The Major Risks of Boarding and Training – Dog Training Fort Worth Blog

Here at Heart of Texas Dog Training, I offer a variety of training programs. While I offer group obedience classes at different locations in the area, my primary specialty is private in-home training. Despite the great success these programs bring, I do get a lot on inquiries about offering a board and train program, especially from local rescues that are trying to get some shelter dogs behaved and more “adoptable”.

We work with dogs AND their people!

The thing is though, I don’t offer board and training because I feel that compared to in-home training, there are a lot more risks involved, particularly the waste of time, money, and where the owner never learns how to maintain training for their own dog.

For those unfamiliar with board and train programs, basically the way it is set up is that a dog will be sent to a professional trainer. The dog stays at the trainer’s home or training/boarding facility. The stay can last up to 2-3 weeks, and during this time, the trainer works solely with the dog. Once the time is up, the dog is then returned to the owner, fully trained and normally the owner is given some follow-up instructions so that they know what to do once the dog is back home. Because of the amount of time and effort put in by the trainer (not to mention the boarding and caring for the dog), these board and train programs can cost a few thousand bucks.

Now apart from the thousands of dollars spent, the board and train program sounds like a dream. As the owner, you can simply send your dog off for training and after a couple of weeks, pick him up and he’s a training champ!

The common issue I find a lot with those that have tried board and train is the fact that the owner is not part of the dog’s training and behavioral growth. Sure, the owner will probably get some guidelines on how to maintain the training that the dog went through, but sometimes that isn’t enough. Perhaps there are misinterpretations with the directions, or the owner simply cannot demonstrate the same leadership and confident handling abilities as the trainer, because they never really learned themselves. Board and train takes the most important person out of the training equation: the dog’s owner.

Don’t get me wrong, I am positive there are trainers who offer board and train and will gladly help out if things turn sour once the training is over. But how time and money could potentially be wasted because the owner just never learned how to train their own dog. Also, I also feel that when a dog goes through behavior training, we should try to set the dog up for success and make the learning process as smooth as possible, hence why I want to work with the dog at their most comfortable and familiar environment: their home. We eventually work with the dog in public places and environments filled with distractions, but especially when we first start, I want to make sure we don’t completely overwhelm the dog as we teach him how to change his habits, how to drop his bad behaviors and adopt more appropriate ones.

With my training programs, you as the owner will be involved and I won’t do ALL the work for you. I know that sounds kind of harsh, but you learning how to train your own dog is a fun and rewarding experience! I stick with my clients until the goals are met, so I won’t give up on anyone that is committed. Through training, you will learn how to set your dog up for reward and teach them how to behave for you and in ANY environment, be at home or at the park. More time and work might be put in with my training, but it will be worth it, both financially and emotionally.

At the end of my training programs, your dog will be trained and there will be no extra charges for follow up lessons or anything like that. The job will be done and you will be a strong, competent handler of your dog, and your dog will learn the right behaviors and make them his normal lifestyle.

For my questions on my board and train opinions, write me at training@heartoftexasdogtraining.com. If you are interested in signing your dog up for either my group classes or private in-home training, call 800-649-7297 and we’ll schedule our initial consultation!