Training myths
"Board and train is cheating": the myth
Some owners feel a little guilty asking for help, as if sending a dog away for training means skipping the hard part. That worry is reasonable, and it deserves a straight answer. Here is where the myth comes from, what holds up, and how our board and train hands the leash, the cues and the daily habits back to the person who lives with the dog.
Last reviewed October 4, 2026
Where it comes from
The worry behind the word cheating.
The myth usually starts from a fair observation: a dog that behaves for a professional does not automatically behave for its family. Owners hear stories of a dog that came home polished and slid back soon after, and they conclude the training was rented, not owned. Others feel that paying for help means they did not earn the result, as though effort only counts when it happens in your own kitchen.
There is a real point buried in there. Dogs learn in context, and a cue taught in one place, by one person, may not transfer on its own. If a program ended at pickup with a quick wave goodbye, the critics would have a case. The question is not whether someone else started the training. It is whether the owner leaves knowing how to carry it.
- Handover lesson before going home
- Free follow-up sessions included
- Owner learns every tool used
- Same cues at home
What we do instead
The owner becomes the trainer at handover.
Our board and train splits the job on purpose. During the program we do the daily one-on-one work: building the cues, the structured routine and real-world proofing. Then the handover lesson turns the focus to you. You practise the same cues, handle the slip lead or collar yourself, and learn what we watch for. Advanced Off-Leash and Behaviour Rehab add a second follow-up; the others include one.
Follow-up sessions exist because home is a new classroom. Your hallway, your neighbour's dog and your own habits are distractions we never met, so we work through them with you, not for you. On-Leash Foundations also includes lifetime phone and email support. And if you would rather do it all yourself from day one, Private Training at $150 plus GST per session gives you a written weekly plan instead.
Asked and answered
The questions people ask us.
Is board and train cheating?
No, as long as the owner is taught to run the training afterwards. Our programs end with a handover lesson and free follow-up sessions so the skills move from us to you. The dog gets a head start; the household keeps it going.
Will my dog only listen to the trainer after board and train?
Dogs often respond best to the person they have practised with most, which is why the handover lesson matters. You rehearse the same cues and tool handling with your dog before going home. Follow-ups then work on whatever is not transferring at home.
Do I still have to train my dog after board and train?
Yes. The program builds the foundation, but daily life at home is where it either holds or fades. Short, consistent practice of the cues you learned at handover is the owner's part of the deal.
Is private training better than board and train if I want to learn myself?
It depends on your dog, your schedule and how hands-on you want to be. Private Training puts you in charge from the first session with a written plan to practise all week. At the consultation we recommend a format, and we will point you to a smaller one if it covers what you need.
Keep reading
Learn to carry the training
Book a consultation and we will walk you through what the handover covers and which format suits how you want to learn.
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