FAQ (Board & Train)
How many hours of training will my dog receive?
We train in segmented training lessons throughout the day, accumulating to an average of about 5 hours per day of training. We keep them moving from about 6am till 9pm. A tired dog is a happy dog. They come live directly with our family, so we always have something for them to do :)
How long does each program last?
Each program is about two weeks in length (+/- a couple of days). We do scale it based on each individual dog and understand like humans, we all have different learning rates. It is our job to provide the best education for your dog.
How many families do you work with?
Everything is very individualized, so we only work with about two dogs at a time.
What is your facility / set-up like?
Everything is held in-house with our family. It is truly an immersive experience because they get to live directly with us, while focusing on formal education. We are located on about 6 acres for off-leash work and play, while having the care and comfort of living in a home.
What distractions do you proof around?
We focus on various distractions and environments. This typically includes things like dogs, cats, and household dynamics.
We also focus a lot on public access training (environmental training). This typically includes locations like parks, playgrounds, farmers markets, stores, coffee shops, outdoor patios, dog friendly stores and in-town activities.
How do you train?
That is a hard question to answer, however it can be summed up into whichever methodology is necessary for your dog. We believe dogs like people need a balance in life to be the best version of themselves. We focus on different ratios of operant conditioning, while layering in classical conditioning for the transfer process back home.
Where/how is the switchover process conducted?
We typically prefer to bring the pup back to the client’s residence to help initiate the return home. Followed up by spending an additional lesson in town to address the public access portion of their training.
How often do you train small dogs?
Very often actually! And we are so proud of those clients that seek out training. Very often we as dog owners create excuses for dealing with unwanted behaviors due to the dog’s size. Dog behaviors such as aggression, reactivity, impulse control, potty training, etc. are universal between all sizes of dogs. So we are always proud of our clients that seek out help with their small dogs.
Can I bring their stuff with them?
Of course! And we prefer such; anything like beds, blankets, toys, etc. are always welcome!
Do I need to bring food?
We prefer so! This can be brought in a large container or in small baggies for each day.
What training aids do you use?
We can use a combination of e-collars, markers, clickers, martingales, slip leads, treats, dog cots, etc.
Do we get updates on our pup?
You bet!! Updates can be done as frequent as a client prefers:)
What about maintenance lessons?
If you have accomplished any of our programs, then you qualify for our free tune-up lessons. Even if you are a client from many years ago!
Additional FAQ
Do you take clients on from out of state?
Always! A good majority of our clients come from all over the US
What happens if my dog has a special diet or meal plan?
That is more than fine! You can either bring their food with them, or we can have it shipped in directly. We use our kitchen to hand cook or prepare any special dietary requirements for the pups that come stay with us.
However, we no longer allow raw food diets.
What behaviors do you address in your training?
A general overview of the most common behaviors that we work with are: impulse control, off-leash behaviors, on-leash behavior, overall manners and obedience, dog aggression and reactivity, human aggression and reactivity, fear aggression, hypersensitivity, anxious and anxiety based behaviors, possessive behaviors such as crate or food possession, resource guarding, impulse control and the list goes on!
What are you not?
What we are NOT is a correction first based dog trainer. We believe in creating and shaping proper behaviors in the dog’s mental ability through a balanced approach! There are no short cuts to quality. This approach can be adjusted based on your dog’s individual needs.