Where does my dog stay during Board & Train?

Your dog stays with me in a home environment, rather than a kennel-style training facility. Their stay includes normal downtime, rest, walks, enrichment, and training throughout everyday routines.

Will my dog be training all day?

No, and I wouldn’t want them to. Dogs need time to sleep, decompress, sniff, play, and simply exist. Training is spread throughout the day in appropriate sessions and everyday routines rather than hours of continuous drilling.

What kinds of things can you work on during Board & Train?

Depending on your dog, we may work on things like leash walking, engagement, recall foundations, settling, impulse control, confidence, responding around distractions, and other goals discussed before the stay. For behaviour concerns such as reactivity, the program can provide additional practice, but your involvement afterward is still an important part of creating lasting change.

Can Board & Train fix my dog’s behaviour without me having to do anything afterward?

No. Your dog can learn and practise a lot while staying with me, but they still return to your home, routines, neighbourhood, family and handling. That’s why the included transfer session is such an important part of the program. I’ll show you what we worked on (in addition to videos), explain what your dog has learned and help you continue the same skills yourself.

How does the training transfer back to me?

After the stay, we’ll have a transfer session where I’ll walk you through what your dog has been practising. You’ll get a chance to work through the skills yourself so you understand the cues, reinforcement, handling and setup your dog has been learning.

Will my dog behave differently for you than they do for me?

Possibly and that’s normal with all dogs. They learn patterns with individual people and in specific environments. The goal isn’t simply to make your dog behave well while they’re with me. Part of the program is helping the new skills carry over when your dog returns home and you take over again.

Can Board & Train help with reactivity?

It will be useful for some reactive dogs because I can provide additional, carefully managed exposure and training throughout the program. But Board & Train isn’t a reset button for reactivity. Your dog will still need to learn how to navigate triggers with you, which is why transferring those skills back to you matters so much.

What training methods do you use during Board & Train?

I use positive reinforcement/reward-based, force-free and science-based training. I do not use prong collars, shock or e-collars, leash corrections, intimidation nor dominance-based training. Your dog will be taught through positive reinforcement, appropriate environment management, gradual progression and training setups designed around what they can successfully handle.

What should I pack for my dog?

You’ll receive instructions before the stay outlining what your dog needs to bring. This will generally include their regular food, any required medication or care instructions, and the equipment we’ve agreed to use during training.

Will I receive updates while my dog is staying with you?

100%! I’ll keep you updated on how your dog is doing during the program. The priority, though, is your dog’s care, training, rest and experience rather than keeping them in front of a camera throughout the week.