One of the services I offer is a Board and Train program, where a dog comes and stays with me for an extended period of time (on average, 3 weeks). After meeting the owner and their dog, we determine the best course of action and the focus of the training program.
Over the years, this service has been primarily for young dogs whose owner simply did not have the time, energy, or desire to be a dog trainer, as well as manage all the “nuisance puppy behaviors” that go along with raising a puppy or a young dog. Traditionally, Board and Train programs have been very popular, simply because they work well for owners and often coincided with vacation time where the dog would need to be boarded, regardless.
However, I’m finding, more and more, there are inherent problems with Board and Train programs, and I’m actually conducting less and less of them.
First off, many people refer to them as “boot camp for dogs.” That name alone, does not sit well with me. It conjures up an image of a highly regimented, rigid program that simply is not fun, but will surely knock some sense into you. I’m reminded of the movie Private Benjamin and then think, “yuck, that’s not what my program is all about.” Now, my intent is not to cut down the military, it’s a very personal and respectful choice for many individuals to enlist in it. It’s just not for me, and “militaristic” is not a word associated with my training style.
Furthermore, if the programs are compared to (and even marketed as) boot camp, the name infers there is one way, and only one way, to train the dogs that enter the program. The military does not change their expectations of each enlistee, everyone is required to complete boot camp in the same fashion, regardless of any personal issues or limitations.
Herein lies the second problem, not all dogs are created equal. Furthermore, they don’t “choose” to enlist in boot camp, they are sent off to the program, regardless.
Many owners even struggle with the concept of boot camp. Owners that choose this type of program are usually at their wits end, life with their dog is not working, and they want to make life better. I’ve spoken to owners who inherently oppose a trainer’s methodology and have still sent their dogs away for training. More often than not, owners need a break and want their dogs out of the house for an extended amount of time. All they wish is to have their dog return more calm and under control. Owners don’t want to know the specifics of the training program, just the end result of a well-behaved dog. For many people, this is a reasonable request, with attainable results.
So why is this type of program becoming less effective in the first place? Simply put, since the pandemic, the dog industry has exploded. The increased number of people staying home led to an astronomical increase in dog ownership. Breeders could not produce puppies fast enough, shelters were virtually empty due to high numbers of adoptions, and foster programs flourished. You’d think this was a good thing, right? However, even though many dogs found new homes, they may not have always ended up in the right home. The average dog now has to deal with more than they ever had to before. For example, dogs that were originally bred to guard sheep are now living in an apartment in a busy city. As a result, unexpected dog behavioral problems are creeping up at an alarming rate.
When sent off to a typical board and train program, many dogs are no longer the typical candidate to succeed in such a program.
What I’m seeing is the fallout, or the problem, with standard Board and Train programs. I’ve always said that training a dog is the study of one; study the dog that is right in front of you, then you will know how to best train that individual dog. If a “one size fits all” mentality is used when training dogs, the dogs and their families are being set up for future failure. When I agree to conduct a Board and Train program, I only take one dog at a time. This way, if I need to make adjustments in my “typical” training program, I’m able to quickly shift gears to accommodate the dog’s needs. This shift ultimately increases the dog’s success during training. But if a dog is sent off to a facility that has a large kennel and multiple trainers working with multiple dogs, a shift in the training program to meet the needs of an individual dog is much more challenging to implement. Unfortunately, the dog is the one that has to adjust to the program, and all too often, the family suffers the consequences down the road.
If you are a recently new dog owner, do some research about the trainer that you are going to hire. If you are going to send your dog away for training, make sure the trainer adheres to LIMA (least intrusive, minimally aversive) standards. Read more here. You should also be able (and encouraged) to visit your dog at the training facility and observe your dog being trained. Lastly, training should take place in the home environment as well. Dogs are not good at generalizing their behavior and often perform better in a training facility than in their familiar home environment.
For additional information on choosing a trainer, consult the AVSAB and learn more here.
