Board & Train
- Savannah Nordhaus
- Dec 25, 2025
- 3 min read
Total Transformation Through Structure, Routine, and Daily Guidance
Struggling to make progress on your own? Does your dog need more than what a few lessons can offer? That’s exactly what our Board & Train program is built for.
At S.N.K9 Dog Training, our immersive Board & Train program is the most effective way to create lasting change. We take on the heavy lifting of behavior change while coaching you along the way, so you and your dog move forward with clarity and confidence.
This page will walk you through:
What Is a Board & Train?
A Board & Train means your dog stays with us anywhere between 1-4 weeks while we implement real structure, obedience, and behavior change through daily repetition and guidance.
While here, your dog:
Learns foundation obedience & calm behavior
Practices daily routines for home life
Gets structured exposure to triggers, distractions, and new environments
Is handled, and coached by a professional trainer multiple times per day
Learns how to be calm, focused, respectful, and confident
Meanwhile, you receive:
Progress updates
A 1-on-1 go-home session and owner coaching
Clear follow-up support and tools for long-term success
Our Board & Train Program Tiers
We offer 3 levels of Board & Train, each designed for specific goals and behavior levels:
2-Week On-Leash Program
For dogs needing obedience, leash manners, and structure.
Great for beginners, puppies, or clients who want to break bad habits and build foundation skills.
Focus Areas:
Sit, Down, Heel, Recall, Place (on-leash)
Leash walking without pulling
Calm behavior around distractions
Household manners & daily routine
Intro to crate, food, play, and impulse control structure
Implied stays
Owner training to ensure clarity and continuation
4-Week Off-Leash Program
For dogs ready to level up into advanced, off-leash reliability.
Your dog learns to follow commands without the leash in real-world environments.
Includes everything in the 2-Week, plus:
E-collar conditioning for reliable off-leash recall and obedience
Off-leash Place, Heel, and Down at distance
Stronger proofing around distractions
Owner training to ensure clarity and continuation
6-Week Specialty Program
For reactive, fearful, or higher-risk cases.
This program is designed for major aggression cases or any specialty work.
Includes everything in the 4-Week, plus:
Confidence-building or desensitization work
Safe exposure to triggers over time
Structured behavior interruption
Emotional control and neutrality around people/dogs/situations
Strong follow-up owner education & transition work
Who are Board & Trains Best For?
Owners who feel overwhelmed or stuck
Dogs with big behavior patterns that don’t change with casual training
Busy families who want a strong foundation built for them
People who want to enjoy their dog without fighting for every walk or interaction
Clients dealing with reactivity, anxiety, or emotional outbursts
We recommend a Board & Train when daily hands-on training from a pro is what your dog needs most.
This is the most time-efficient and transformation-focused training we offer.
What to Expect
Your dog’s stay includes:
Daily structure, obedience drills, and calm state-of-mind work
Exposure to everyday challenges like other dogs, noises, crates, and guests
Positive reinforcement and clear corrections: balanced training for long-term success
Clean housing, safe conditions, and regular breaks, enrichment, and rest
Progress reports, and go-home coaching
You’ll leave with:
A calmer, clearer, more respectful dog
Tools to maintain progress
Homework, support, and access to follow-ups
Optional: Add-on Private Lessons or Group Classes after graduation for continued growth.
How to Get Started
Every Board & Train starts with an evaluation so we can match your dog with the right program.
Start here:
In-Person Evaluation — meet a professional trainer, ask questions, and get a plan
Virtual Evaluation — great for out-of-town clients.