ZENFULdog of the Month: Willow

Meet Willow,  ZENFULdog Training’s star for August 2025! Willow is a spirited black Labrador whose boundless energy and gentle soul have captured the hearts of the ZENFULdog community! She has a few white hairs on her belly, which only her closest humans get the chance to admire, and she is adored by her adoptive family and celebrated by her trainers.  

Willow 

Age: A little older than 2!

Meet Willow’s Family

Willow shares a unique, different kind of bond with each of her family members:

(Lynn—Willow’s pet-mom): Lynn is Willow’s heart and soul. Whether they’re off on an adventure, working through training sessions, or simply lounging together, Willow’s happiness is complete as long as her mom is nearby. She’s her safe place, her favourite person, her everything.

(Willow’s pet-dad): When Dad walks through the door, Willow springs into action—tail wagging, eyes sparkling. Their favourite pastime? A good ol’ round of playful wrestling.

(Willow’s human siblings): With her human sister, Willow is a cuddle bug, curling up close and soaking in the quiet companionship. But with her brother? It’s a whole different story. Willow knows just how to push his buttons—playfully, of course. She vents her frustrations with a mischievous spark, yet beams with joy when he takes her out to play.

Willow's Personality According to Lynn: Willow isn’t shy about expressing herself—she’s got deep feelings and a big personality that fills the room. She can be very vocal at times. 

Lynn Shares The Most Unique Thing about Willow: The most unique thing about Willow is that she is scared of literally everything, from the smallest noise to a bug being on her!

Willow's favourite Treats/Foods according to Lynn: Willow is a foodie through and through—she loves all food. But if you really want to see her shine, hand her a plain Timbit. It’s her ultimate favourite, and she’ll bust out tricks without even being asked, just to earn that little prize.

Willow’s Favourite Activities: Her top-tier activities? Frisbee and swimming—and if she can chase a frisbee into the water, it’s pure bliss. 

Lynn Explains How Willow Unwinds After a Full Day of Activity: After a day packed with play, Willow knows how to relax like a pro. She curls up beside her mom, bone or antler in mouth, and settles into a peaceful rhythm.

If Willow had a human voice: Lynn swears she’d sound just like Lisa Kudrow and anyone who knows Willow instantly gets it.

Willow’s Training 

Willow’s adventure with ZENFULdog Training began when she was 4 months old, with a few breaks here and there. Since then, she has completed Puppy class levels 2, 3 (twice) and 4. She has also done the Trick class, Skills training and five Parkour classes.

Lynn Tells Us How Training Has Shaped Willow: "Training with Zenfuldog has helped shape Willow tremendously. Without it, I know she wouldn't be the amazing dog she is today. When one thing didn't work for Willow, Kendra was always there to help with new ways for us to achieve our goals.”

Lynn Describes Willow’s Biggest Training Challenges/Successes: Walking has always been Willow’s Achilles heel. It is a challenge she continues to work on with patience and persistence. Meanwhile, Lynn explains, "her biggest success has been getting her to focus on us while training. Lots of times during class, she just wouldn't participate; it's as if she wasn't even there.”

Lynn recalls Willow’s Most Rewarding Moments of Training in Action: For Lynn, the most heartwarming victories come when Willow holds her focus — even when her beloved Kendra is nearby: “The most rewarding moments would be when Kendra is near or walking by her and she can focus on us and not lose her mind! Willow absolutely loves Kendra and her stash of treats!”

ZENFULdog owner and trainer, Kendra, adds: “Willow is such a sweet girl with a ton of energy who loves to learn, play, swim and soak up all the love she can get! I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Willow and her wonderful family since her very first puppy program, where she absolutely shone. At the time, she was a little timid with the other puppies during play, but she had some rowdy classmates who were still learning boundaries and appropriate play. With support, she gained confidence and really found her stride.

Since then, it has been a joy to see her succeed through each of our programs—from skills training all the way up to our highest Level 4. She has rocked titling in Trick class and excelled at the challenges of parkour. One of my personal favourites has been working with Willow and her mom in one-on-one sessions, where we can really focus on specific skills and support their growth as a team. Together, they balance her love of play—especially her passion for retrieving—with relaxation and connection.

Willow’s bounce and joy are contagious, and it’s always exciting to see her. She and her mom make such an incredible team, and I feel lucky to be part of their journey.”

A heartfelt “Thank You!” to Lynn for providing fantastic content for this feature! Don’t forget you can follow ZENFULdog Training on Facebook to stay connected with your like-minded, dog-loving community every day!