Until now, the words “board and train” have been met with dread by modern dog trainers. Images of overcrowded cement kennel runs, aversive training techniques, and occasionally all-out cruelty would come to mind. Firsthand accounts of dogs returning home worse off than when they arrived created a sense that board-and-train programs could never be a good thing.

It became clear to trainer Sarah Kalnajs that trainers needed a new kind of program: one based in a home environment instead of a kennel; one that socialized the puppy, gave it a foundation of basic skills, and instilled in it an eagerness to learn more; and one that provided its caregivers with clear and consistent information so they would be fully prepared to continue building on that foundation at home. The program would do all of the things that we would do with our own puppies during those critical weeks of early learning, with an end goal of improving not only the puppy's quality of life, but that of its owners, too. To differentiate it from the old-style boot camps, Sarah decided to call it the Stay-and-Train program.

The puppies in this program are provided with stress-free learning and are actively reinforced for good and appropriate choices instead of being constantly corrected for wrong choices. At the same time, red flags are identified and addressed early (such as a propensity for resource guarding) so that by the time the puppy goes home, those issues are greatly diminished or eliminated.

The program has become so popular that Sarah and her team have not gone more than a few days without a Stay-and-Train client in nearly four years.

This Dem-OH! will cover the Stay-and-Train program in detail, including demonstrations with puppies that are currently in the program or that have recently graduated. It will also cover the types of dogs and caregivers that have the best success with this program, what ages get the most benefit, and how this unique program can provide a niche offering for your business.