When an owner goes away for a weekend, week , two weeks etc, trusting a kennel or boarding facility with their dog can be stressful. More often than not, their dog will have been very well taken care of, but picked up some bad habits from all the other dogs and have spent a lot of time in a kennel.
But with a Sit & Train, a trainer stays at your home with your dog, and not only ensures no bad behaviours are formed, but that any behaviours that have been a problem can be fixed for when you return.
Sit & Trains are especially beneficial for puppies as the trainer can work on basic commands like stay, come here etc, but also help their socializing by taking the out and about on trains, to the park, dog-friendly coffee shops etc.
So what does a Sit & Train look like?
I am currently doing a week long Sit & Train for a 6 month old puppy so thought I would give you a look at an example of one of our days together.
Before the owners left, we met to discuss what commands or problems she wanted me to work on. A few of them included basic commands like down and stay, but also getting used to peeing on training pads, only barking when someone comes to the door, and recall.
Each Sit & Train is tailored to the SPECIFIC needs of the owner and dog.
7am: Up and at 'em! Quickly switch on the coffee pot before heading outside to let the puppy go to the bathroom. Her owner does also want her to be able to go on puppy pads so every other morning I encourage her to relieve herself on those instead of outside. Quick play session when we get back in before breakfast.
9.30am: 45 minute walk
10.15am: Stop at a local dog friendly coffee shop where we practice sitting quietly and patiently around other patrons
1pm: Training session working on basic puppy commands. Followed by play time focused on no-nipping during play
2-5pm: I leave her alone to run some errands and meet another training client. You want her to get used to being along and comfortable with it too.
5pm: 20-30 minute walk, then another training session. For some dogs, getting exercise in before training can help focus their energy and minds. We also train before dinner as we use treat based rewards and I want her to be hungry so the treats mean more!
7.30pm: Play time but incorporating training in too. She loves toys so I use this time to make training fun! We practice fetching toys and bringing them back to me, as well as give and leave it. She is learning that when she brings a toy back to me, it doesn't necessarily mean the end of the game...just more fun!
10.30pm: Last trip outside to go to the toilet
Whenever we do a Sit & Train we make sure to send lots of photos and brief reports to the owner while they are away, as well as writing up a long report for when they return. The service also includes an hour long training session when the owner gets back so we can show what improvements have been made, as well as how to keep making sure their dog stays on track.
If you are interested in having one of our Bone Ball Bark trainers stay with your dog, and train them while you are away, please contact us to find out more!
