Saturn | Pittie Mix | Marina del Rey, CA. | In Training.
- heatheroffleashsoc
- Feb 1
- 16 min read
Updated: Feb 14
Meet Saturn! šŖš¾
Saturn is a 7-month-old pittie mix from Marina del Rey who has just joined us for our two-week Community Board & Train programāand let me tell you, this sweet girl has a lot to say! Saturn loves being the center of attention, and if she doesnāt get to say hi to other dogs while out in public, sheās been known to make her feelings very clear with some barking. Sheāll even bark at her owner if theyāve been on the phone a little too long (excuse youā¦ how dare you not focus on her!).
Along with her big personality, Saturn has also been described as a strong puller on leash and a pup who can be a bit selective about listening in general. Needless to say, sheās ready for a little extra guidance in the obedience and manners department!
Over the next two weeks, weāll be working closely with Saturn on basic obedience, leash manners, and household manners, with the goal of helping her understand that making good choicesāand being a polite, well-mannered girlāis the best way to earn the attention she wants. Iām so excited to help sweet Saturn get started on her journey, and I canāt wait to share her progress along the way!
2/1/2026
Today Saturn and I headed to the park for a fun first day together! The goal was to not only get better acquainted with one another, but also to see what Saturn already knows in terms of obedience, and to introduce a brand new command ā heel. Right from the start, Saturn was (very understandably) super excited. She wanted to explore everything, pull on the leash, and of course ātalkā to all the pups we saw along the way.
Because of that, we jumped right into introducing the heel command. I used gentle leash corrections and would calmly walk in the opposite direction of where she was pulling. We repeated this consistently until Saturn made the choice to come back to my side and walk nicely with me. It took a little bit of time, but once it clicked, she started to understand what I was asking ā smart girl! After that, we were able to continue our walk with much more structure.
She definitely still had moments where distractions tempted her, but thatās totally okay ā sheās still a puppy and this was her very first day of training!
One thing I absolutely loved is that Saturn willingly offered me a sit and a down during our session. That tells me sheās already got some great foundational understanding and sheās eager to engage. By the end of our walk, she seemed much more comfortable with meā¦so comfortable, in fact, that she gave me all the kisses as we loaded into the car!
On the ride home she did cry a bit in the crate ā but only when we got caught at red lights, which honestly made me feel like I was driving around with a baby that needed the car to keep moving so they could fall asleep. It was pretty hilarious! Once we got back to the house, Saturn wasted no time checking out her home-away-from-home for the next two weeks, and she seems to have zero complaints so far. Sheās definitely excited about all her new furry friends here. When we introduced her to the crate at home, she cried for a little while, but once everyone settled down, she settled down too.
All in all, today was a wonderful day of introductions. Saturn is truly the sweetest little lady, and Iām so excited to get to work with her! šš¶
2/2/2026
Today Saturn and I decided to stay close to home and work around my neighborhood. I wanted to keep things relaxed while making our introduction to the e-collarāand Iām happy to report that Saturn was absolutely unbothered by it! Such a confident, easygoing girl. We started off with heel, and each leash correction was paired with an e-collar correction. It took no time at all before Saturn was walking nicely right at my side like a little pro.
We also began introducing come to sit, which consists of Saturn coming around my right side and sitting nicely on my left. And let me tell youā¦ it already looks like sheās picking up on the motion and understanding how itās supposed to go. My goodness she is smart! Since she already knows sit and down, we started adding distance and duration to those commands, which led us into our extended sit and extended down work. Of course, since sheās still a puppy, the duration part is a bit of a struggleābut sheās able to hold it long enough for me to get to the end of her 15ft leash, and thatās a great start!
After such a great training session, I decided to let Saturn and my pup Quinn have some supervised playtime in the yard to work out some of that puppy energy. And wowā¦ they had an absolute blast running around and wrestling with each other! š¶š„ As for her first night in the crate, Saturn definitely had a lot to say about it at first, but once she realized nobody was coming to let her out just because she demanded it, she settled down nicely.
All in all, today was a wonderful balance of work and play, and Saturn seems to be adjusting really well to her surroundingsāwhich is so nice to see! š
2/3/2026
Today Saturn and I headed out to the park to continue working on all the commands sheās learned so far, and she came into the session with lots to say! As soon as we arrived, Saturn immediately took to one of her favorite past times ā yelling at the other pups for having the audacity to not come play with her. š Because of that, we spent some time practicing her āoffā command, and Iām happy to say we had some success! Itās a great step forward for her learning that she doesnāt need to demand attention from every dog she sees.
Once she settled in, we got into our obedience work. Saturnās heel command is coming along really nicely, and sheās doing a much better job staying with me ā the biggest challenge right now is her strong desire to sniff, forage, and search for snacks everywhere we go. š Our main focus has been teaching her that she can check things out, she just needs to do it politely and continue walking nicely with her handler instead of dragging off to investigate every smell.
Her come-to-sit is also progressing well! Every once in a while I have to encourage the follow-through because, of course, sheās still a puppy and everything in the world is exciting and distracting. But overall sheās starting to understand the pattern and whatās expected of her. Her extended sit and extended down also seem to come pretty naturally ā sheāll get a little sassy or break position here and there, but sheās already showing that she understands the concept and is catching on quickly.
All in all, today was a great day of training and we definitely made progress. Saturn finished the session in the best way possible too ā getting playful with me as we wrapped up our work, which I absolutely love to see. Sheās such a fun, spirited girl and sheās learning more and more each day! šš¶šŖ
2/4/2026
Today Saturn and I headed back out to the park to continue practicing the commands sheās learned so far, as well as to introduce her place command. The place command consists of Saturn hopping up onto a designated surface, laying or sitting down, and remaining there until sheās released. We first attempted to use park benches, but Saturn made it very clear she was not interested in hopping up on those today.
To set her up for success, we brought out the place cot, and that made all the difference. Saturn showed no hesitation with the cot and promptly hopped right up and laid down, which was great to see. The next step was working on duration and staying put. At first, she definitely wanted to pop up and follow me as I stepped back, but after a few well-timed corrections and repetitions, she began to understand that the expectation was to remain on place until told otherwise.
We also continued working on her other commands, and her heel is looking great. Her extended sit and down commands are coming along nicely as well. Saturn does still have moments where she gets a bit impatient and wants to pop up, but we simply guide her back to her original position and start again. Her come to sit command is still a work in progress, but it continues to improve with each day of practice.
Overall, today was a solid day of progress, and Iām very proud of this little lady. It was a bit windy at the park, so once we got home I made sure to wipe her eyes thoroughly with the saline wipes provided. Sheās doing well with no puffiness or irritation ā thank goodness! šš¶
2/5/2026
Today Saturn and I headed out to the park to continue practicing all of the commands sheās learned so far, and she put in some really nice work! Her heel is looking pretty good overall, though weāre still working through her strong desire to forage as we walk. With gentle reminders of her āoffā command, sheās able to refocus and walk nicely with me, which is great to see.
Her come to sit is improving as well and, while it still needs a bit of polishing, I love that she no longer turns to face me when she sitsāthatās a big step in the right direction! Her extended sit and down are also coming along nicely. Right now our main focus is building her patience in holding those commands, which is very common for puppies at this stage.
We also spent time working on her place command using the place cot. She understands the concept well; now itās just about increasing her patience and duration, just like with her extended sit and down. Each session she shows more understanding, and overall things are getting better and better every time we practice.
I truly love working with this little cutieāshe definitely keeps things interesting! After each park outing, Saturn thoroughly enjoys her supervised playtime, not only with my pup but also with my other board and train pup, Charlie. All in all, Saturn is doing a fantastic job balancing both her training and her social play, and Iām very proud of her progress! šš¶
2/6/2026
Today Saturn and I headed out to the park to continue practicing her commands, with a main focus on her place commandāspecifically asking her to place on objects other than her familiar place cot. Iām happy to say that we made some great progress today! After some encouragement (and a few well-timed treats), Saturn bravely hopped up onto a picnic table. What a brave girl! Sometimes all it takes is a little extra confidence boost, and she absolutely rose to the occasion.
Once on the table, we practiced laying down and holding an extended down. While Saturn wasnāt quite ready to hold the position for very long, she did give us some effort, which is a win in itself. With puppies, even small victories are worth celebratingāprogress is progress, and today we definitely had some.
Her come to sit is still proving to be a bit tricky. Saturn has a habit of zipping right past me instead of coming in nicely to sit on my left side. That said, she absolutely knows what sheās supposed to do because every now and then sheāll surprise me by performing it correctly with very little leash correction. Silly goose! Weāll continue to stay consistent, encourage proper follow-through, and help her understand that doing it right every time is the goal.
We also worked on her extended sit and down, which are progressing similarly to her place command. Patience is hard for puppies, and Saturn is no exception, but weāre continuing to persist and build duration little by little. Sheās a smart girlāI know this without a doubt. Weāre just working through that phase where breaking the rules feels way more fun than following them!
Overall, Saturn is making steady progress, and Iām confident that with continued practice and consistency, everything will start to click. This little cutie has so much potential, and I canāt wait to keep helping her tap into it! šš¾
2/7/2026
Today Saturn and I headed out to the park to continue practicing her commands, and honestlyā¦ she just wasnāt feeling it today. She would have preferred to do just about anything other than traināand thatās totally okay! Everyone has off days, even doggos.
Because of that, we kept things light and low-pressure. We started with a nice heel and sprinkled in commands here and there along the way. Saturn really enjoyed the walk itself and getting to take in her surroundings, and despite the lack of motivation, she still performed most of her commands pretty well. The biggest challenges for her continue to be working through distractions and holding those extended commands, which is very normal for pups at this stage. But we persist!
After our park outing, we headed home to relax and let her rest. She had a few playful rounds with her blue dino before happily curling up on the couch for some warm snuggles. A day of rest was clearly appreciated, and hopefully itās just what she needs to come back tomorrow ready to show those commands whoās boss!
All in all, despite the initial lack of motivation, Saturn still did well and progress was made. Even on the slower days, sheās moving forwardāand thatās what matters most šš¾
2/8/2026
Today Saturn and I kept things close to home and worked around my neighborhood. Our main goal was helping Saturn understand that staying put during her extended commands is non-negotiable. And let me tell youā¦ at first, it was a struggle! She was popping up and attempting to run off instead of looking to me for direction.
With lots of patience, consistency, and well-timed corrections, things finally clicked! Not only was Saturn able to stay put, but she also successfully performed her come to sit without any leash directionāhuge win! From there, we were able to start practicing leash dragging, which is the next big step toward off-leash work.
I did keep hold of the very end of the leash at first, simply because right before her big epiphany she qualified as a potential flight riskāand I wasnāt taking any chances š But once she settled in, she did a great job sticking with me. She had a moment or two of confusion during her come to sit and tried approaching from the wrong side, but instead of correcting her physically, I stepped back and gave her time to think it through. And guess what? She figured it out all on her own and corrected herself. What a smart girl! I knew she knew it all alongāshe was just being a silly goose š¦¢
Today was a great reminder of how much consistency and patience really pay off. Saturn made some huge progress today, and Iām incredibly proud of her. I could tell she was proud of herself too when all was said and done šš¾
2/9/2026
Today Saturn and I headed out to the park to meet up with some fellow trainers and their dogsāaka a very exciting environment for a social butterfly like Saturn! We used this opportunity to continue working on her commands while leash dragging, knowing full well that all those potential new friends might make focusing a bit of a challenge.
And at firstā¦ it went exactly as expected š Her focus was everywhere but on me. While she was still somewhat responsive, her excitement definitely had the steering wheel early on. We stayed patient but persistent, reminding her that even with all the fun distractions around, sheās still expected to tune in to her handler and perform her commands just like she knows how to do.
As the session went on, things started to click. Saturn gradually settled in, checked in more often, and became much more consistent about performing her tasks when asked. By the end of the session, she was even heeling quite nicely with meāhuge win!
All in all, Saturn did a great job working through that puppy energy and the strong desire to play. She proved she can balance fun and focus, making today a very successful training day. Iām so proud of this little cutie and the progress she continues to make! šš¾
2/10/2026
Today Saturn and I headed out to the park to continue practicing her commands with some real-world distractions. We decided to take a nice stroll around the lake, and Iām happy to report that Saturn absolutely rose to the occasion!
We started our walk with the leash draggingājust in case she wasnāt totally sold on the idea of listening today. But Saturn proved she was tuned in from the start, checking in often and even bumping my hand with her nose as if to say, āIāve got you!ā Since she was staying so engaged, we decided to be brave and go fully off leash for the remainder of the walk. And she did pretty well!
There were a few moments when we passed groups of dogs and she got a little nervous, trying to veer off course. But with a quick reminder, she fell right back into heel. That quick recovery is such a big win and shows how much her confidence and understanding are growing.
One of the proudest moments of the day happened when I had Saturn sitting calmly beside me to let some people pass. A woman unexpectedly made kissing noises and reached out to touch Saturnās faceādefinitely something neither of us saw coming! But Saturn stayed seated right next to me like a champ. I was so proud of her. She earned plenty of pets and treats for making such a wonderful choice in a surprising situation.
Her extended commands were solid today as well. She broke command once or twice, but we were able to correct it calmly and move forward without any fuss. That ability to reset and continue working is huge.
All in all, today was definitely a training success. Saturn really impressed me. By the end of our walk, I could tell she was proud of herselfā¦ or maybe she was just feeding off my pride in her. Either way, it was a great day to be Team Saturn! š
2/11/2026
Today Saturn and I decided to keep things close to home and work right here in my neighborhood. By the afternoon the rain had cleared, everything started to dry up, and the sun finally decided to grace us with its presenceāso we took full advantage with a nice long off-leash walk! And let me tell youā¦ Saturn was living her best life.
At the start of our adventure, the only command she wasnāt too thrilled about was ādown.ā Apparently laying down wasnāt quite as exciting as exploring the world. But after a few repetitions, a little encouragement, and some well-earned pets for a job well done, she decided it wasnāt such a bad idea after all. Once she got back in the groove, she was much more on board.
She did a wonderful job sticking close to me throughout the walk and sat patiently every time I stopped to make sure it was safe to cross the street. I love seeing that thoughtfulness from herāthose little moments really show her growing understanding and trust.
Toward the end of our walk, we turned a corner and unexpectedly ran into two women walking their dog. The women seemed a bit startled, which caused Saturn to have a brief moment of uncertainty herself. She started to scurry off, but when I calmly called her to come, she responded right away. I was so proud of her in that moment. Even though she felt that initial spike of excitement, she was still able to hear me, process, and make the right choice. Thatās huge progress!
All in all, it was a very successful day of training. Watching her happily explore the neighborhood, ears up and tail wagging, was absolutely adorable. Sheās gaining confidence, strengthening her obedience, and showing more maturity every day. Way to go, Saturn! š
2/12/2026
Today Saturn and I headed back out to the park for another wonderful day of off-leash workāand wow, did she rise to the occasion! We took a nice long stroll around the lake, soaking in the sunshine while practicing all of the commands sheās learned so far. Iām so proud to say she performed each and every one promptly and confidently.
Her heel was beautiful as we walkedāright alongside me, matching my paceāeven as other dogs passed by. No fuss, no drama, just a lovely, relaxed walk around the lake. Itās such a great feeling to see her choose to stay engaged and tuned in, especially with so many distractions around.
Saturn was definitely turning heads today! We received several compliments from people who couldnāt believe such a young pup could be so well-mannered. The highlight? When I called her from her place command on a park bench into a perfect ācome to sit,ā someone nearby said, āMy dog could never.ā I had to smileāSaturn made it look easy!
What I love most is watching her think through her commands. You can almost see the gears turning as she processes whatās being asked and then happily follows through. Sheās growing in both skill and confidence, and itās truly exciting to watch.
Safe to say this sweet girl earned herself a big treat and a well-deserved nap when we got home. Great work today, Saturnāyouāre becoming quite the superstar! š
2/13/2026
Today Saturn and I headed back to the park to continue working off leash, and wow ā what a difference two weeks can make! We took a lovely stroll around the lake, and I have to sayā¦ she handled herself better than I handled the selfie stick. (My apologies in advance for the occasional shaky cinematography ā clearly Saturn is the more coordinated one in this partnership!)
I was honestly so impressed with her composure today. At one point, she remained beautifully seated while an excited pup passed by ā no commentary, no āhello speeches,ā just calm confidence. If that wasnāt enough, she also held a gorgeous heel as we walked past a flock of geese and ducks hanging out by the water. Yes, actual birds. In close proximity. And she chose professionalism.
What makes this even more special is thinking back to our very first visit to this park. That day, Saturn felt it was her civic duty to loudly greet every dog, bird, and squirrel within a half-mile radius. She had announcements to make and opinions to share! Fast forward to today, and we have a composed, focused girl who understands that she doesnāt need to narrate the entire park experience.
This sweet little lady has made such incredible progress in just two weeks. Her self-control, confidence, and responsiveness off leash are truly shining through. I couldnāt be more proud of how far sheās come.
All in all, today was an awesome day of training ā steady, calm, and full of wins. Way to go, Saturn! š
2/14/2026
Happy Valentineās Day! š Iām sure you can guess who my valentine is this yearā¦ Ms. Saturn! š
Today Saturn and I headed back out to the park to continue practicing her commands off leash ā and to film her final! šš¾
I am so happy to report that Saturn absolutely shined! She performed each command beautifully and stayed right with me the entire time. Her heel was focused, her sits were prompt, her downs confident, and her recall right on point. Watching her move through everything with understanding and enthusiasm was such a proud trainer moment.
Over the past two weeks, Saturn has learned so much. Sheās put in the work, pushed through distractions, and figured out that staying connected pays off. And the best part? Sheās done it all while keeping that signature razzle dazzle that makes her one pup who is truly out of this world. āØ She may have started with a bit of that spastic puppy energy (which definitely kept me on my toes!), but she has grown into a dog who can channel that sparkle into focus and teamwork.
I have thoroughly enjoyed working with this sweet girl. Her personality is big, bright, and full of life ā and now she has the skills to match it.
I also want to sincerely thank you for trusting me to care for Saturn and guide her through this training journey. That trust means so much. My hope is that everything sheās learned will give you both the tools and confidence to continue building on this foundation and head off on many wonderful adventures together.
Saturnās future is shining bright ā and I canāt wait to see all the amazing places sheāll go! šš
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