Frequently Asked Questions

It is the most efficient and effective method of dog training.  When a dog is going to perform a critical task such as guide dog for the blind, detection for explosives/narcotics, and other important tasks – the dog is trained by a professional and then turned over to their handler with training.  It is highly successful and the same process we use for boot camp training and service dog training.  Our trainers will train more dogs in a month than the average person will own in a lifetime.  Our experience of training dogs and coaching owners is time proven.
In a four-week program, your dog will participate in 60+ training sessions.  It would take 15 months of weekly sessions and on average – $3,000 to complete the same amount of training in a private training class.  In an eight-week program, your dog will participate in 120+ sessions.  It would take 30 months and on average – $6,000 to complete the same amount of training in a private training class.  This also means you the owner would be investing hundreds of hours of your own time, gas, and efforts with the possibility your dog will not obtain the goal or objective your have for it.

Puppy Camp – 12 weeks or older
Boot Camp – 6 months or older
Protection Service Dog Training – 6 months or older
Psychiatric Service Dog Training – 10 months or older (**pending evaluation**)
Mobility Assistance Service Dog Training – 20 months or older (**pending evaluation**)

Puppy camp is for dogs 3 – 6 months of age.  If a dog is 6 months or older, it would enroll in the Boot Camp course.

Puppy camp costs more because puppies require more time during confidence building and socialization.  They also are more prone to having accidents or needing additional bathroom breaks.  The field trips, obedience training, commands, and curriculum are the same for Puppy Camp and Boot Camp.

No, we have never had a situation where a dog has not remembered it’s owner or family.  That said, if a dog comes direct to our facility from the breeder or rescue, it has not lived in the new owners home nor developed a bond, so it is not to be expected.  We have had dogs stay with us 12+ months that immediately recognized and remembered it’s owners the moment they reunited.

Your dog will stay in our home with its own private crate or kennel, and between training sessions, have supervised opportunities to socialize and play.  Unlike some boarding facilities with potential health risks and the stress of barking dogs, the K-9 Educational Institute is a fenced and gated property in a country setting.  We want our guests to feel at home while living in an environment conducive to dog obedience training.

Dogs with aggression toward humans are some of the most abandoned to eventually be put down.  Here at the K-9 Educational Institute, we take pride in rehabilitating such dogs by turning them into working Protection Service Dogs.  However, this course usually takes longer than our regular Boot Camp and so the price will vary accordingly.  The liability of a dog biting a staff member or person in a public place is a high risk that we have to take on cautiously.  Dogs with aggression such as dog-on-dog aggression, resource guarding, and other forms of behavioral issues may be accepted on a CASE BY CASE basis.  This said, these issues must be disclosed by the owner prior to the dog’s enrollment.  If a dog is enrolled with aggression of which was not disclosed prior to placing a deposit, it will be ejected from the course and the deposit will be forfeited to pay for the vacant spot in the course. If you have questions or are uncertain if your dog would be accepted, please contact us.

Boot Camp training and activities are 7 days a week from camp start to graduation.  The daily schedule will vary depending on time of day for field trips, and duration of exercises depending on where a dog is at in the training process and weather conditions.  If weather is not ideal for working outdoors, we have a climate controlled indoor training center onsite, designed specifically for dogs and dog related activities.

Daily Schedule:

7:00 AM – 8:00 AM Bathroom & Play time
8:30 AM – 11:00 AM Obedience training and field trips
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Bathroom & Play time
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Rest time
1:00 PM – 3:00 PM Obedience, treadmill and field trips
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM Bathroom & Play time
4:00 – 5:00 PM Rest time before dinner
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM Feeding (dinner)
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Treadmill Training & Physical conditioning
8:00 PM – 9:00 PM Bathroom & Play time
9:30 PM – Lights out – Bedtime

Yes.  However you also will need training which is a big part of the success of our course.  Owners’ follow through of commands, correcting unwanted behaviors, and rewarding their dogs for making the right decisions, will be necessary for the dogs’ training to last a lifetime.  We will teach you the commands, hand signals, and protocol for what to do if your dog does not immediately respond to a command.  Upon course completion, you will receive a YouTube link of your dog performing the commands, written go-home instructions, and one-on-one personalized hands on training with you and your dog.  After your dog returns home, we also include two hours worth of follow-up handler training.
Just as police dogs and service dogs are trained by professionals and then turned over to their handler (with training), we complete the training and turn your dog over to you (with training).

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!

We use email as our primary method of communicating with owners during the training process.  We send weekly updates including photos and a short narrative describing how your dog is progressing.

We use a balanced approach to training a dog.  During the learning phase, we use positive motivation, shaping, and luring – performing several hundred repetitions of each command and exercise.  After each dog learns the commands, we transition to a reward based system phasing out these motivators, making the response to obedience reliable.  Once a dog has mastered the commands, we use a specialized method of proofing and generalization by taking field trips and working under distraction.  We do use correction toward the later stages of training however first and foremost, each dog needs to learn the commands and practice them before we hold them accountable.  This is necessary in order for training to be reliable.

Clicker training is a method of marking behavior with a clicker which is followed by secondary reinforcement (treat).  Clicking a clicker or offering a food treat simply will not stop your dog from chasing down a squirrel.

We do not use clickers for training.  In the early stages of training, we mark proper behavior with a release word and reward. However, as we transition into phase two, the dog learns to perform on command.  Our training program is effective regardless of clickers or squirrels.

Yes.  However, we believe in first teaching the dog what is expected through positive motivation before any corrective collars are introduced.  We use a corrective collar to emphasize control, not inflict pain.  There are three phases of dog training: acquiring information (learning), proofing or ensuring the dog understands the command, and generalizing (proficiency through consistent execution).

Over the years we have received hundreds of dogs that have gone through ‘Positive Reinforcement Only’ training courses that have failed at addressing unwanted behaviors.  In order for a negative behavior to be extinguished a negative consequence needs to be applied.  We reward the good behaviors, apply a correction to the unwanted behaviors, and proof responses to commands by use of a corrective collar AFTER a dog has learned what the commands mean and AFTER it has performed them several hundred times.

We require vet records confirming your dog has received the distemper combination, and rabies.  Bordatella is optional – click here to find out why.
We also require a clear fecal sample dated within 30 days of the dog arriving for training.  This information or testing can easily be provided by contacting your vet.

The cost of the course is for boarding and training alone.  If you have a long coated dog, we recommend having their coat trimmed down (50%) prior to beginning the course to help prevent matting.  Routine brushing and bathing can be scheduled during boot camp however an additional fee would apply.  We do NOT offer stylized hair cutting.  At the end of the camp we do offer a bath, ear cleaning, and nail trim for a fee.  This is optional however recommended if you would like your dog clean at the time of pick-up.

Yes.  We accept all breeds of dogs regardless of size.  There is an extra fee per month for dogs enrolled over 100 lbs due to special accommodations needed for a giant size crate, transporting during field trips, and waste clean up.

Once a dog is enrolled we do NOT allow visitation.  The trainers are engaged in training exercises, field trips, and activities that would need to be cancelled in order to accommodate owners visiting.  Instead we send weekly email updates to each owner including a detailed description of the progress made, and pictures of each dog in training.

Yes.  We can train your dog to respond to commands in Czech, Dutch, French, or German for no extra charge.

Dogs are welcome to arrive before or after training camp. However, a boarding fee per/day will apply.

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.  Click here for Payment Policies.

Our Boot Camp and Service Dog Training is unlike any other.  Our satisfied client base is nationwide.

Each custom-tailored program, whether dog obedience, boot camp, positive behavior modification, puppy training, or Service Dog Training, is centered in repetition, consistency, and reward for dogs of all ages and personalities.  We are certain you will see a positive impact in your dog returning home.

Don’t take our word for it – see what clients are saying about K9 Educational Institute!