Dog Boarding Schools: Everything you need to know

Boarding schools for children are a well-established reality among the parents all around the world. However, boarding schools for humans are notorious for being a correctional facility for troubled teenagers and adolescents who need a little order in their lives. When people think about boarding schools, they picture a strict environment with numerous Agatha Trunchbulls bossing kids around. While we don’t know if boarding schools for humans are actually atrocious, we do know that dog boarding schools are anything but that.

Dog training schools have gained some popularity during the past few years, but they still need to be more widely recognized. Dog boarding schools offer you a safe place for your fur children while either you are on vacation or you want them to be trained by an expert. They train dogs and teach them to respond to commands instantly by engaging them in various exercises and activities.

Even though dog boarding schools are not correctional facilities for canines, most dog parents choose to send their fluffy babies to such schools when they start noticing some troubling behavior in their pets. What dog owners don’t realize is that dog boarding schools are not like those typical, strict correction centers where they can send their pet to get disciplined. Dog boarding schools are like any other school where a dog gets trained under expert supervision. They have certified trainers and instructors that look after the dogs and prepare them for the real world.

If you are now considering sending your four-legged companion to a training school, then here is everything you need to know about dog boarding schools.

What happens in a Dog Boarding School?

Depending on a dog’s behavior, it is enrolled in a class to learn obedience. Most dogs are enrolled in the beginner grade where they learn to follow basic commands and instructions. Beginner classes are typically designed to teach a dog how to do the following.

  • Sit, remain seated, lie down, or rollover.
  • Not to pull on a leash.
  • Not to climb on furniture or chew it.
  • Not to jump on people and other dogs.
  • Respond to name
  • Socialize with other canines and people

Learning to socialize and being civil around humans and other dogs is a crucial part of dog training. Once a dog masters the art of being comfortable around people and other canines, it can be taken out into the real world.

The typical course of training of any dog starts with the beginner class, but if a dog has behavioral issues, then it is treated a bit differently at first. Such a dog is trained separately initially while their behavioral issues are resolved. Once the dog unlearns all the problematic traits, it’s taken through the standard route of training.

However, some schools may not provide training for aggressive or out-of-control dogs. In such a case, dog parents first have to find an animal behaviorist to deal with their pet’s major issues, such as anxiety, aggression, excessive barking, or depression. Once that’s done, they can take their canine to a boarding school.

Dog boarding schools take in dogs and keep them as their own pets for some time. The length of time a dog spends at a boarding school is determined by the trainer assigned to it and the dog’s parents. When a pet owner brings their dog to a boarding school, it is examined by a trainer thoroughly. The trainer learns about the dog’s habits by its parents and by spending some time with it. Afterward, they recommend the course of training that will be best suited for the dog. If the parents agree, the school administration moves forward with the training program; otherwise, the program is tweaked as per the parents’ instructions.

Dog boarding schools were initially only used for service dogs, but now even home dogs are trained at such schools. The fact that utility dogs are trained at boarding schools indicates that they are excellent at doing their job and teaching dogs to behave in a particular way.

If you want someone else to train your dog because you don’t have the time or energy to do so, then a boarding school can be your ultimate savior. And also, if you want to go on vacation and you can’t find a trustworthy pet sitter, then also a boarding school is the answer to your prayers.

Dropping off an untrained puppy at a facility and picking up a well-trained fluffy friend might seem like a far-fetched dream, but thanks to training schools, you can now live that dream. But you need to take into some realities as well when you pick your furry pal back from a boarding school.

You have to play Some Part

Just because you sent your puppy to a boarding school doesn’t mean your job as a parent is done. If you want your dog to remain obedient, then you need to continue its training after bringing it home. And you don’t have to worry about it too much because most boarding schools give dog families a short lesson on interacting with their dogs post boarding. It equips families to communicate with their dogs properly while reinforcing the training objectives that the dog has learned in school.

Not All Boarding Schools are the same

Just like all other institutions in the world, dog boarding schools are also of varying caliber. Some are top of the line institutions that look after your dog like their own and train it with an unmatched level of competence. But some schools can be like correction centers that use aversive-based training methods to train your dog, which include pain and intimidation. Therefore, be cautious when choosing a boarding school for your dog. And even after you have enrolled you, fluffy child, into one, stay involved and keep visiting your baby from time to time to ensure that it’s safe and in good hands.

Also, before selecting a school for your canine, look for references. Ask around and see if any other dog parent sent their child to the schools you have shortlisted. And if you find such parents, ask for their feedback before deciding on a school for your baby.

Dog boarding schools are excellent at training dogs and teaching them how to act around other animals and people. If you are looking for a place to send your furry companion for training, then consider a training school now.


by Bobby J Davidson || You can’t buy love, but you can rescue it™

Facts About Animal Homelessness:

  1. Only 1 out of every 10 dogs born will find a permanent home.
  2. The main reasons animals are in shelters: owners give them up, or animal control finds them on the street.
  3. Each year, approximately 2.7 million dogs and cats are killed every year because shelters are too full and there aren’t enough adoptive homes. Act as a publicist for your local shelter so pets can find homes. Sign up for Shelter Pet PR.
  4. Approximately 7.6 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year. Of those, approximately 3.9 million are dogs and 3.4 million are cats.
  5. According to the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy (NCPPSP), less than 2% of cats and only 15 to 20% of dogs are returned to their owners.
  6. 25% of dogs that enter local shelters are purebred.
  7. About twice as many animals enter shelters as strays compared to the number that are relinquished by their owners.
  8. It’s impossible to determine how many stray dogs and cats live in the United States. Estimates for cats alone range up to 70 million.
  9. Only 10% of the animals received by shelters have been spayed or neutered. Overpopulation, due to owners letting their pets accidentally or intentionally reproduce, sees millions of these “excess” animals killed annually.
  10. Many strays are lost pets that were not kept properly indoors or provided with identification.
  11. According to The Humane Society, there are about 3,500 brick-and-mortar animal shelters in the US and 10,000 rescue groups and animal sanctuaries in North America.

Here are a some adoptions for consideration:  puccicafe.com/adoptions


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