Frequently Asked Questions

Q: My dog doesn’t like other dogs. Can you help with that?

A: No-one can make your dog like other dogs if that is his true nature. However, dogs are social animals and often their dislike of other dogs is based in fear; if that is the case, then we can construct a training program to gradually desensitize and help change your dog’s mindset with regard to other dogs.

Q: My dog has been to training classes but now he won’t do anything unless I have treats. Can you help?

A: Yes! Many dogs these days are trained exclusively with treats, which creates a dependency on them. We get many cases of dogs like this, and we can quite quickly transition them from complying in order to get a treat to complying because they want to!

Q: I have a new puppy. How early can he start training?

A: Your puppy is learning things right from the beginning: his habits are being formed from day one and every experience he goes through teaches him something. We focus on basic household manners and building a solid relationship in the earliest days, but introductory obedience commands can be layered in from about 8 weeks old.

Q: My dog is leash reactive but she is 8 years old. Is it too late to fix that?

A: No, it’s not too late to help your dog overcome her reactivity. Our goal is a neutral mindset: regardless of the trigger, we want our dogs to realize that they don’t need to and are not allowed to react; with consistency, this approach changes their behavior and their outlook, which benefits both dog and owner.

Q: I want to train my dog to be a service dog. Can you help with that?

A: We do not train service dogs, although our goal with all dogs is service dog-level manners so that they are welcome everywhere!

Q: I want my dog to earn his Canine Good Citizen title. How do I do that?

A: The CGC title is earned by the dog successfully completing 10 exercises that mirror situations that are typically encountered in our day-to-day lives. An AKC-approved evaluator can conduct the test and submit the relevant paperwork, and you pay the fee for the title directly to the AKC. We are AKC-approved evaluators and can guide you through the process from start to finish.

Q: Will bite work make my dog aggressive?

A: No: bite work, when done correctly, teaches bite inhibition and control and is an excellent training exercise for mouthy dogs. Teaching a reliable “out” or “drop it” is a crucial element in bite work training and has universal applications: it is something all dogs should have in their skillset!

Q: Do you use treats in training?

A: We do use treats to train a position if a dog is motivated by food; we wean off treats once a dog has learned a skill and reward with play, praise and affection. We do not produce dogs that only work when you have treats to bribe them!

Q: What does a typical day look like for Board & Train dogs?

A: Our Board & Train dogs have busy days: once they are checked in at Splash Premier Pet Resort, they will join one of the play groups for socialization and to expend some energy; throughout the day, they will work one-on-one with their trainer on their individualized training program. This usually includes field trips off-site to reinforce obedience and to desensitize them to new environments. Each dog’s day is carefully arranged so that we get the maximum value out of their time with us. Upon pick-up, we meet with owners to demonstrate what their dog has learned and teach them how to continue with training on their own.

Q: What if my dog regresses in behavior after training with you?

A: We are here to help: if your dog is struggling with things that we worked on and is regressing, we want to assess the situation and figure out how to get him back on track. Owners need to do their part as well, and often it just takes some clarification of methods and skills to fix a problem.

Q: Can I visit my dog during his Board & Train?

A: This is usually not a good idea: if you were to visit him at our facility during his stay, he is going to expect to go home with you at that point. We will keep you up-to-date with your dog’s training progress, and you are welcome to contact us to find out how he’s doing, but we do not generally allow visits during a Board & Train.