Dog Boot Camp - What ya think?

[Maxy24]

I would never do it, I don't want anyone giving so much as a collar correction to my dog, God only knows what they could do there. If you really had to I would make sure they allow you to attend a class or a day there or something.

[Romy]

Originally Posted by Rebecca4614

I don't think that boarding programs are the best way to train a dog, generally, so I can't believe I'm posting to (kind of) defend them!

Any kind of training program can be bad if the trainer is bad, but if you find a good, experienced, humane trainer, a boarding program can be a good jump start to getting a dog trained, particularly in cases where the dog is way too much for the owner to handle.

Sounds like some folks are put off by the term "boot camp". I think trainers are just using it as a cute marketing thing... I know a dance teacher who does an intensive program called "Salsa Boot Camp" and I don't think that means she's breaking out the shock collars and cattle prods!

As long as the owner has reasonable expectations (not expecting Cujo to come home as Lassie!) and goes with a responsible, experienced trainer that includes sufficient owner training as part of the program, a boarding program isn't necessarily a bad thing.

The biggest problem, that Sizzle pointed out, is that you have no idea what they are doing to your dog. None. Maybe they are being all kissy and lovey dovey, maybe they are zapping him with a shock collar every time he makes a wrong choice turning him into a neurotic mess. Maybe they are putting him on a treadmill unsupervised with a choke chain on, and when he gets tired will get strangled and if he survives will require thousands of $$ of reconstructive surgery to fix it. That actually happened at Cesar Milan's boot camp, and he was sued for it.

Even if there is a good head trainer, is the head trainer there 24/7, or do they have assistants? Do the assistants ever get frustrated and hit dogs? Hang them by the collar?

So, how does one know if it is a good program? You can't really know unless you talk to a lot of clients and find out what results they got. And those results may or may not true for you depending on your dog's individual temperament. My biggest problem with it is, you have no idea what they are doing because you are not there!

[adojrts]

For special cases I have taken in dogs for as long a month or two. But I certainly don't call it a boot camp. I also offer an completely open door policy that they can check on their dog at anytime. I also don't do it for everyone or offer it as one of my services.
I also do alot of in home sessions and sometimes they pay me to train the dog and then train them how to keep the behaviours, not the best but better than no training at all. Everyone so far has had no complaints.
But that is a far cry from a boot camp or offering to train a dog in a bloody week.

[lizzybeth727]

^^^^As usual -