Dream Dog
Board & Train Program
Our Board & Train Programs are full immersion programs where your dog lives in our house with us and our dogs on our beautiful 1.7 acres in Minooka, IL. Your dog will also take field trips to do training in new locations such as going on hikes, walks in the park, our friends and/or family houses and pet friendly stores.
Dream Dog Program
*8-12 weeks Board & Train in our Home – your dog doesn’t stay in a noisy kennel but the comfort of our own home during training. We integrate your dog into our household and they enjoy training on our beautiful 1.7 acres.
*6 Private Lessons – be confident in your dog’s training when they come home!
*Ideal for dogs with behavior issues such as intense anxiety, intense reactivity and/or aggression. Also dog’s having major issues with grooming, nail trimming and problems at the vet’s office. These behaviors can also be helped in our Private Lessons.
*Your dog will learn manners and be polite to family members and guests – no more jumping, barking or mouthing!
*TBTE Relaxation Triad
A) Behavioral Down – your dog learns how to actively relax and find that relaxation feels good.
B) DRR – using food to reward calmer and calmer behavior in your dog until they are relaxed, we give them a bit of help in finding relaxation.
C) Conditioned Relaxation – using touch to help your dog relax by relaxing their body which relaxes their mind. This gives your dog the most help of the Relaxation Triad.
*Loose Leash Walking – no more pulling, dragging and/or barking on walks!
*Wait at thresholds – no more running out the door, the crate or the car!
*Field trips to parks, walks in neighborhoods, hiking and pet friendly stores.
*Socialization with our stable, personal dogs and other clients’ dogs.
And More!
*Training Investment: $5200-$6600
Mickey
Mickey used to charge the door aggressively and he is 80 pounds of solid muscle. Here my parents came over for dinner. He has never met them. I am still helping him with food, but he did an awesome job. He then spent most of the time, my parents were over, laying around in free behavior, meaning not in a command, making good choices.
Sadie
Sadie was a three year old dog who came into our program. She was reactive and aggressive and it all stemmed from her being anxious. Through the TBTE Relaxation Triad and patience, she became a different dog. She also learned how to play with our dogs, take field trips to parks, neighborhoods, relatives houses and pet friendly stores. She went from being very anxious to a dog that was relaxed, calm and happy.
Lapka
Lapka was a very scared 16 week old puppy when her owners first brought her in for training. they had only had her for a week or two. Her fear came out as reactivity and aggression. We did a modification of the Dream Dog Program and broke it into private lessons and a shorter board and train session. Lapka did private lessons first working on the TBTE Relaxation Triad, door manners, being more comfortable around me and learning to become more optimistic in life. Then she came in for a four week board and train where I expanded her skills from the private lessons, taught loose leash walking and added field trips to new places. We then continued private lessons to add off leash training, working around more new people and dogs and obedience. She is a much happier dog and we see her several times a year for boarding in our home.
Zeke
We met Zeke after he had bit a few people and had attacked his husky housemate where she needed stitches. He was reactive and aggressive and would have bit us at his evaluation. And cause he couldn’t get us, he almost turned around and bit his owner in redirection. Over several weeks, he helped Zeke feel better through relaxation, the power of discovery, loose leash walking, punishment by reward and letting him know that certain behaviors weren’t allowed anymore, socializing with our dogs and he became a much happier dog.
When we met Zeke in his training evaluation, he was aggressive and would have bit us. Even at his drop off he tried a few times. But after a few weeks of training, you’ll see his transformation about being touched and how he came to enjoy being touched and wanted interaction.
After several weeks of training, Zeke was able to go to a local pet friendly store and did a great job walking around with other people and dogs around.
As Zeke continued his training, we slowly introduced him to other dogs. This happened more in the second half of his program. In the beginning we did social with a muzzle and later on, graduated to no muzzle. In this video, he’s out with our dogs and another board and train, Jackson. When he first came to us, he could not be out with the other dogs as he would have been aggressive toward them. The ultimate goal in this training is not that he is not aggressive cause he’s afraid of being punished (which he isn’t) but because he just feel like being aggressive anymore. It’s an internal change.
Before Zeke went home at the end of his program, we did an event called Dinner with Dogs. We had a few current and past training dogs and their families out and did some training activities followed by eating together. This video clip is when we were tossing toys around as a distraction as we wanted the dogs to lay calmly on the raised cots. As you can see, Zeke is quite optimistic about this activity and not concerned with the numerous strange people and other new dogs in the room, while his owner is working with him.
Not sure which training option is best? Don’t stress; we got you! Fill out our Contact Form and we’ll help guide you.