Day Training

What is day training?
Day training is day care and training for your dog. You pick your dog's top 3 training goals and we design a training plan to help you and your dog move towards those goals. Throughout the day with us your dog will get one on one training sessions with our trainers, exercise and play. At pick up you will receive a brief review of how your dog's day went. You will also be emailed homework and videos for you to continue your dog's training at home. One day training session can be a great resource for you but for more advanced training goals, multiple day training sessions can be very beneficial and allow us to progress your dog through your training goals over time. Please call or email us with questions so we can help you determine how many day training sessions you should start with. 

Day training schedule?
On your scheduled day of day training you may drop your dog off as early as 7:30AM. Training will start at 12:00PM noon. Pick up will be between 5:30PM and 6:30PM. At the time of scheduling your day training session please let us know if you need any slight adjustments for drop off or pick up times.

Who is it for?
Day training is great for dogs of all ages who need help with basic to advanced obedience skills, loose leash walking, and common manners issues like jumping when greeting people. This is also a great option for continuing education for dogs who have a great training base but could benefit from a day of training, structure, mental stimulation and exercise. This could also be a great way to teach your dog some new tricks!

Who is is NOT for?
Day training is NOT for dogs with severe separation anxiety, dog/people reactivity, or aggression. Some minor cases of resource guarding may be addressed through day training but this will be considered on a case by case basis. If you are not sure if day training is a good fit for your dog please call us at 423-426-2729 so we can help direct you. 

What does it cover?
You can pick 3 primary training goals for us to address during day training. We will design your dogs training plan with those 3 goals as the primary objectives.  

Prerequisites:
There are no prerequisite classes or skills required for day training.
Dogs of all ages and skill levels are welcome!
Dogs attending day training should be free of aggression or other serious behavioral issues.

What to bring:

• Your dog's vaccination certificate, if we do not already have it on file. 

  •  We require the following vaccines to be up to date:

    • Rabies

    • Distemper/Parvo

    • Bordatella

  • In addition, we require that all dogs attending training with us have a negative fecal exam at least within the past year.

• Your dog should come wearing a well fitting flat buckle collar, ID and a 6 foot flat leash.

  • You may choose to bring your dog with a harness, but please make sure we have a well fitting collar as well.

  • If you have special requests or needs regarding your dog's equipment (if you use a slip collar or lead, gentle leader, prong collar, e-collar, etc or if your dog has a specific need to NOT use any equipment in particular) please let us know.

• About 2 meals worth of your dog's regular kibble

  • Consider skipping your dog's breakfast and sending it with him instead, especially if he is normally free fed or if he isn't normally very food motivated

  • 2 meals worth is probably more than we will use during the day, but it is great to have the option so your dog can get lots of rewards without getting way too many calories throughout the day. At the end of the day when he comes home, you can simply feed him whatever is left over.

• High value treats that your dog likes.

  • Think small, soft, smelly treats, real meat or cheese, or anything else that your dog gets excited for even when there are distractions nearby. Not sure what your dog considers "high-value"? Do some testing before you come, and bring your dog's favorite treats so they'll be ready to train!

• A favorite toy or two

• A chew toy, bone, or kong

  • Your dog will have some down time in his kennel to let his brain rest. A special bone to chew or stuffed kong can help this time to be relaxing rather than stressful.

• Your dog's bed, a blanket, or something that smells like home for his kennel...if he can be trusted with such things

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Expectations:

What we expect of you:

• Be on time:

  • Drop off is between 7:30am and Noon.

  • Pick up is between 5:30pm - 6:30pm.

• Bring your dog and all the previously listed supplies

• Read all written homework and watch all video homework as soon as possible

• DO your homework!

  • Set aside 30-45 minutes each day to work with your dog.

  • Keep up with our exercise and management recommendations when not training. Consistency is key!

• Let us know right away if you have any questions or if you need any help with your homework

What you can expect from us:

• Your dog will receive a full day of mental stimulation and physical exercise.

• We will work carefully with your individual dog to determine the best method to help him achieve his training goals. 

• You will receive an email with video links to watch a trainer working through the homework exercises with your dog.

• You will receive a PDF detailing your homework exercises in step by step instructions.

How much progress should you expect from one day training session?

Unfortunately, day training isn't magical. There is only so much that anyone can absorb in one day, especially when we are talking about manners or habit building. The amount of progress you see when you pick your dog up may differ based on your dog's breed, temperament, socialization, and previous training.

Dog training is a physical skill for both the dog and you as the handler, much like learning a musical instrument, or learning a new sport. Think about how much you might learn from attending an intensive day camp or 5 hour seminar on a particular topic. Your dog's progress will be similar; it is a chance for your dog to learn a lot and get lots of successful practice with a particular skill, but these skills need to be implemented and applied consistently at home in order for you to see the best outcome.