Dog training where your dog is sent away and trained

[Tara]

I am looking for a training facility where you send send your dog there for a couple of months and they train your dog them they teach you.

See I have a newborn baby, and a 3 year old.

My dog is 6 months old and he is a great dog, but it is really hard to find the time to train hom correctly.

Does anyone know of a place where they take your dog and train them?

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

 

My brother used a "Board and Train" program here in Southern CT for his Lab puppy.  The dog stayed for two weeks, and  this training made a huge difference.  The thing is this provides a good solid training base, but you do have to continually reinforce it.  Also, this type of program is pretty costly.  Good luck, and let us know what you decide.

Here's the info on the program he used and would definitely recommend to others.

 

http://www.PeaceofMindCanine.com

Who we are:

Jacks career started over fiffteen years ago when he was certified as Master trainer from the prestigious National K-9 Center for Dog trainers in Columbus Ohio. National K-9 is regarded as the leader in the field of dog training, behavior modification, and dog trainer education..Training doesn't stop as Jack continues to hone his skills with workshops at National K-9 and studies with behaviorists such as Ian Dunbar in California, and the world renowned John Rogerson of the Northern Center for Animal Behavior in Yorkshire England.
Jack offers private dog training and dog training boarding to give you the tools you need in all areas of behavior, from house breaking, to aggressive greetings to strangers, food guarding or separation issues. Jack and his wife Cindy have owned and operated Peace of mind Canine for over fifteen years, and have expanded from a training facility to a company that gives you peace of mind in every aspect of the dog owning experiance. Look on our fan page or go to www.peaceofmindcanine.com for recommended products.Contact Peace of Mind Canine for private dog training and dog training boarding, recommended products, or a reference from one of there many happy clients!!
Private dog training will teach you how to be your dogs reward. Train with the "AFFECTION CONNECTION " so that your dog is happy about listening to you. Learn how to use eye contact in a POSITIVE way so your dog will listen to you at a distance for safety. Most of all make your pet a well mannered member of the family.
Dog training is about communication not confrontation. Teach a vocabulary so you can reward the behavior you want, dogs learn from reward and your dogs ultimate reward should be you !!

[Liz Syring]

Hi Tara,

I too live in CT and perhaps we can talk, it may help you. First of all, I'm an owner of 2 doodles, a lab and a miniature poodle. Secondly, I've been working in labradoodle and goldendoodle rescue for the past 3  years and have personally fostered or overseen >200 rescued doodles. I'm learning the subtle diffences doodles have from other breeds, even labs or poodles.

First I've got to remark that I don't know of anyone who could successfully raise a calm, well mannered doodle puppy when they had a newborn and 3 yr old!  WOW!  Doodles are a different breed, they are extremely PEOPLE focused and the relationship with THEIR HUMAN is more important than anything!  I see your pup has already been rehomed once. If you place him in a residential training program and then bring him back home it will be like rehoming him TWICE! Dogs have no sense of time. Two months for a puppy might virtually be a lifetime! Every time a dog is rehomed his chances of making a positive long lasting move are decreased!!   Also, I've rehomed several doodles who came from experienced  residential training and that caused MORE TRAUMA than anything!  This is because these dog trainers were experienced in training german shepards, rottweillers, pitbulls. The doodle is WAY TOO SENSITIVE for this type of environment. One GD pup recently came out of 2 months of residential K-9 training with such emotional scars as well as a limp from  living in a cage that was too small for him his back legs had atrophied.

I DO know of a superb positive certified animal trainer/behaviorist right in Cheshire, She is Martha Bailey and owns Smartydog Canine School of Excellence. She does classes as well as private consulations. I think this would be your best bet for training your guy. He will learn the basics in obedience, and guide you in your work with him, but then the rest is really up to you. If you want a doodle of this age, you really need to devote at least 1-2 hours/day in working with him in reinforcing his control. In looking at your postings it looks like your guy is a TYPICAL PUPPY and in a couple of years WITH training and daily reinforcement may be the kind of calm dog you need.

Pardon me for being presumptuous.... perhaps the kindest gift you can give your puppy is to allow him to be rehomed with an experienced rescue who knows the needs of this breed and can find a  home that is extremely dog savvy and adopter who has has several hours/day to work with your guy to gain confidence and self control. When your children are in school I suspect you will be able to devote more time to loving and teaching a puppy.

I understand this is very painful for you. Contact me at [e-mail] and I'll give you my phone number, I'd be glad to talk with you.

Good Luck

Liz

[Tara]

I put rehome, because my option was not available.

We bought him from a home breader when he was 8 weeks old.

I do agree with you that a dog going from home to home is not good.

We really want to keep him. He really is a wonderful dog and has a great personality.

We just have to figure out balance. He is potty tained and he knows sit, paw, and come.  He just jumps all the time, NEVER runs out of energy, and he and my three year old like to play rough with eachother.

I will look into the trainer that you gave me. Thank you so much for your info.

Maybe you can give me a few pointers on teaching him not to jump so much, oh and he chews everything.

[Adina P]

Tara, how much time per day do you think you can devote to training? 

Are there some days when you can spend more time than other days?  Tell us the range of times and if you are able to get away with puppy for training AT ALL (without the kids) ever. 

[Liz Syring]

You'll need to find a way that you can help him run off some steam, like running him on a leash, or biking with a leash. Also playing fetch A LOT, like with a chuck-it toy can help, but you or your husband really need to devote a couple of hours/day to him. Also, I'd advise AGAINST him roughousing with the 3 yr old because soon he will be treating the 3 yr old like a littermate and he may easily nip/mouthe him. He needs to learn from the family what his expected behaviors are in his role as a dog. If you don't clearly teach him what is expected of him in his role as the dog he will find things to do that he thinks are his role, like protecting you and the kids from his perceived threats.  Lots of bad behaviors start that way.

Martha can help you with this but you'll need to work on it, starting with making him get into a sit/stay for each meal, snack, prior to going outdoors, prior to going indoors, etc. The sit/stay is probably the most important first step for him to master and start to learn self control.

 

 

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I still think a short "board and train" might not be a bad idea if you aren't going to be able to get the time necessary to train the "basics".  I do agree that it is very important to fully understand the training method that will be used with your Doodle, and I totally agree the trainer must have experience (and references) in training the "softer" breeds.  What it did in the case I mentioned was give a solid training "leg up".  When the dog came back home after two weeks he had a very solid sit/stay and was heeling extremely well even with significant distractions.  I actually visited this trainer with my brother, and I found him to be knowledgeable and very fair with the dogs he was training.  He did use a traditional training collar, and his program was balanced in terms of correction and reward.  He has the advantage of being able to work with the dogs for several hours every day.  As I mentioned, these commands have to be reinforced continuously in order for the dog to maintain the skills he has learned.  My brother's dog came home and was just as happy and sweet as before the training program....but much better behaved.  If it means you'd be able to keep a dog that you have grown to love, and you can continue the training after the initial "groundwork" has been done, it may be something to consider.  I personally love training, and I have the time to do it, so it wouldn't be something I would do.  But, if I was not able to accomplish the training on my own, I would certainly think about it.