Doggie Boot Camps, The Truth
Some of the greatest dog trainers around the world as well as “old school” obedience trainers don’t even know what a doggie boot camp is. And the dog trainers that have been brought up to speed, do not even entertain, nor see worth in a doggie boot camp.
Their position is: dog owners need to learn how to manage their OWN dogs as many of the problems they exhibit stem from the way they are residing with them; it’s in the relationship!
We see and hear of this too many times. MOST pet owners, because the dog training industry can be very misleading by its terminology often think that their dog knowing a bunch of commands will FIX their problems; this is NOT true.
It is very helpful for your dog to know commands so they know what to do (because if they don’t, they simply can’t do them), BUT truth be told, there is no substitute for your RELATIONSHIP with your dog.
…. And the professional dog trainers will tell you this!
Who Is A Doggie Boot Camp Not Good for?
Like anything else, not everything is good for everyone. This applies to dog board and train programs as well.
“First off, if you’re looking for a professional dog trainer to FIX your obedience training problems via a doggy boot camp, this method of training is PROBABLY not for you and your canine.”
Many of our dog boot camp competitors on Long Island, NY and the surrounding states are fantastic dog trainers! That is great for them; however, for you, we need to be awesome teachers. And just as, or more importantly, you need to be engaged students in order to have a well-trained dog – your dog doesn’t care much about knowing a bunch of commands; however, he MUST realize that he or she has to PERFORM those commands when YOU want or need him to.
Again, when comparing board and train programs we need to not only look at how many commands, the cost & time of the program, but the efficacy and philosophy of the obedience training which largely depends on how well the trainer can train your dog but also teach you how to maintain the obedience that has been installed in your dog or puppy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnGh8QW8bhg&feature=youtu.be
For example: a Nassau County doggie boot trainer offers fifteen (15) commands, via clicker training but fails to explain to the owner that because the dog is young this method of obedience will only take them so far before they have to supplement to it.
The dog trainer who runs a board and train out of Suffolk County offers four (4) commands; however, this seemingly small number of dog training commands is easily understood by the dog as well as easily reinforced by the canine owner. In dog training, more is not necessarily better.
So, if you’re school of thinking regarding doggie boot camps is the more commands, the better the training is – you’re wrong. All the commands in the world will NOT change your relationship for the better unless the dog KNOWS you’ll reinforce them – ALL of the TIME!
With the above said, it’s much easier to reinforce a small amount of meaningful commands that often can create harmony between dog and owner than a bunch of commands that overlap and basically mean the same thing.
Our Nassau County doggie boot camp was devised for both pet owners; we give you nine or ten (10) commands with a focus on a few STRONG commands that will provide solutions to almost 100% of your concerns. So, if you’re the dog owner that has a lot of time and dedication to put into mentally & physically challenging your puppy or dog & seeking the “picture-perfect obedience training,” we offer that. At the same time however, the individual dog owner that doesn’t have as much time (BUT will NEED to be ENGAGED, nevertheless) or doesn’t really care about the picture-perfect obedience but wants to build a better relationship with their dog via structure and control our few SECRET commands which are included with the overall program should get you there!
Doggy Boot Camp Training Guarantees
We FULLY GUARANTEE that your puppy or dog will be trained to ALL the commands Agreed Uopon; however, you will still need to do your part and reinforce the training system.
Sure, many dog trainers will promise or guarantee you results, BUT this does not mean they will GIVE you results. So, whether you believe or disbelieve in our philosophy of dog boot camps, please keep this in mind:
- It is very unethical in our opinion to promise results with a breeding being;
- A guarantee would really have to be detailed because there are so many variables involved:
- Dog’s age;
- Temperament;
- Commitment level of family afterwards;
- Aggression;
- Exercise level;
- Other dogs in household;
- Children
….and the list goes on!
And BTW, where does the guarantee stop? After a week, a month, a year or like the famous “life-time of your dog” type of guarantees that you may observe.
In all honesty we know of a few reputable dog training schools on Long Island that do offer free group classes after completing a dog boot camp venue on a weekly basis; however, most dog trainers are not going to visit your home for free private follow-up lessons with you.
Furthermore, MOST pet owners that elect doggie boot camps, are NOT going to go to the group classes, otherwise they would have enrolled in them to begin with.
There are many pet owners that are looking for the EASY way out, and the majority of the time the results they’re able to get or maintain are going to reflect that position.
Dog training schools in theory are no different than other schools; we train and teach, what you do when you leave the classroom (just like college) is what counts.
Maybe there are 100 students in a college class, not all the grades are going to be the same. How is that? Same teacher. It’s not all about the teacher, a lot has to do with the student’s commitment level – more so with training your dog!
We also find that when pet owners use phrases such as:
1) I do not have the time to train my dog;
2) My dog has to learn NOT to jump;
3) My dog has to learn to get along with other dogs;
4) I NEED this Dog to be FIXED!
….and the like, do not make our cut for our Long Island Doggy Boot Camp Program. Not saying that other dog trainers will NOT accept them into their board and training program, because most will.
Everything, especially obedience training needs to be placed into context. If your dog is protective of you to the point where you cannot walk him or her without fear of him aggressively attacking someone that says “hello” to you, this indicates there is a handler training problem.
A doggie boot camp may help, but you’re still going to require training for you to learn how to handle your dog, for something like this, we’d feel very comfortable training you and your dog to reside in harmony.
A Doggie Boot Camp Can’t Fix….
The dog owners from treating their dog or puppy like:
a. Humans (believe it or not, this is one of the main reasons dog owners will never rid themselves of having an aggressive dog);
b. Equals;
c. Possessions
Additionally, doggy boot camps won’t fix your dog’s aggressive desires such as:
1. Lunging;
2. Barking;
3. Snarling;
4. Biting
UNLESS, you’re willing to change your relationship – the way you’re residing and behaving with your dog or puppy. This is one of the reason many dog trainers offer puppy training consultations; we explain to you what type of relationship you should employ right from the beginning to mitigate bad behavior or unwanted habits.
Are You Discouraged From A Dog Boot Camp?
If you’re not discouraged from inquiring about a doggie boot camp, we’ll try harder – just kidding! Many of you may be thinking…. I sent my last dog to a dog boarding and training and little effort was required to maintain the training, why is this article so negative on this type of obedience training?
We’re not negative, maybe a little more conservative than most dog training schools; we’d rather under-promise and over-deliver!
Yes, it is true that some dogs will require little to almost NO reinforcement and will be obedient. We have had feedback from many past clients that report that since they left our doggie boot camp their dog has been nothing but awesome with very little follow-up on their part. This is not the norm, but the exception.
This may help a bit in putting things into better perspective:
Dogs that require little or almost no management at the completion of doggy boot camps: 25%
If we haven’t scared you off by now, you may want to take a look at who we believe our Long Island Doggy Boot Camp would be ideal for.
