Marshmallow | St. Bernard | Altadena, Ca | In-Training

Meet Marshmallow, a lovable 5-month-old St. Bernard from Altadena, California. He’s joining us for our two-week Board and Train Program. With his infectious energy and adorable puppy charm, Marshmallow is learning to manage some typical puppy behaviors — like leash pulling, curiosity about other dogs, and plenty of nipping.

Over the next 14 days, Marshmallow will focus on becoming a well-mannered and obedient companion. Through consistent guidance, clear communication, and balanced training, he’ll work on his behavior both at home and in new environments—meeting people, exploring places, and navigating different experiences. With structure and consistency, Marshmallow will show just how amazing of a pup he can be!

Stay tuned for Marshmallow’s two-week transformation!

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Pupdate 7/6/25

Today, after you left, we stayed at the park for a bit to see which commands Marshmallow was already familiar with. As we noticed together, he responds nicely to “sit,” but the other commands still need some work — no worries, that’s exactly what we’re here for! On the ride home, Marshmallow did wonderfully in the crate. He was calm, quiet, and didn’t cry or whine at all — such a great start!

Once we arrived, Marshmallow got to meet Dottie, my one-year-old Golden Retriever, as well as Henry, our other board and train pup who is heading home tomorrow. They all got along beautifully and enjoyed each other’s company. We then went for a pack walk so they could get to know each other even more.

For today, our main focus was helping Marshmallow acclimate to his new environment and making sure he feels safe and comfortable. He explored his new crate, got introduced to my home and family, and even had some fun playtime with Dottie.

Oh! And I can’t forget to mention — Marshmallow was a total superstar. In less than five minutes on our walk, we were stopped multiple times by people admiring his cuteness. He’s definitely going to be a popular pup wherever he goes!

We’re off to a great start, and I’m so excited to watch Marshmallow learn and grow over the next couple of weeks.

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Pupdate 7/7/25

Today, we introduced Marshmallow to the E-collar by having him wear it around his neck without any stimulation — just to get him comfortable with the feeling. We also introduced the cot as his “place” and reinforced the “sit” command, which he’s already familiar with.

During training, Marshmallow was very curious about the leash and kept trying to bite it, so I consistently used the “off” command to correct this behavior. When he wasn’t focused on the leash, he did a fantastic job responding to “place,” especially with the help of treats as initial motivation. As we continued practicing, I gradually phased out the treats, and he began responding to “place” happily with just my verbal praise — such great progress for day one!

We also began pairing “place” with “sit,” and Marshmallow caught on quickly. He’s showing himself to be a fast learner!

Not shown in the video, we also worked on his “heel” during walks around the neighborhood. Even though it’s only the first day, I could already feel him pulling less on the leash. With consistency and patience, I’m confident we’ll get him exactly where he needs to be. I truly believe in him!

On his first night, Marshmallow did wonderfully in his crate. He got along beautifully with my family, as well as with Dottie and Henry. Since it was Henry’s last night with us, I was able to capture an adorable farewell photo of all three pups together — it was such a sweet moment.

Marshmallow slept well, ate all his meals, and had all his potty breaks without any issues. Rest assured, we’re taking care of him as if he were part of our own family.

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Pupdate 7/8/25

Today we focused on finding the appropriate e-collar stimulus level for Marshmallow. We started at level 0 and gradually increased in small increments until he gave us a clear response, which turned out to be between levels 3–7. Once we identified his working level, we jumped right into training mode, using level 3 to communicate what I needed from him — starting with the “place” command.

To keep things positive, we initially paired the stim with treats. Once Marshmallow understood that the stim was simply a way for me to communicate (and not something to be afraid of), we gradually reduced the treats. In no time at all, he was confidently responding to the command with just my praise. Yay, Marshy!

Next, we introduced “come-to-sit,” which is an essential recall command. Having a strong recall is so important because it teaches a pup to return quickly and safely when called, helping to avoid potential accidents or unwanted encounters. Today was Marshmallow’s first introduction to this skill. He needed some extra encouragement (and a few treats) to find the right position, but with more practice and consistency, I know he’ll master it like a pro.

After working on “come-to-sit,” we returned to “place” and started focusing on building his impulse control and ability to handle distractions. Marshmallow initially struggled to stay settled on the cot, especially when some leaves blew by (thanks, Mother Nature!). With the help of the stim, I was able to communicate to him that leaving “place” was not the desired behavior. After a few attempts, he started to understand and settled nicely. Once he held it calmly and gave me great focus, I gave him the “break” command and celebrated his small but important victory. Huge step forward for Marshmallow today!

Potty training update: Marshmallow is doing fantastic! Despite the heat, he’s staying hydrated, and we’re making sure he gets breaks every 45 minutes to an hour to avoid any accidents. As we get closer to bedtime, we reduce his water intake and take him for a final walk to set him up for a restful night. So far, he’s doing great!

Dottie is really enjoying having Marshmallow around. She loves his puppy energy — even though he’s already a bit bigger than her! He’s such a sweet, lovable boy, and it’s been a joy watching them bond.

I’m so proud of Marshmallow’s progress so far. Way to go, Marshy!