Board and train programs can be a really fantastic idea if you’re looking to get your dog started or just to address some serious issues.
One of the many reasons that I recommend a board and train program is because your dog is going to get to spend time with somebody that is incredibly passionate about dogs, and more than likely has made a substantial investment in making sure that they are able to help as many dogs as they possibly can at their facility.
On top of that, the skill of these individuals probably rivals their passion because they’re going to be people that actually know how to train their own dogs and an assortment of other dogs. Because of that, they’re going to have a lot of experience at being able to get a dog to do the things that they want them to do.
So if you’re thinking about training a dog, a board and train program is a fantastic way to go because it does a really great job of getting dogs the information that they need about the behaviors required to perform the rest of their life.
Drawbacks
Well, one of the drawbacks that I tell my clients about, is that the relationship doesn’t transfer to you from that dog trainer. The person that’s running the board and train program is going to build a relationship with your dog. That’s right. They’re going to be able to have a relationship with your dog, and they’re also going to use a system of communication. They’re going to use rewards, they’re going to use punishments, and they’re going to really help the dog to understand how to relate to those things from them.
The problem with that is that even though the dog trainer is going to give the dog all of this incredible knowledge, they can’t per se transfer the relationship from them to you.
Is It A Bad Thing?
Well, I don’t want to make it sound like it’s the worst thing ever, because, in all honesty, it’s not that bad of a thing. However, relationships do not transfer, even though the dog knows something particularly well, may understand the cues on how to do it and understand the motivations why they should do it. They may not know that they should do that specifically for you. So if you’re considering a board and train program for your dog, then one of the most important things that you can do is actually go with a trainer and have the trainer train you and then put what that trainer is telling you into practice on a daily basis.
Now, for those of you guys that are wondering, I personally don’t offer a board and train program.
What I Do
I do a coach and train program.
That means I come into your home and end up working with the dog. I will get the dog started. What I really want to make a big investment in, is giving you the tools to understand your dog and how to train. How to get them to make all the progress. Because, after all, you will need to understand how to train so you can develop a relationship with your dog. Feel free to go to my website and get more information about what I do at www.longoriahausdogtraining.com.
It’s very powerful to do any kind of program, board and training programs, coach and train, or even a group class and learning. As long as you develop a relationship, at the end of the day, that is the most important thing. Yes, you need techniques. You need to understand what rewards and punishments do, and you need to understand the different tools that you could use to be able to do that.
The relationship is the key.
Good Luck and Happy Training!
