Maizy | Shepherd/American Staffy Mix | Newhall, CA. | Boarding.
Updated: Oct 7
Welcome Back, Maizy! š¾
Weāre so excited to welcome Maizy back! This sweet one year old Shepherd/American Staffy mix from Newhall, CA., is joining us for eight days of boarding after previously completing one of our Board & Train programs with us.
While sheās here, weāll be taking some time to refresh her commands and brush up on her skills, but most importantly, weāre going to make sure she has as much fun as possible! From adventures and outings to plenty of quality time, weāre looking forward to making her stay a great one.
Weāre so happy to have this lovely girl back with us, and we canāt wait to see what kind of adventures Maizy gets herself into this time! Stay tuned! š¶š
10/1/2026
To kick things off, Maizy and I started with an introductory walk in the park, giving us a chance to get to know each other a little better. She was quite unsure about me at first, which is completely understandable!
There was no pressure at allāwe simply spent some time walking together and allowing her to get comfortable at her own pace. After a while, it seemed like she had relaxed a bit, so we settled in and began running through her commands.
Maizy understands all of her commands very well! Her heel looked nice, and she showed good patience with her extended commands. Her come-to-sit was also looking pretty solid. The one thing weāll be working on refining a bit is her positioning. When asked to sit or down, Maizy likes to turn herself away or tuck behind me, whereas Iād much rather see her facing forward without any tucking. This can certainly be attributed to her being a bit of a nervous bean, so thereās no need to rush it. Weāll simply continue practicing and helping her become more confident with her positioning as she settles in.
After we finished up with our training session, we loaded up in the car to go check out Maizyās home away from home for the next eight days. I was very happy to see her hop right into her travel crate, and she handled the ride really well with only a little bit of mild drooling. Once we arrived at the house, I let her check everything out to her heartās content, both inside and outside. She wasnāt quite ready to explore unless I was right there with her, but thatās perfectly okay! Sheās in a new place with a new person, so giving her that extra sense of security is important.
Once Maizy seemed like she had gotten her fill of exploring, we spent the rest of the day simply hanging out together. There was no pressure and no big agendaājust giving this pretty girl some time to settle in, decompress, and hopefully start realizing that sheās here to enjoy a little vacation!
Iām sure in no time sheāll be feeling right at home. All in all, things are going well for our first day together!
Today was really all about introductions, refreshing her commands, and giving Maizy the time she needs to get comfortable. And this pretty little lady is already doing a great job! š¾
10/2/2026
Today Maizy and I kept things a little closer to home, spending our day hanging around the house and exploring the neighborhood. We started with a nice, long walk around the neighborhood while practicing her leash dragging. The only reason I didnāt take her completely off leash just yet is because weāre still getting to know one another, and Maizy is understandably a little nervous. Having that extra bit of security gave us some peace of mind in case she decided to be a silly goose!
Thankfully, Maizy did wonderfully! She stayed close by my side and did a great job following through with each command when asked. Her positioning with both her sit and down commands was especially nice today, which was great to see. Sheās settling in more and more with each passing day, and itās starting to show in her work.
After our walk, we headed back to the house and let the other pups join us in the backyard for some playtime. Maizy was joined by Honey, another pup currently boarding with me, as well as my own dog, Quinn. She did a great job with her introductions, although it took her a little while to feel comfortable enough to join in on the fun. Instead, Maizy was perfectly content sitting by my side and observing Honey and Quinn as they interacted.
After watching for a while, Maizy finally gathered up the courage to join the party, and once she did, she had a blast! It was so much fun watching her wrestle around with the other two and temporarily forget about being such a nervous little lady. She really let loose and got to enjoy herself, which was wonderful to see!
Once everyone had their fill of chasing and wrestling, they each picked out their own spots in the yard to relax and soak up some sunshine before we headed inside for a snack and a nap. Maizy had absolutely no complaints about that part of the day! We spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out inside and enjoying the air conditioning, especially since it was quite warm outside.
All in all, it was really great seeing Maizy come out of her shell today and simply get to be a pup. She is such a sweet little lady, and sheās starting to settle in just fine and genuinely enjoy herself. In fact, sheās settling in so well that she blessed me with a little snuggle this morning, along with some kisses! Needless to say, I feel very honored to have received such a prestigious Maizy seal of approval. š„°š¾
10/3/2026
Today Maizy and I headed out to Lake Balboa bright and early, before the heat really started to set in, so we could practice her off-leash work around distractions. And there were plenty of distractions to work with! We had everything from squirrels and geese to people, children, pups, and even people rolling through on bikes.
We started out on leash since Maizy was definitely feeling a little nervous at first, which is completely understandable with so much going on around her. Rather than rushing her into anything, we simply walked for a while and gave her the opportunity to take everything in at her own pace. Once she seemed to settle in a bit, I unclipped her leash and we began practicing her work.
In the beginning, we definitely had to work through her commands patiently. People approaching from behind in particular made Maizy a little uncomfortable, but with some reassurance and patience, she was able to realize that everything happening around her wasnāt such a big deal after all. As she became more comfortable, I started to see more and more of the Maizy I know is in there! Before long, she was able to perform her commands just like I know she knows how to, even with all of the activity happening around her. It was wonderful to watch her work through those nerves and gain confidence.
After getting some good practice in, we found a bench in the shade where I asked Maizy to hop up and sit with me. I sat beside her, and we spent some time simply watching the activities happening around the park. Maizy was more than happy to cuddle in close and observe everything with me, which was such a sweet moment after all the excitement of the morning.
Once we finished up at the park, we headed back to the house for some playtime with her friends. Today, Maizy showed much less hesitation about joining in on the fun, which was great to see! Everyone ran around and played together for a while before deciding they had gotten their fill. We then headed inside for a well-earned nap and some time to relax in the air conditioning until things cooled down enough for everyone to head back outside for some more fun.
All in all, Maizy had a wonderful day! She made some great progress working through her nerves and practicing her commands around a variety of distractions, and she had an absolute blast spending time with her friends. It was especially nice to see her becoming more confident and comfortable as the day went on! ā¤ļø
10/4/2026
Today, Maizy and I headed out bright and early to a local park to continue practicing her commands with plenty of distractions around. And today, Miss Maizy faced the day with a wonderful demeanor! She was full of full-body tail wags and kisses, making it very clear that she was feeling much more comfortable and confident.
She did a fantastic job with her commands, staying focused on me rather than worrying about everything happening around her. We even made our way over to a playground where there were plenty of children playing and having all kinds of fun. Maizy handled it beautifully, sticking right by my side as we heeled around the area and doing a great job matching my pace.
When it came to her sits and downs, Maizy only needed one little reminder for each about her positioning before getting it right. Her come-to-sits, however, were beautiful from start to finish! Each one earned her plenty of praise, which she happily soaked up. She certainly isnāt shy about letting you know when she appreciates a compliment!
After finishing up our outing, we headed back to the house where Maizy enjoyed some playtime with her friend Quinn. The two had an absolute blast together, and by the time everyone had tired themselves out, we headed indoors to escape the heat for a little while. Maizy settled in for some relaxing time in the living room, watching movies and playing with toys before eventually heading back outside once things cooled down enough for another round of fun.
All in all, it was another wonderful day with Miss Maizy! Itās been so much fun watching her personality come out more and more each day, and Iām loving seeing just how happy and playful this sweet girl can be once she feels comfortable.
10/5/2026
Today Maizy and I headed over to Home Depot to practice her commands off leash with plenty of distractions, and this sweet girl did a fabulous job! š¾
Of course, when we first arrived Maizy was a little on edge, so we didnāt rush into anything. We simply spent some time walking around and letting her take in all of the sights, sounds, and activity around her. Once she was able to relax a smidge, we made our way toward some of the busier areas of the store.
There, I asked Maizy to hold a sit or down while shoppers passed by. I intentionally left some distance between myself and Maizy and made sure to praise her during those moments when she felt uncertain but chose to stay in position and work through it. This was less about testing her obedience and more about building her confidence and helping her understand that all of the noise, movement, and chaos around her wasnāt something she needed to worry about.
As we spent more time in the store, I could see Maizy beginning to settle. Eventually, she was able to relax in her positions even as people walked surprisingly close beside her, which was a huge win for this nervous girl!
We also found a step ladder and asked Maizy to hop up onto it. She was definitely hesitant at first, but with some encouragement she gave it a try and hopped up a few times, even holding a sit or down once she was up there. Way to go, Maizy! š
Aside from all of the confidence building, she did a wonderful job listening to her handler and staying close as we navigated through the store. Her positioning was also looking great, which was especially nice to see in such a busy environment.
And I think itās safe to say Maizy walked out of Home Depot feeling just a little more confident than she did when she walked in. ā¤ļø
Outings like these are so important because they help desensitize our pups to the sights, sounds, and situations that may typically make them nervous while giving them the opportunity to build confidence in a controlled way. And these outings donāt always have to be off leash! In fact, if youāre taking your pup somewhere theyāve never been before, starting on leash can be a great way to give them that extra layer of security. Something as simple as sitting together on a bench and allowing them to take in their surroundings can be incredibly valuable. The key is to calmly reinforce the behaviors and reactions we want to see rather than accidentally rewarding nervous behavior.
After our Home Depot adventure, we headed back to the house where Maizy spent the rest of her day playing with Quinn and enjoying some of her favorite toysāwhich, of course, she absolutely loved! š„°
All in all, it was a fantastic day filled with confidence building, command work, new experiences, and plenty of playtime. Another great adventure for our sweet Maizy! š¶š
10/6/2026
Today Maizy and I headed out to a local park for a little adventure! Once we arrived, we started with a quick training session to practice her commands off leash, and Miss Maizy did a fantastic job. Her positioning has improved so much, especially with her sits and downs, and itās been wonderful to see her becoming more consistent with her follow-through. Her come-to-sit was also looking great! Only once did I need to step forward to help her finish in the correct position, and she quickly got herself back on track.
Once we wrapped up our training session, we took some time to simply enjoy the park. We wandered around and stumbled upon a fun-looking trail, so of course we had to go explore! I gave Maizy a little more room to wander and take in all of the sights and smells, and she did a wonderful job staying close by and checking in with me along the way. She got to enjoy all the fun smells and scenery while still remembering to keep tabs on her human. š
After our park adventure, we headed back to the house for some playtime with Quinn and then spent the rest of the day hanging around and enjoying some downtime.
All in all, we had another great day together! Iām so proud of Miss Maizy and all the progress she continues to make with her training. Her positioning and follow-through are coming along wonderfully, and itās been so much fun watching all of her hard work pay off! šš¾
10/7/2026
Today, Maizy and I took a trip to Westfield Mall to continue building her confidence and help her become more comfortable navigating the world around her. This outing wasnāt so much about practicing commands as it was about giving her the opportunity to experience all the different sights, sounds, and noises that might typically make her nervous. And let me tell you, when we first arrived, Maizy was feeling ALL the feelings! Her ears were pinned back, her tail was tucked, and she had a look on her face like someone had just threatened to steal her lunch money. š
Rather than jumping straight into the busier areas, we started by simply walking around on leash and giving her time to observe her surroundings. As we made our way through the mall, we eventually crossed paths with an escalator, which Maizy was not at all convinced was a friendly addition to the building. She tried just about everything she could think of to convince me we should go in the opposite direction, but instead, we took a little time to work through it together. We practiced walking past the escalator a few times, allowing her to see it, hear it, and realize that it wasnāt going to hurt her. I even went as far as touching the railing to demonstrate that there was nothing to worry about. And wouldnāt you know it, this seemed to help! I could actually see her body begin to relax, and before long, we were walking past the big, scary escalator without all the theatrics. š
What made this moment especially heartwarming was seeing Maizy look to me for reassurance and begin to trust that I had everything under control. This isnāt the first time Iāve seen her work through uncertainty with a little help from her handler. When she first met my roommate, she was quite unsure of him, barking with her hackles raised and keeping her distance. However, when I calmly touched his arm and showed her that he was okay, her posture softened, and she felt brave enough to approach and investigate him herself. Knowing that, I felt confident we could use a similar approach with our big, bad escalator, and I was so happy to see her work through it!
The rest of our outing consisted of wandering around the mall, taking in the environment, and occasionally asking Maizy to hop up onto different surfaces to practice her place command. She was a brave girl about these little challenges, too! As our adventure progressed, I started noticing a lovely change in the way she carried herself. Her tail was no longer tucked, and those big, beautiful ears started popping up more inquisitively as she took in everything around her. Instead of looking so worried about the world, she was beginning to look a little more curious about it, which was wonderful to see. She even met a few people who showered her with love and praise, which she absolutely deserved!
Toward the end of our trip, I decided to celebrate a successful outing on our last full day together with a pretzel. Naturally, I had to share a little with Maizy, and she was more than happy to participate in our little snack date! š„Øā¤ļø Part of our goal was to help create a positive association with an environment that can feel overwhelming to her, and sometimes those little moments can go a long way. Of course, you donāt have to buy your dog a pretzel every time you go somewhere new! You can absolutely use their regular treats, too. The important part is rewarding the right behaviors and helping them build positive associations with the things theyāre learning to navigate.
After our mall adventure, we headed back to the house, where Maizy got to decompress with some playtime in the yard with Quinn. The girls spent a while playing and enjoying each otherās company before everyone headed inside to relax. Once the weather cooled down a bit, it was back outside for another round of playtime! Needless to say, Quinn has thoroughly enjoyed having her friend around, and itās been so much fun watching the two of them together.
All in all, Maizy was such a brave girl today, and I am incredibly proud of her for working through our outing together. One of my favorite parts was seeing her get out of her own head a little and watching those big, beautiful ears make an appearance instead of staying pinned back the entire time. Confidence isnāt built overnight, and it doesnāt mean a dog will never feel nervous. Itās about giving them the opportunity to work through those feelings at a manageable pace and showing them that they can handle more than they might initially think. Maizy took some wonderful steps in that direction today, and it was such a pleasure to be part of that progress.
Iāve genuinely loved getting to know your girl over these past several days. Sheās such a sweetheart, and having her here has been a treat for me and a whole lot of fun for Quinn! ā¤ļø
Lastly, I want to thank you for trusting me to care for Maizy and welcome her into our home. Sheās been an absolute joy to have around, and I hope we get to spend time together again soon. She will certainly be missed by both myself and her bestie, Quinn!Ā
Comments