Bernadoodle from Thousand Oaks enrolled in our 3 week Board and Train program. She has a penchant for jumping on people and getting overly excited. She is a sweet little girl who's ready to meet the world. While Lucy is with us, we will work on her basic commands, socialization to bring her excitement level down to a manageable state, introducing boundaries, teaching greeting manners, and establishing a very firm base from which she and her owners can live a most fulfilling life. Stay tuned for her 3 week transformation!

Lucy | Bernadoodle | Pupdate 7/20/2025

Today was all about establishing Lucy's baseline. She has a good idea of some of the basics that we will "tighten up" as her training progresses. As you can see, she's a bit distracted and very excitable. We will tackle these issues by increasing her socialization and showing her that, even though she's excited to sniff and explore, there's a time and place to do so; and, sometimes, it's better for her to simply do nothing. Stay tuned to watch her progress!

Lucy | Bernadoodle | Pupdate 7/21/2025

Lucy had an absolute blast at the park today. We focused in on her Come-to-Sits as well as teaching her the Place command. As you can see, Lucy is taking very well to the training and she has settled in nicely. She's a smart puppy with lots of drive! On her first full day of training she has demonstrated a firm grasp of Place and is happy to simply do nothing when asked to. This is an important skill, especially for puppies. Keep following to see her continued progress!

Lucy | Bernadoodle | Pupdate 7/22/2025

Lucy had a wonderful time at the park today! She continued to work her paces moving easily through come-to-sit, place, sit, down, and heel. I am amazed at the fast progress she is making as it's only her third day with us. I can't wait to see how much further along she is by next week. Lucy had a bit of diarrhea this morning so we have switched her diet to rice and pumpkin puree only. She hasn't pooped again since about noon today. She is still energetic, happy, and very eager to play and we are making sure she stays hydrated. Keep following for more of Lucy's progress!

Lucy | Bernadoodle | Pupdate 7/23/2025

Day 4 with Miss Lucy! We continued to practice our come-to-sits as you can see. She understands the motion with very little guidance. We also worked her sits and downs. You will notice that Lucy is now sitting in one spot awaiting instructions from her handler. This is a huge step forward for any pup! This afternoon, Lucy enjoyed some quiet time in the living room. She watched Netflix while staying on her place for a full 45 minutes. Lucy is no longer having bouts of diarrhea. She seems to be responding very well to the rice/pumpkin puree mixture and, as long as we don't see anymore problems we will transition her back onto her regular diet. She has already demonstrated a very solid foundation and understanding of what we want to see. From here, we will tighten up the movements and slowly transition her off of the leash as she builds the muscle memory of all the necessary positions. Keep watching to see this wonderful pup progress even further!

Lucy | Bernadoodle | Pupdate 7/24/2025

Lucy spent day 5 out and about! First she was taken to Home depot where we worked on her manners in public. As you can see, Lucy is happy to remain in a down while I do my shopping. We were fortunate enough to have plenty of volunteers willing to help Lucy practice her greeting manners because keeping her from jumping on folks as they approach her is very important. As you can see in the video, Lucy was able to hold her down position while I dropped hangars, made loud noises with various metal appliances, moved flooring, etc. It's very important that she be comfortable with all manner of noises, experiences, and distractions especially considering she is already an excitable pup with lots of energy. The more she is exposed to at her young age, the less she will feel scared and in unfamiliar territory down the road. I would also add that Lucy is not afraid or nervous when we venture out of the house. She truly enjoys new experiences. Lucy is still eating rice and pumpkin puree and tolerating it very well. Barring any further incidents, she will be on her regular diet tomorrow morning. Stay tuned for more of Lucy's journey!

Lucy | Bernadoodle | Pupdate 7/25/2025

Lucy had a fun time at Victoria Gardens shopping Center today! She was exposed to lots of people, vehicles, random noises, and smells which she handled like a seasoned pro. Although you can't see from this video because they chose to walk around the back of the camera, dozens of people passed by her as she held her sits, downs, and place. Lucy is continuing to improve her heel position, able to navigate the proper placement of her body keeping up with me with all those people near us on the sidewalk. She didn't pee once when approaching or meeting new people! Lucy is completely over her tummy trouble and is back on her regular diet. Watch the blog for more updates about Lucy and her training!

Lucy | Bernadoodle | Pupdate 7/26/2025

A very busy park turned out to be the perfect spot for Lucy to practice her obedience. With lots of sounds, smells, and people coming and going, Lucy showed remarkable poise, not reacting to anything. You will see that her come-to-sit command has nearly come to fruition as she no longer needs much help with the leash to finish the movement. Her prolonged sits and downs are very good, as are her heel and place. We will continue to add distractions, distance from the handler and the dog, and duration of holding the command. Lucy has tolerated her regular diet very well and is exhibiting no signs of stomach trouble. Make sure you keep following to see how fast Lucy progresses!

Lucy | Bernadoodle | Pupdate 7/27/2025

Lucy is doing a very good job learning how to behave without needing to be attached to a leash. As you can see, she is heeling without the leash as well as holding prolonged sits and downs. Her come-to-sits are better and better everyday; and she now understands the movement with just a little bit of prompting with a leg tap. Even with dozens of people and vehicles going by, Lucy holds her attention on the handler. She actively looks and listens waiting for the next command. When practicing greeting manners, Lucy has learned that it's not ok to jump on people who just want to say hello, and due to a large amount of socialization and spending time in busy areas, her urination while excited has significantly decreased. She will continue to train off leash and become better and better with her movements. Lucy is tolerating her regular diet very well and is staying well hydrated. Keep following for more of Lucy's progress!

Lucy | Bernadoodle | Pupdate 7/28/2025

Lucy had a wonderful time out and about today at Bass Pro Shops. As you can see, she is very well behaved, even with a crowd of people and distraction around us. Lucy learning this behavior is very important. When in public places, she must understand how important it is to follow direction and her handler. She was a wonderful helper today as I picked out some new clothing. She even gave me some advice as to what I should and shouldn't wear! Lucy has been back on her regular diet for 2.5 days now and her stool has become loose again. She is not experiencing diarrhea, but her poop is loose enough that I will consider switching her back to a more tolerable diet. Stay tuned to see how much Lucy improves over the next two weeks!

Lucy | Bernadoodle | Pupdate 7/29/2025

Lucy had a wonderful morning! As you can see, Lucy is now able to work completely off leash. We practiced these positions many many times and she has done such a great job picking everything up. She heels without the need of leash pressure. Her prolonged sits and downs are good as well. Lucy has started practicing the "under" command and, like everything else, has taken to it quite naturally. We will continue to teach Lucy while increasing the level of distraction, duration, and distance from which she follows commands to ensure that she has a very solid obedience foundation. Lucy has been switched back to rice and pumpkin puree as her stools became loose again. She is as energetic and happy as ever, but we will continue to monitor her stools while making sure she stays hydrated. Check back tomorrow to see how well Lucy is doing!

Lucy | Bernadoodle | Pupdate 7/30/2025

Lucy had a fantastic training session today! She is still heeling completely off leash, staying right by her handler's side with precision and focus. We’re steadily increasing the level of distraction—introducing new environments, sounds, and movement—and she’s handling it all with calm confidence. Her consistency is impressive, especially as we build in more real-world scenarios.

She continues to eat well and remains on her rice and pumpkin diet as her belly stabilizes. Her energy is strong, and she’s showing great enthusiasm for every session. We’ll keep challenging her obedience while making sure she stays on track. Looking forward to seeing what tomorrow brings for Lucy!

Lucy | Bernadoodle | Pupdate 7/31/2025

Lucy had another great day of training and adventure! She visited the Santa Monica Pier and practiced her obedience in a high-distraction environment. She continues to heel off leash with confidence and is holding her sits and downs with increasing consistency. Her transitions are smooth and responsive, needing only minimal prompting. Even with crowds, music, and all kinds of movement around her, Lucy stayed focused and followed commands with enthusiasm. She had a lot of fun exploring while showing off her training. She’s eating her rice and pumpkin diet well and staying hydrated. She’ll be seeing the vet tomorrow as a precaution, as she’s been urinating a bit more than usual. Check back soon to see how she’s doing!

Lucy | Bernadoodle | Pupdate 8/1/2025

Lucy had a great adventure in south Orange County today! She explored the mall and did very well with all the new sights, sounds, and smells. She was very polite when greeting people and no longer jumped up on them immediately. Lucy hasn’t had much experience in slick tile floors but that didn’t slow her down! We are still improving her positions and transitions as you can see, but we are very happy with her progress so far. Lucy visited the vet today as a precaution given her frequent urination the vet stated that Lucy is in excellent health noting no issues. Lucy gave a urine sample which will have results by Monday. Lucy was sent home with antibiotics as a precaution. We will continue to monitor her potty habits. Stay tuned!

Lucy | Bernadoodle | Pupdate 8/2/2025

Lucy continued being her rockstar self today! Even in a very busy shopping center she holds positions and takes direction with ease; and she has a great time while doing it! We have added her Sunday’s food to her rice and pumpkin diet and will monitor her stool. Lucy is receiving antibiotics twice daily with food and she is tolerating this very well. Follow for more of Lucy’s progress!

Lucy | Bernadoodle | Pupdate 8/3/2025

Lucy worked hard this morning practicing her commands and doing as well as usual. She is getting better and better at quickly adapting to new environments showing comfort and curiosity in unfamiliar places. It was a bit warm outside this afternoon so Lucy got to practice her long place. It’s amazing how energetic Lucy can be but at the same time she is perfectly willing to relax and chew on a bone. Lucy is doing very well with her antibiotics, and her urination has decreased. She is tolerating the addition of her Sunday’s to her meals also. We are still awaiting the results of Lucy’s urinalysis but should receive them very soon.

Keep watching for Lucy’s last week of training as we bring everything together getting her ready to go home!

Lucy | Bernadoodle | Pupdate 8/4/2025

Lucy worked so hard today! She behaved like such a good girl, staying attentive and open to commands. One of the things we love the most about working with Lucy is her eye contact and engagement with her handler. You can see in the video, she is focused!

Lucy has a great appetite per usual and is staying hydrated. Her frequent urination has subsided considerably. The antibiotics are tolerated well, as is the addition of Sunday’s to her meals. We will transition her back onto her regular diet over the next two days. Watch Lucy bring home the gold! Stay tuned!

Lucy | Bernadoodle | Pupdate 8/5/2025

Once again, I cannot say how much fun Lucy is to work with! As the end of her Board and Train Program approaches, we want to ensure that all of the proper behaviors are fully understood. We verify that she knows the basics and we drill drill drill! As you can see in this video, all of those repetitions lead to the fantastic OffLeash behaviors that we aim to instill. This is a preview on how we do so. We will explain everything in depth at Lucy's dropoff(Turnover). Keep watching as Lucy prepares to go home and be the best pup she can be!

Lucy | Bernadoodle | Pupdate 8/6/2025

This adorable pup continues to steal hearts with her irresistible cuteness and whip-smart brain, making every day a tail-wagging adventure. Lucy’s been soaking up her training sessions like a furry scholar, mastering tricks with a sparkle in her eye that says she’s born for the spotlight. Today, she strutted out of the groomer’s looking like a canine supermodel, her coat gleaming and her charm dialed up to eleven. Health-wise, Lucy’s in tip-top shape, thriving back on her original diet, with her urination now a steady every-four-hours-or-so routine. Keep coming back to see Lucy shine!

Lucy | Bernadoodle | Pupdate 8/7/2025

Today, Lucy took her talents to the Santa Monica Pier, where she absolutely stole the show! This clever pup strutted her stuff, practicing her skills like a pro—think tail-wagging tricks and some serious fetch finesse. The pier was buzzing with admirers as Lucy showed off her moves, stealing hearts left and right!

Stay tuned for more of Lucy’s adventures—she’s got plenty more tricks up her fur!

Lucy | Bernadoodle | Pupdate 8/8/2025

Lucy’s stealing the show, and this video of her playing captures her boundless joy perfectly! From zooming after her treats to rolling in the grass with pure glee, her tail-wagging energy lights up everyone’s day. She lost her first tooth this afternoon, a completely normal milestone for a growing pup, marking her journey to becoming an even more amazing dog! Her playful spirit and sparkling puppy eyes make every moment brighter, spreading happiness like it’s her mission. Lucy’s our furry superstar, and we can’t get enough of her! Keep shining, sweet girl!

Lucy | Bernadoodle | Pupdate 8/9/2025

Despite the heat today, Lucy was an absolute star! We kept things relaxed with an early morning walk when the air was still cool, and Lucy made the most of it, strutting through the neighborhood with her tail wagging and nose eagerly sniffing every corner. Her energy and curiosity were infectious, charming every passerby we met!

Back inside to escape the midday heat, Lucy showed off her smarts during some indoor training. She breezed through her commands with precision, earning plenty of treats and praise for her stellar focus—she’s practically a canine scholar! Lucy comes home tomorrow and she will be missed. It’s been an absolute joy to work with this wonderful little pup.