In a board-and-train program for dogs, the dog will stay at a trainer’s house or in a place for an extended duration. Trainers will offer intensive instruction.
However, your dog must take part in training at home too for the behavior to be generalized. That’s why it’s crucial to choose a reputable trainer.
Intensive Training
A majority of pet owners look for Board and Train programs to help correct issues with behavior such as jumping, biting, or barking. But be aware that not all places are designed the same way. Some places use inadequate or outdated techniques of training which could cause emotional harm to your dog.
One of the main things to think about is the training facility of the trainer and its the setup. If your dog will be going to the trainer’s house or even a board and train location the trainer will be in an influence on the setting and be able to remove triggers for unwanted behavior including food particles that are on the floor, young children demanding attention, or noisy music.
Effective trainers are focused on building relationships that are strong and communication with dogs. It’s difficult to do this if you take your dog to another person’s home or to a training facility. Working directly with a dog trainer each week can make it much easier for you to establish confidence.
Socializing Your Dog
A well-designed board and train program can expose your dog to an array of different environments and help her become comfortable in unfamiliar situations. It’s crucial to practice this for puppies, as their time of socialization only runs from 16 weeks. Board and Train is most suitable for puppies in home environments (not the kennels) that have planned “field excursion” in the local community.
The train and board program may be particularly suited to particular behaviors that are difficult to work on in class for example, dog leash reactivity, or herding behavior. These are all skills are required to master at home, however the classroom environment is designed to eliminate distractions such as young children or hunger begging stimuli.
Be wary of any training that claims to be able to address certain behaviors within a short period of time. These programs are usually evidence of outdated intimidation methods or methods of fear. If there is no dedication to continuous training and practicing at home, the techniques learned in a board-and-train program disappear.
Attention Development
Good board-and-train programs will emphasize attention training. This helps you reinforce the desired behaviors while eliminating undesirable ones. Important to practice this for dogs who are aggressive.
Doggy owners with suffered from behavioral issues such as leash aggression or leash reactivity will not do well in kennels and will require special safety arrangements at home. They will more likely benefit through in-home classes using a certified behaviour consultant or veterinary behaviorist.
Boot camp boards and training facilities offer different training programs. Choose a trainer which is able to recognize humane methods of training that do not employ violence, fear or other aversive equipment. Ask questions and do your homework to make sure the trainer is right for both you and your dog. Your dog’s training at the training facility should be transferred to your house, so that transfer of behavior to other dogs is achievable. If not, the dog will only develop the behaviour in this particular environment and situation.
Tricks Development
It’s important that dogs can execute basic tricks, regardless of whether or not the action is fun (like leaping over hoops) or beneficial (like dropping objects upon command). These tricks are a lot of fun to dogs, and help hold their attention. It also gets them into the learning mode that helps with certain problematic behavior issues like leash reactivity or aggression.
Teaching your dog to act dead, as an example, is an impressive technique for a party. It’s all it takes is exact luring techniques and repeated practice.
Find an establishment that employs the most humane training methods that don’t rely on fear or pressure. Most of the time, daily training is equally successful in getting dogs to behave. And it’s always important to test the behavior that your dog is taught at home. If you’d like a relaxed and well-behaved dog, it’s your responsibility to work with them throughout their life.
