On-Leash Foundations & Household Manners

Not at all. Think of this as “Private School” rather than “Reform School.” While we do specialize in severe behavior, this specific program is designed for the “good dog with bad habits.” We focus on channeling that high energy into focus, calmness, and obedience. It is an investment in a peaceful home for the next 10+ years.

This is the most common fear owners have, and the answer is yes.

Dogs don’t just learn commands; they learn a “lifestyle” of following guidance at our training academy, where a full team of highly trained staff works with your dog.

Dogs not listening to their owners after a board-and-train is more common with programs from a trainer who trains out of their home (solo trainer) or from small, inexperienced training teams.  

Since our team has over 20 highly trained staff members focused on your dog, translation back home is not a problem. We spend a full afternoon with you at the end of the program (The Transfer) to teach you how to maintain the training. Plus, you get 1 Year of Unlimited Group Classes with the On-Leash Manners program to polish your handling skills.

Because we don’t believe in “rushing” results.

It takes 21-30 days to change a neurological habit pattern.

Two-week programs often rely on heavy pressure and compulsion-based training to suppress behavior quickly.

Our 4-Week Academy Model allows us to layer the training positively, lower the dog’s stress, and ensure the new behaviors are permanent, not just a temporary fix.

This immersion is perfect for puppies and adult dogs alike.

For younger dogs, we focus on “future-proofing”—building confidence, social neutrality, and engagement before bad habits ever have a chance to set in.

It is much easier to build a house right the first time than to renovate it later!

We train in a balanced, rewards-based dog training system. What this means is that we teach through rewards. Typically, we use food rewards to build focus, engagement, and teach the dog obedience behaviors. 

After a dog fully understands their expected behaviors, we will then begin to randomize rewards and hold the dog accountable for disobedience with a leash. 

Once a dog understands accountability with a leash, we’ll condition them to a remote collar which allows you to control your dog’s behavior from a distance and off-leash. 

When these steps are complete, we’ll proof their training through distraction work by taking them to a wide variety of places like a hardware store, park, restaurant, coffee shop, farmer’s market, and beach to ensure they understand the training even with distractions present.

All dogs enrolled in a board and train program will stay at our Lead Trainer’s home for the duration of training. He has converted an entire area of the home for the dogs to remain at. Your dog will be fed twice a day (unless special dieting requires more or less feeding), exercised a minimum of twice per day, and be trained throughout the day.

Anytime the Lead Trainer, other trainers, or caretakers are not present, or the Lead Trainer is asleep at night, your dog will remain in a kennel. Dogs that have had previous bad experiences with kennels are rehabilitated to view the kennel as a good place to be.

Once a dog is taught all expectations and obedience work we will condition them to a remote collar to support off-leash and distance obedience training. We don’t believe that a remote collar (electronic collar) should be the backbone of any training system. However, we do believe it’s a valuable training tool when used correctly with a dog who has been conditioned to the sensation of a remote collar. 

The sensation from a remote collar is very similar to a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) unit—which humans actually use to treat pain! But since dogs have never experienced this sensation, we know it can be surprising to them.

We have an extremely thorough process to teach the dog what the sensation from the remote collar means and how to respond to it that the dog clearly understands.
We do not endorse the use of remote collars without thorough and appropriate conditioning for the individual dog. Remote collar conditioning should only ever take place after the proper relationship building, teaching of expectations, and training have occurred.

We offer group classes for all alumni who have graduated from one of our board and train programs. These classes are designed to continue training and support the relationship our clients have with their dogs. We do not offer group classes for non-alumni. 

If there are a group of friends who would like to train together, we can set up a seminar, training clinic, or a series to help them work with their dogs. This will be dependent on the individual dogs in the group—some dogs are not compatible for this type of teaching environment.

Our wait list is typically 2+ months long and we require a signed contract to secure your spot. To get started, fill out our Contact Us form. Then we’ll be in touch to review your training program choices.

Yes, we offer payment plans and financing through Affirm.

There is no need to euthanize your dog. We’ve rehabilitated many dogs with a biting history and have yet to encounter one that couldn’t be trained or rehabilitated. The process isn’t easy and many other trainers aren’t up to the challenge—but we are. And our training methods work.

We use a proven process that follows this progression: build trust, build engagement and focus, teach obedience behaviors, socialization, and proof all behaviors in distraction work.

Once your dog has completed training and returns home, you must maintain your dog’s training, but we will be here to support you every step of the way through training sessions, follow-up sessions, our alumni online resource, alumni community group, alumni group classes. And we’re always a call, text, or email away.