Is Board & Train the right choice for me?
Is Board & Train the right choice for me?
Board & Train programs are a popular option for a lot of dog owners: they often schedule them around a vacation, they allow for the trainer to work more intensely with their dog than private sessions would, and the dogs learn basic lifestyle manners simply by being away from their home turf. If you decide to enroll your dog in Board & Train, here are a few things to keep in mind:
Make sure you select a program that uses a methodology that you are comfortable continuing at home. For example, if you are unwilling to use an e-collar on a consistent basis, then don’t choose a program that trains all dogs on e-collars.
Be aware that, no matter how thorough the training is at the facility, when your dog returns home he is going to go through an adjustment phase: he will be back in the same environment with the same people where he practiced his old habits, and so trying to go back to them is very common. This is why (3) is so important:
Make sure there is a solid hand-over session scheduled for when you pick up your dog. You should be taking him and his new skills back home with a new outlook yourself: you just spent a lot of money on training, and you want the results to last, so a renewed commitment to consistency and follow-through is crucial.
Along those same lines, make sure you can reach out to the trainer after you have taken your dog home. We offer lifetime support to our Board & Train clients; many other facilities do as well. Some type of availability should be included in the program, even if it’s just being able to call for advice.
If you are comfortable with the facility, the trainers and their methodology, and your dog will be in good hands, then Board & Train can be a win for all involved.