Dog Boot Camp Frequently Asked Questions
  

What is residential training?
 
Residential Training, or Dog Boot Camp is training that requires for your dog to be left with us for the duration of the training.  Our programmes enable your dog to learn commands quickly and effectively.  Having your dog living with us means that we can be consistent and put countless repetitions of commands in place to accomplish a great deal more than a weekly programme would.
 
Why consider residential training?
 
It is the fastest, cheapest and most efficient method of training a dog.  In a 1 week programme, your dog will participate in over 28 training sessions.  It would take 7 months of weekly training and £1120 to complete the same amount of training in a private training class.  In a 3 week programme, your dog will participate in over 98 training sessions.  It would take 24 months of weekly training and £3920 to complete the same amount of training in a private training class.
 
How early can I enroll my dog for training?
 
Puppy's - from 8 weeks old.  If booking a puppy in for a boot camp stay, we strongly recommend a 21 day stay, or a 7 day stay with an additional stay later on when your puppy reaches adolescence at about 6 to 8 months old.
 
Adolescent dogs - from 20 weeks old to 18 months old - we recommend booking a 14 or 21 day stay.
 
Adult dogs - from 18 months old right up to old age - we recommend any of the 7 to 21 day stays depending on the issue you are having.
 
Where does my dog stay?
 
All dogs that enroll for dog boot camp live with the instructor.  We find that this set-up is far more comfortable and realistic than your dog living in kennels for the duration of a training stay.  It also means that your dog receives daily training in a home environment, dealing with real problems that happen in the home.  At night time and when your dog is resting, we will usually crate your dog so that he can settle down and go to sleep without being disturbed. 

If you do the training, will my dog listen to me at home?
 

Upon completion of your dogs stay, we will provide you with a 2 hour 'handover lesson'.  Within this lesson we will show you what your dog has learnt and provide handler training on a one to one basis.  We will also run through the hand signals and commands that have been taught to your dog and you will receive a YouTube video of your dogs stay.   Where needed, we can also provide printed material outlining the training exercises step by step.  As a bonus, you also receive 5 additional hours of aftercare in the form of 1-2-1 lessons or classes in case you feel that you need extra help when you get your dog back home.

 
Will my dog misbehave when he gets home?

Dogs will be dogs. No form of dog training can guarantee that your dog will never misbehave again. However our method of training is effective, yet simple and easy for you to follow. We guarantee follow up assistance for the life of your dog - we stand behind our training!

How will I find out my dogs progress?

Depending on the individual, we can send you updates as regularly as you like via text, email, phone or facebook.  We can keep in touch and let you know how your dog is getting on and responding to training.
 
 
Where do you train my dog?  

All of the dogs who stay with us benefit from what we call on-location training.  Unlike other schools across the country, we take all of the dogs out into the real world to train, rather than just a training field.   Doing this enables us to teach your dog to respond to commands where he needs it the most - out on a walk and out in public.
 
Your dog is trained whilst on his normal daily walks and is taken out several times per day for intensive training sessions.  In-between sessions, your dog has the chance to relax in the warmth and comfort of the instructors home.  
 
What methods do you use? 
 
We use reward based training.  This means that we will use a variety of rewards and positive reinforcers to motivate your dog.  Teaching a dog to respond through praise and rewards means that your dog will enjoy training and will respond to commands happily and willingly.  On the flip side, we will also put strict rules and boundaries in place so that your dog understands what he is allowed to do and what he is not allowed to do.  If food is used in training, it is used sparingly so that your dog does not become accustomed to receiving a food reward for every behaviour performed.  We like to mix the training up so that eventually, your dog will happily respond for a 'good boy' and a pat on the head most of the time.  Higher value rewards can be used as a jackpot for great behaviour. 
 
What if my dog does not graduate by the end of his stay?

Every dog is an individual by personality, temperament, age and breed, so it is impossible to tell how well a dog will do in the length of stay that you have selected.  Some dogs thrive on a 7 day stay, whereas others would benefit more from a 21 day stay.  It is important for you to understand that we can never guarantee how much your dog will learn in his boot camp stay.  Some dogs will only be able to learn the basics, whereas others will be able to learn the more advanced exercises.

What If I can't see any difference in my dogs training when I come to collect him?

It is unlikely that you wont see any difference in your dog when you come to collect him.  However, it is important that you are realistic in your expectations of your dog!  1 to 4 weeks is only long enough to put the groundwork in place, we cannot teach your dog to be 100% reliable everywhere and against every distraction! Not unless you want your dog to live with us for the next year!  With every stay, we put together a video of your dogs training progress so that you can see what he has learnt and what his potential is.  This is evidence that your dog is certainly capable of listening and responding to us! The next step is teaching your dog how to listen and respond to you as well!  It is then up to you to attend the 2 hour handover lesson and request additional lessons if you find that your dog is not responding to you as well as the instructor.  We do not offer refunds for boot camp stays as it is impossible to guarantee that a dog will respond to training or that he will be reliable after a boot camp stay with us.  If the instructor that is working with your dog feels that extra time would be beneficial, the instructor may discuss with you the options of booking a longer stay.

Can I visit my dog when he is with you?

It is not recommended as visiting can interrupt your dogs training and routine.  We recommend that you only see your dog at the end of the process.

Can you train my dog in a language other than English?

Yes, as long as you provide us with the commands that you would like to use.  We have previously trained dogs in German, Polish and Norwegian.

What happens if my dog needs to see the vet? 

If for any reason your dog is ill or receives an injury, we will take your dog to the vet as soon as we see that your dog needs treatment.  This is usually our own vet, but if you live close enough, you can request that your dog is seen by your vet.  All vet bills are your responsibility as the owner of the dog.  Whilst every care is taken to ensure the safety and health of your dog whilst he is in our care, we cannot guarantee that your dog will not injure himself or become unwell.  We highly recommend that you have pet insurance for your dog.

Once I place a deposit, can I cancel or request a refund?

Deposits are non-refundable. Once you place a deposit we will reserve a spot for your dog in the month specified. If an emergency or unforeseen event occurs and your dog will not be able to attend the reserved date, we can transfer the deposit to the next available month however we do require 30 days notice.  Once full payment is made, placements can be transferred to a later date with 30 days notice, however no refund is available.