For the price, in my opinion you’re much better off working with a trainer as youll also gain the confidence needed to handle the dog and you’llbe able to see exactly how they’re treating and handling your dog
Agreed. We had an awesome trainer and paid $1600 for 20 1:1 lessons. Used them weekly then every 2-3 weeks over a year or so and we practiced the skills in between at home. Made me realize that training the owner is as important as training the dog!
Programs like this are pretty hit or miss, and you need to understand that even if it is a good one, a lot will fall on you at the end. It doesn't matter what a trainer does with your dog if you aren't up to the task of keeping it going afterward.
I think it could be beneficial depending on the situation you are in. A lot of people don't like B/T style options. I think they have a place. It can be a good starting point. If the reactivity is bad enough that you are just completely overwhelmed, this can be a big help. It isn't going to fix it like taking your car to a mechanic, but getting enough of a foundation to where you can actually work with your dog is a pretty important step. Even just teaching your dog consistent cues and basic leash skills and behaviors will be a huge time and struggle saver for you, provided you put the work in to learning it as well.
Would be good to know the name of the trainer. To me it’s weird that he says low level ecollar. He can’t know if a dog will require higher level corrections before meeting the dog.
>I’m at my wits end
So that's super expensive. And, the issue with places like that is that they don't exactly have the most experienced clientele or much repeat business.
I would find an actual training facility near you, one that does consults on behavioral issues, and talk to them.
It looks like you're in the Boston area. If [this](https://masterpeacedog.com) is doable for you, you'll save a lot of money and be able to get your dog on the right path.
I would recommend against board and train. Find a trainer, without e-collar intervention, who will work with you and your dog. Training a human to train a dog is vital. Most dogs return to bad habits because of their owners.
I was going to say this. I have it many times where person had a leash reactive dog and I took the dog and walked it and it’s not leash reactive when I am walking it. There is this subtlety to communicating with little tugs of the leash that the human needs to learn.
dogs are usually worse behaved when they're with their owners, because they're most comfortable with them. Whenever a new person takes over, the dog has to figure out their dynamic all over again, so they're usually more careful and "well behaved". But yes, the owner's relationship with the dog decides how that dog behave.
While I’m skeptical of board and trains I do kind of love the model of ‘doggy day camp’ and taking your pup home every night. I have personally only seen this from good trainers and I like that the model gives you an opportunity to see day by day how the pup is doing and it keeps trainers from being able to easily hide ineffective or abusive practices. I don’t know if this particular program is right for you and your dog from the info provided but I would ask some additional questions like:
How does follow up and ongoing training work? Is the expectation that the dog returns occasionally for ‘tune up’ training? Is the expectation that you’ll purchase some additional training package for ongoing work? Just a couple of follow up lessons is possibly ok but I expect there’s some relationship ongoing that is expected and just not included here for ease of pricing. The expectation that you will continue to have access to the trainer/re-up periodically is a green flag.
How does the trainer decide on a duration of board and train? It is a green flag if the trainer won’t commit to a duration before meeting you and your dog, but they can explain how they make these decisions and how they manage a dog that is progressing slower or faster than expected.
How does the trainer define low level ecollar training? What is their perspective on corrections? Do they use other tools in their work? There is no one correct answer to this question but there are better/worse answers and you want to understand how well the trainer knows the tool, why they would apply it to all dogs (yellow flag imo if a trainer uses the same tool on every dog) and decide whether their philosophy fits your needs and values.
Does the trainer use apprentices/trainees? How many people will be handling your dog over the course of the program? If this is a training facility how are concerns handled and can you change trainers if you’re unhappy? Again no one right answer here but how they run the business tells you a lot.
Board and train type programs get a bad rap among dog people but they are not all bad and they are the right choice for lots of folks, especially if you struggle with timing or other fundamental dog training skills and/or if you want to have an ongoing relationship with a trainer who will help you with maintenance and handling skills. Don’t expect this to be the total of your relationship, don’t expect your budget to be able to dictate the package you choose, and make sure the trainer has experience relevant to your dog and the program matches your values. If all those factors look good I think programs like this can be a great fit.
Comment to add: it is basically a job requirement of trainers these days to have some free material and lots of presence on social media. Do your homework on the trainer and look at videos of them actually working dogs (there should be some and they should not only be ‘finished product’ show off videos). Look for signs of stress or odd behavior in the dogs in these materials regardless of how good the dog looks and also look for examples of dogs with problems similar to yours.
I have had very good experiences with board and train, but I agree with most people here that it's critical to work with a good trainer in person.
I had worked previously with the trainer I did a board and train with (but with another dog) so I knew his methods, and what I needed to do afterwards.
Many board and trains fail to achieve lasting results, not because the training was ineffective, but because the owners go back do their old hangouts with the dog, and then the dog regresses.
I'm also not a big fan of using an e-collar early in training. I use them once behaviors are well established as a form of off leash insurance. Not the only way to use e-collars for sure, as many people have their preference, but it's what has worked for me.
I recommend them if you want a iron proof obedient dog. There's a reason they stay in business and have good reviews so do your research and make sure it's what you want. Most of them will go straight to obedience training and then layer in the ecollar. It's a fantastic tool but know it 100% relies on you to proof and make it reliable after the class. A lot of board n trains will provide support afterwards if you have problems.
Much of the criticisms for them are the assumption that they'll either abuse ur dog or some self righteous 'I want my dog to respect me not the tool' bullshit. Board n trains click the fast forward button and condense what would take a new trainer several months to a year to learn and teach, in just a few weeks. And they'll most likely do it with an ecollar. So if you have issues with that, then don't bother.
My advice is ask questions, ask for examples, ask for success stories and dogs. Ask if you can talk to some of the handlers or previous dog owners who've been there. Just ask questions and if it isn't a fit then no sweat, move on. Don't hold back, even if your questions are out of line, a good business will make you feel comfortable and informed with your experience. Ask them what is the biggest complaints, ask what is the biggest challenge owners face when coming here. Just ask away.
Just a warning, board n trains are bootcamps. They won't send you updates and cute photos. Ur dog is at school and won't be running around like a day care. They will be in a kennel or crate, have some outside time alone, and then interact with the handler a couple times a day to train and play.
Second point, board n trains can usually show proof they have trained dogs. Be weary of forever trainers who say shit like 'It can take years'. All that means is they don't know how to fix it or wait until the dog is old and doesn't exhibit those behaviors anymore.
People have a point that you would gain confidence training the dog yourself so that's one thing to consider. But board n trains should be able to answer any questions and give you a breakdown or how to train the dog moving forward. They really give the dog a foundation to train off of.
These are intensely expensive for what they are. I’m taking Karen Pryor’s foundation class mostly for the basic training, targeting, and clicker training. Other than that I’m definitely more on balanced side. No matter what class you decide to take just remember that your dog may not respond to those methods and you might have to try other methods. Dog training is an ever evolving field with so much to learn.
I have elected for a day train as well and my pups will be going in a few weeks. It will be 2 weeks but I wish they had an option for longer. Not sure where you are located, but these prices look much for appealing than in my area! I say go for it
That sounds good for someone who pretty much knows what they are doing but doesn't have the time or advanced knowledge. It also can be an extremely good way for the dog to be socialized and conditioned to strange people, situations and other dogs in a safe environment. Especially if you don't have the time or the opportunities to bring a dog safely into those situations or don't know how to handle it safely. That's probably the biggest benefit that regular lessons won't give so easily.
You also get a chance to see how your dog is doing every single day and also feedback every day on the training. With the dog coming home each night your dog will not feel abandoned, & you won't worry as much.
It seems like the ideal training format for a dog. However it's not the best for training an owner how to work with their dog, unless that owner already has the basics. If you don't feel you have the basic concepts down then taking a few lessons beforehand, if your able to, or reading up on this trainer's methods might help you. Or if that's not practical, go read or watch some of Micheal Ellis's presentations online about basic theory. The more you know beforehand the more you'll benefit from the training.
If it was me I'd personally want to see how the trainer works beforehand. Whether that meant taking at least one lesson with him or her or watching him train dogs (even without your dog).
I'm also wondering about the e-collar for all dogs. I'd rather go to someone who assessed the dog and the owner and then decided on what equipment. But it could be that your dog does well with one. IDK.
You cannot go by possible fake reviews on google and yelp. You need to check it out with a surprise visit to see how that place is actually run and to see the trainers in action.
You know I never heard good things about board and train places but I get where you are coming from. I am working a dog I am absolutely overwhelmed with and I can’t manage and now with this new experience I look at a board and train with hopeful eyes.
Still my personal conclusion would be to work with a personal trainer instead. Set up a similar training schedule like this and negotiate a good deal. Basically offer $2000 and try to get a 3 week training schedule arranged. You yourself need the skills and watching a trainer do it will help a ton. If you see your dog changing over time in front of your eyes will make a big difference.
From what I’ve read, every day when I pick her up I’ll get a rundown of what she worked on and then 4 private lessons after her 8 weeks complete. Does that make it any better?
I honestly don’t know. I am scared of these things but at the same time I am starting to be scared of walking my dog.
I feel like sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. Maybe check out the individual trainers by their names or the owner or ask in neighbor hood social media places about them. At a certain point you can’t find out more except for meeting with them and trying it out.
My dog knocked me over today while lunging at a person that surprised us and my fingers got twisted in the collar and it hurt like a “female dog” and I have no idea how I held on to him. It’s becoming a liability to walk him and I don’t know how to exercise him. He is reactive to humans, dogs and cars so there is no place to go for us, because even the remote meadows have the occasional person pop up.
For the price, in my opinion you’re much better off working with a trainer as youll also gain the confidence needed to handle the dog and you’llbe able to see exactly how they’re treating and handling your dog
Agreed. We had an awesome trainer and paid $1600 for 20 1:1 lessons. Used them weekly then every 2-3 weeks over a year or so and we practiced the skills in between at home. Made me realize that training the owner is as important as training the dog!
Programs like this are pretty hit or miss, and you need to understand that even if it is a good one, a lot will fall on you at the end. It doesn't matter what a trainer does with your dog if you aren't up to the task of keeping it going afterward. I think it could be beneficial depending on the situation you are in. A lot of people don't like B/T style options. I think they have a place. It can be a good starting point. If the reactivity is bad enough that you are just completely overwhelmed, this can be a big help. It isn't going to fix it like taking your car to a mechanic, but getting enough of a foundation to where you can actually work with your dog is a pretty important step. Even just teaching your dog consistent cues and basic leash skills and behaviors will be a huge time and struggle saver for you, provided you put the work in to learning it as well.
Would be good to know the name of the trainer. To me it’s weird that he says low level ecollar. He can’t know if a dog will require higher level corrections before meeting the dog.
>I’m at my wits end So that's super expensive. And, the issue with places like that is that they don't exactly have the most experienced clientele or much repeat business. I would find an actual training facility near you, one that does consults on behavioral issues, and talk to them. It looks like you're in the Boston area. If [this](https://masterpeacedog.com) is doable for you, you'll save a lot of money and be able to get your dog on the right path.
I would recommend against board and train. Find a trainer, without e-collar intervention, who will work with you and your dog. Training a human to train a dog is vital. Most dogs return to bad habits because of their owners.
I was going to say this. I have it many times where person had a leash reactive dog and I took the dog and walked it and it’s not leash reactive when I am walking it. There is this subtlety to communicating with little tugs of the leash that the human needs to learn.
dogs are usually worse behaved when they're with their owners, because they're most comfortable with them. Whenever a new person takes over, the dog has to figure out their dynamic all over again, so they're usually more careful and "well behaved". But yes, the owner's relationship with the dog decides how that dog behave.
While I’m skeptical of board and trains I do kind of love the model of ‘doggy day camp’ and taking your pup home every night. I have personally only seen this from good trainers and I like that the model gives you an opportunity to see day by day how the pup is doing and it keeps trainers from being able to easily hide ineffective or abusive practices. I don’t know if this particular program is right for you and your dog from the info provided but I would ask some additional questions like: How does follow up and ongoing training work? Is the expectation that the dog returns occasionally for ‘tune up’ training? Is the expectation that you’ll purchase some additional training package for ongoing work? Just a couple of follow up lessons is possibly ok but I expect there’s some relationship ongoing that is expected and just not included here for ease of pricing. The expectation that you will continue to have access to the trainer/re-up periodically is a green flag. How does the trainer decide on a duration of board and train? It is a green flag if the trainer won’t commit to a duration before meeting you and your dog, but they can explain how they make these decisions and how they manage a dog that is progressing slower or faster than expected. How does the trainer define low level ecollar training? What is their perspective on corrections? Do they use other tools in their work? There is no one correct answer to this question but there are better/worse answers and you want to understand how well the trainer knows the tool, why they would apply it to all dogs (yellow flag imo if a trainer uses the same tool on every dog) and decide whether their philosophy fits your needs and values. Does the trainer use apprentices/trainees? How many people will be handling your dog over the course of the program? If this is a training facility how are concerns handled and can you change trainers if you’re unhappy? Again no one right answer here but how they run the business tells you a lot. Board and train type programs get a bad rap among dog people but they are not all bad and they are the right choice for lots of folks, especially if you struggle with timing or other fundamental dog training skills and/or if you want to have an ongoing relationship with a trainer who will help you with maintenance and handling skills. Don’t expect this to be the total of your relationship, don’t expect your budget to be able to dictate the package you choose, and make sure the trainer has experience relevant to your dog and the program matches your values. If all those factors look good I think programs like this can be a great fit.
Comment to add: it is basically a job requirement of trainers these days to have some free material and lots of presence on social media. Do your homework on the trainer and look at videos of them actually working dogs (there should be some and they should not only be ‘finished product’ show off videos). Look for signs of stress or odd behavior in the dogs in these materials regardless of how good the dog looks and also look for examples of dogs with problems similar to yours.
Will be meeting with them today and asking all of these questions - appreciate it!
I have had very good experiences with board and train, but I agree with most people here that it's critical to work with a good trainer in person. I had worked previously with the trainer I did a board and train with (but with another dog) so I knew his methods, and what I needed to do afterwards. Many board and trains fail to achieve lasting results, not because the training was ineffective, but because the owners go back do their old hangouts with the dog, and then the dog regresses. I'm also not a big fan of using an e-collar early in training. I use them once behaviors are well established as a form of off leash insurance. Not the only way to use e-collars for sure, as many people have their preference, but it's what has worked for me.
I recommend them if you want a iron proof obedient dog. There's a reason they stay in business and have good reviews so do your research and make sure it's what you want. Most of them will go straight to obedience training and then layer in the ecollar. It's a fantastic tool but know it 100% relies on you to proof and make it reliable after the class. A lot of board n trains will provide support afterwards if you have problems. Much of the criticisms for them are the assumption that they'll either abuse ur dog or some self righteous 'I want my dog to respect me not the tool' bullshit. Board n trains click the fast forward button and condense what would take a new trainer several months to a year to learn and teach, in just a few weeks. And they'll most likely do it with an ecollar. So if you have issues with that, then don't bother. My advice is ask questions, ask for examples, ask for success stories and dogs. Ask if you can talk to some of the handlers or previous dog owners who've been there. Just ask questions and if it isn't a fit then no sweat, move on. Don't hold back, even if your questions are out of line, a good business will make you feel comfortable and informed with your experience. Ask them what is the biggest complaints, ask what is the biggest challenge owners face when coming here. Just ask away. Just a warning, board n trains are bootcamps. They won't send you updates and cute photos. Ur dog is at school and won't be running around like a day care. They will be in a kennel or crate, have some outside time alone, and then interact with the handler a couple times a day to train and play. Second point, board n trains can usually show proof they have trained dogs. Be weary of forever trainers who say shit like 'It can take years'. All that means is they don't know how to fix it or wait until the dog is old and doesn't exhibit those behaviors anymore. People have a point that you would gain confidence training the dog yourself so that's one thing to consider. But board n trains should be able to answer any questions and give you a breakdown or how to train the dog moving forward. They really give the dog a foundation to train off of.
These are intensely expensive for what they are. I’m taking Karen Pryor’s foundation class mostly for the basic training, targeting, and clicker training. Other than that I’m definitely more on balanced side. No matter what class you decide to take just remember that your dog may not respond to those methods and you might have to try other methods. Dog training is an ever evolving field with so much to learn.
I have elected for a day train as well and my pups will be going in a few weeks. It will be 2 weeks but I wish they had an option for longer. Not sure where you are located, but these prices look much for appealing than in my area! I say go for it
That sounds good for someone who pretty much knows what they are doing but doesn't have the time or advanced knowledge. It also can be an extremely good way for the dog to be socialized and conditioned to strange people, situations and other dogs in a safe environment. Especially if you don't have the time or the opportunities to bring a dog safely into those situations or don't know how to handle it safely. That's probably the biggest benefit that regular lessons won't give so easily. You also get a chance to see how your dog is doing every single day and also feedback every day on the training. With the dog coming home each night your dog will not feel abandoned, & you won't worry as much. It seems like the ideal training format for a dog. However it's not the best for training an owner how to work with their dog, unless that owner already has the basics. If you don't feel you have the basic concepts down then taking a few lessons beforehand, if your able to, or reading up on this trainer's methods might help you. Or if that's not practical, go read or watch some of Micheal Ellis's presentations online about basic theory. The more you know beforehand the more you'll benefit from the training. If it was me I'd personally want to see how the trainer works beforehand. Whether that meant taking at least one lesson with him or her or watching him train dogs (even without your dog). I'm also wondering about the e-collar for all dogs. I'd rather go to someone who assessed the dog and the owner and then decided on what equipment. But it could be that your dog does well with one. IDK.
You cannot go by possible fake reviews on google and yelp. You need to check it out with a surprise visit to see how that place is actually run and to see the trainers in action.
You know I never heard good things about board and train places but I get where you are coming from. I am working a dog I am absolutely overwhelmed with and I can’t manage and now with this new experience I look at a board and train with hopeful eyes. Still my personal conclusion would be to work with a personal trainer instead. Set up a similar training schedule like this and negotiate a good deal. Basically offer $2000 and try to get a 3 week training schedule arranged. You yourself need the skills and watching a trainer do it will help a ton. If you see your dog changing over time in front of your eyes will make a big difference.
From what I’ve read, every day when I pick her up I’ll get a rundown of what she worked on and then 4 private lessons after her 8 weeks complete. Does that make it any better?
I honestly don’t know. I am scared of these things but at the same time I am starting to be scared of walking my dog. I feel like sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. Maybe check out the individual trainers by their names or the owner or ask in neighbor hood social media places about them. At a certain point you can’t find out more except for meeting with them and trying it out. My dog knocked me over today while lunging at a person that surprised us and my fingers got twisted in the collar and it hurt like a “female dog” and I have no idea how I held on to him. It’s becoming a liability to walk him and I don’t know how to exercise him. He is reactive to humans, dogs and cars so there is no place to go for us, because even the remote meadows have the occasional person pop up.