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Residential Training
Sometimes, it’s just better if we train your dog first, then we train you. We offer three levels of our board-and-train experience depending on your goals for your furry family member.
Our Dog Board and Train Programs
We know you are busy. Or maybe your overwhelmed with your dogs behavior. We do recognize that while the ideal situation is for us to train you to train your dog, not everyone has the time or ability in today’s busy lifestyle. And sometimes, it just takes a skilled trainer to work with your dogs behavioral issues to help you get on the right track. Let us help you get started on the path to a right relationship with your dog again. The benefit to the Residential Training Program is that we have lots of experience with dogs and can fairly effortlessly teach your dog the basics. With clear instruction, based on years of experience your dog will quickly understand what we are asking of him/her. Then we have to teach you. But, because the dog already understands, the process is shortened considerably.
We address serious behavioral issues but we will need to conduct an assessment prior to determine a course of action. Click here to book your assessment now.
The Dog Training Process
First, when you drop off your dog you meet with the trainer, if you haven’t already, to thoroughly discuss your dogs issues and your goals. We discuss training methodologies and make a strategic plan for your dog that you are comfortable with. We have a thorough process for teaching your dog. First, we start off teaching the dog the basic commands through positive reinforcement. They work several times throughout the day. In this way, we are able to promote bonding and develop a relationship with them while we are teaching them all the basic commands in a quiet environment. After they understand the commands and are eagerly working we then start increasing systematically the type of distractions that they encounter. It starts out with just small distractions around the facility.
We work to gradually increase the stimulus around them, while we start making sure that not only do they want to do the exercises, they also learn that it is not optional! Once they master the distractions of the facility, we take them out on small excursions to our local town of Ione, and increase distractions once again. As they master that and are successful, we bring them up to Jackson, and finish up with working through busy parking lots and shopping centers. We don’t usually go to a bank without toting one of our dogs along. But we don’t stop there. How do we know that our system works? Because the next step is that a secondary trainer, who did not work with the dog, takes the dog out and follows the same process. This helps to generalize the behaviors to people who are not the primary trainer. Only after the dog is successful with the secondary trainer, is it time to bring you back into the process.
The People Training Process
First, you come to our facility and spend 60-90 minutes with the trainer in a training session (for both you and the dog) right off the bat. Now that we have made the progress with the dog, it is time to turn our focus to you. Make no mistake, dogs are not robots. When your dog returns home with you, it will be with homework for both of you to do. The dog knows it, now the dog needs to know you know it. Your first week will involve a highly structured return home with positive reinforcement homework and some minimal “have to” work. We want to set the dog up for success. After 5-8 days, the trainer will meet with you for your second lesson and go over what’s going well and where we need to brush up. The trainer will show you how to insist on correct behavior and leave you with the ability to reinforce all commands. We will generally meet at the facility to start but then we will go into town and work around distractions, helping you understand how to work with your dogs distraction levels but still have your dog listen! But we don’t stop there.
Continued Support
We provide support in our group classes for you following the return home. You will also have access to our video library, our online classes and our in person classes. We have bimonthly in person classes at the facility and a monthly “out and about” to work on real world handling and distractions. And of course, you are welcome to have us brush up his training from time to time when you board him here with us at a discounted rate.
Our Board & Train Programs
The basic, Silver obedience package is approximately 4-5 weeks long where your dog resides at our facility. We occasionally ask to keep them a bit longer, but we don’t charge you more. We recognize that four weeks is a long time, but it is important for us to take some time to build a working relationship with your pet. It is important to us that we make sure your dog has a clear understanding of the expectations before we add any pressure By taking our time, we can minimize the stress that your dog feels during the training process.
Please keep in mind that we book up fairly quickly. In order to maximize results, we do limit the number of residential students at any given time.
Silver Dog Board & Train Program
Modelled after our Fabulous Fido program, we teach your dog name recognition, sit, down, stay, wait, come, walk on a loose leash (please note this is not the same as heeling…this is don’t pull on the leash), leave it, and “place” (remain quietly on a bed, for up to 30 minutes or longer).
Your unruly pup will have all the basics to be a great member of society. We teach the commands, but more importantly we execute them under high intensity distractions. Then we teach you.
This program includes 1 private lesson at our facility; a second lesson that starts at our facility and then we go together into town to work your dog under distractions; plus four months of follow up in our group online and in person classes.
Approximately 4 weeks Tuition: $3,250
Gold Dog Board & Train Program
Modelled after our Dream Dog program, this option is for those that want a little bit more. This is a continuation of the Silver program. If you want to take your dog and know that they have solid formal heeling, this is the program for you.
This is also the entry-level program for potential service work but is not comprehensive for service work. Ask about our Service Dog Board and Train Programs.
Additionally, this is the program for dogs with some reactivity towards other dogs, but it’s not limited to them. If you want solid heeling around high levels of distraction, this is the next level for you! Looking for off-leash obedience, this program is for you! This program comes with 3 private lessons at our facility (including going into to town on the second lesson); plus 6 months of follow up in our group online and in person classes.
Approximately 6 weeks Tuition: $4,650
Platinum Program
If you are looking for some serious training, this is the program for you! Whether you are looking for the foundation to public access for a service dog, or your dog has serious reactivity or aggression issues, or if you just want that all around excellent dog trained for you, this is the program for you! In this program we can delve deep into the dog to make serious changes in behavior. Because we have the dog for 90 days, we can take the cues we learned in the prior programs and take them all over on outings to truly create that amazing dog. If your dogs has reactivity or aggression issues, this program gives us the fullest opportunity to make meaningful changes. You still have work to do when the dog comes home, because it is always a team effort, but this program allows us to make meaningful changes in the dog and it will be much easier for you to maintain.
Approximately 13 weeks Tuition: $7,500
Our Facility
Our Care
Our facility runs like a well-oiled machine, yet our service truly personalizes each dog’s care. We consider each dog’s social and physical needs. If your dog wants to be cuddled, that’s what he’ll get, but if he enjoys more high-energy action, we will provide that too! We really get to know our guests and work to build long lasting, trusting relationships with them.
We have designed a unique facility to reduce the stress that both you and your pet experience during your separation. Our boarding facility has your dogs enjoying the comfort of their own “hotel suite” complete with large indoor areas with their own attached yard. In addition we have large play yards which each guest gets to run in each day.
Our Location
We are conveniently located on the corner of Highway 88 and Highway 104 approximately two miles from Ione and 8 miles from Jackson. If you are traveling from Sacramento or Stockton to any one of our many beautiful attractions in Amador County such as Kirkwood, Black Chasm National Natural Landmark, Jackson Rancheria Casino and Hotel, or any of our many wineries, you will find we are right on your route.
We proudly serve many tourists to our area so that their pets can stay closer to them. In addition to first class boarding facilities on a beautiful 135 acre ranch, we are blessed to have the only Dock Dog Diving Pool in our region. This means that your dog can schedule swim time whether they are here overnight or simply for a day stay. We are the place where “Happy Dogs Stay and Play”!