Rocky | Aussie Bernedoodle | Rolling Hills Estates, CA | In Training

Please welcome Rocky!

Rocky is an Australian Shepherd / Bernedoodle mix from Rolling Hills Estates, California who has joined us for our Two-Week Urban Board and Train Program. He’s a fun-loving, energetic pup with a big personality, and he’s here to learn how to channel his natural instincts into clear, structured behaviors while practicing the basic obedience and house manners expected of a gentleman. 

Like many herding breeds, Rocky has a tendency to nip and herd his family members, especially during moments of excitement. While this behavior is all in play and not rooted in aggression, it can quickly become overwhelming and inappropriate in a home setting. He also struggles with recall, often choosing the environment over his handler, and can get easily distracted when called. On top of that, Rocky enjoys greeting people with enthusiastic jumping and has developed a habit of barking to express himself.

Our first priority with Rocky will be establishing clear communication and accountability, particularly with his recall and impulse control. We want him to understand that coming when called isn’t optional, even when distractions are present. We’ll also be working on redirecting his herding behaviors into more appropriate outlets, while teaching him how to remain calm and respectful around his family.

As Rocky begins to grasp these foundational skills, we’ll gradually introduce more real-world scenarios to help him practice staying focused and making good decisions in stimulating environments. Building consistency and engagement will be key in helping him succeed both on and off leash.

Our goal for Rocky is to help him become a well-mannered, reliable companion who can still enjoy playtime, but with clear boundaries and better self-control. We’re excited to start working with him and can’t wait to show you his progress throughout the program.

Stay tuned!

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Pupdate 3/21/2026

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lqt8YFH7Yk

Today was Rocky’s first day with me, and we started laying the foundation for his obedience, focusing on heel and sit. We saw Veterans Memorial Park as our first introduction to training.

Coming into this new environment, Rocky showed that he’s still a bit unsure and trying to figure things out. You’ll notice in the video some of his body language reflects that uncertainty, hesitation in his steps, a tendency to drift out of position, and moments where his attention shifts away as he processes everything around him. This is completely normal for day one, especially as he begins learning new expectations.

As we worked on heel, the goal was to introduce structure and help Rocky understand where he should be in relation to me. When he starts to move out of position or becomes distracted, I give a fair and timely correction. These corrections aren’t meant to intimidate him, but rather to provide clear communication, helping him understand the difference between the right choice and the wrong one. When he makes the correct decision, even for a few steps, you’ll see that pressure is released, allowing him to find that comfortable, successful space.

With sit, we’re beginning to build consistency and follow-through. Rocky shows some hesitation here as well, occasionally needing guidance to complete the command. This is where clear direction and accountability come into play, helping him learn that commands aren’t optional, but also not something to fear. As he starts to understand, you’ll see small moments of progress where he offers the behavior more smoothly.

Overall, today was about introduction and communication, helping Rocky start to understand what’s being asked of him while building trust in the process. For a first day, he did a good job working through that uncertainty and giving effort.

At the end of the session, we introduced “Break!” to let Rocky know he’s done working. This is just as important as the training itself; it gives him a clear understanding of when he can relax and just be a dog again. You’ll see a big shift in his demeanor here, loosening up and enjoying plenty of pets and praise for a job well done. A bunch of tail wags and leaning to showcase his appreciation for the rewarding attention. Rocky came home with me rather tired and took a much-deserved nap. He’s settling in well and it’s my hope he grows accustomed to his home away from home on his two weeks stay.

Way to go, Rocky!

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3/22/2026

Today Rocky and I worked around the neighborhood, continuing to build on his heel and sit while introducing a very important new concept: “place.”

Heel and sit are foundational commands that help create structure and clarity for Rocky. These aren’t just obedience cues, they help him understand how to move with his handler, stay engaged, and make good decisions even when the environment changes. Today, he showed great progress here, offering more attention and staying more connected throughout the walk.

We introduced “place” to give Rocky a defined spot where he can settle, relax, and turn his brain off. This is especially helpful for building confidence and teaching him how to self-regulate. At first, getting onto unfamiliar, slightly raised objects was a bit intimidating for him, which is completely normal. I could see a moment of hesitation in his body, slight weight shift back, a pause to assess, but with encouragement and trust, he worked through it beautifully. Once he committed, he fully relaxed on the cot, soft body, open mouth, and a loose, happy expression. That’s a big confidence win.

“Place” is also helping us bridge into “down,” which he’s still learning. Rather than forcing the command, we’re letting him naturally discover the position through comfort and repetition. This builds understanding instead of confusion, and he’s already starting to connect those dots.

We turned “place” into a fun, engaging game by having him move between two different spots. This not only kept him motivated but also helped reinforce listening skills and follow-through. He picked this up very quickly, he’s a smart boy and clearly enjoys having a job to do.

During the session, Rocky began to anticipate commands like “heel” and “place,” which is a sign he’s thinking ahead. While that’s great engagement, we don’t want guessing, we want him listening. To help with this, I varied my pace and timing, so he learns to wait for the cue rather than predict it.

There were a few times he wasn’t interested in continuing the routine. A quick refocus and he was back to being engaged. It happens, especially with him being a puppy and having a short attention span with the world around him. 

Overall, his body language throughout the session tells a great story. He was loose, wiggly, and engaged, with a relaxed tail, open mouth, and soft eyes. When unsure, he paused and thought instead of shutting down, which is exactly what we want to see. By the end, he was confidently hopping onto place with no hesitation and clearly enjoying himself.

We finished the session with a break and some water after a solid amount of mental and physical work. Rocky is doing very well and showing great potential as we continue to build his confidence. Many kisses and cuddles included quick sessions like what I’m doing with him is keeping him stimulated while not overexerting his still growing body. Nothing a well-placed nap couldn’t cure!

Good job, Rocky!