With the Holidays coming up, some owners look to Board and Train to meet their care and behavior needs in one convenient package.

After working with 30 Board and Train dogs in 4 years, here’s my perspective as a professional dog trainer on the pros and cons.

Pros

(1) Accelerated Instruction 

Working one-on-one with the dog to change behavior myself is generally faster than teaching the owner to do the same thing. I can more thoroughly evaluate the problem and identify the best technique in a much shorter amount of time. 

(2) Easier Training for the Owner 

Because the dog is already familiar with his role, it’s usually easier for the team to get it right when it’s time to add the owner.

Board and Train can also be a superb choice for owners who are capable of maintaining a skill, but struggle to teach it because of a physical disability or limitation.

(3) Starting With a Blank-ish Slate

Specific environments and people sometimes trigger bad behavior: “this is the behavior I do in this room with this person. 

By removing the dog from those environments and people, we remove some of the triggers for the bad behavior and it may be easier for him to forget about that and learn new habits. 

(4) Overall Evaluation

Board and Train is not just about teaching your dog a bunch of commands/cues, but about discovering what type of and how much stimulation he needs to succeed.

Cons

1. Finding A Good Program

Poor quality Board and Train programs look very attractive and it’s easy to get tricked into believing you can have a highly trained dog in a short period of time without harmful side effects. 

Many of these programs achieve seemingly “instant” results because of their use of punishment-based techniques and tools. For more information on why this is not in your dog’s best interest, see my blog post: “Why I Say No to Shock, Prong, and Chain Training Collars.”

When looking for a program near you, use this guide for questions to ask and what answers to look for. 

(2) The Adjustment Period 

Board and Train does offer accelerated instruction, but only after the dog adjusts to his new living situation. This usually takes a few days, but may take longer for anxious or fearful dogs. Regardless, we cannot expect dogs to jump right into smooth training on Day 1.

If your dog tends to be generally anxious or nervous at your home, I typically discourage Board and Train.

(3) Lack of Trainer Relationship

Dogs aren’t robots. A trusting relationship between dog and handler is essential for really efficient training.

We certainly don’t have to wait for the relationship before training can begin (reward-based training is a great part of establishing that relationship!), but it’s an intangible training asset that cannot be manufactured overnight.

(4) Cost

Board and Train is a lot of work and that’s reflected in the cost. The trainer isn’t just spending an hour every day training your dog—she’s also caring for him 24/7 and adjusting her schedule to accommodate a visiting dog. 

(5) No Supervision 

A good Board and Train program will provide updates while your dog is away, but that’s not the same as watching the trainer interact with your dog. Unfortunately, we’ve heard too many stories about how inhumanely some dogs are treated at bad programs.

Lastly…

As you consider Board and Train for your dog, it’s critical to understand two more important realities: 

#1: The trainer can only train as fast as your dog is able to learn.
Training is a team sport and the trainer has to match your dog’s pace and needs. Genetics, temperament, behavior history and training history are some of the factors that influence your dog’s progress—factors the trainer has no control over.

#2: Your dog will leave Board and Train a work in progress.
Board and Train jumpstarts your dog’s education, but it does not complete it. You can expect on-going maintenance and practice to protect the progress your dog made and continue advancing his skills.