Board and train
Can a board and train graduate come back for a refresher?
The handover lesson is not the last time we see your dog. Life moves: a new baby, a move across the city, a winter where the walks got short and the heel got loose. Graduates and existing clients have two ways back in: graduate boarding at $65 + GST per night, with refresher work as an option to ask about, or an hour of Private Training with a written plan to take home.
Last reviewed September 28, 2026
Why graduates return
A slipped standard, a new problem, or a new address.
Start with drift. The place command that held through dinner all summer now breaks when the doorbell goes, or the loose leash tightened back up over a busy autumn. There can be a few reasons: a skill that was never practised in that exact situation, a household routine that changed, or a dog whose life got more interesting than the practice kept up with. We would rather look at what changed than assume the dog forgot or the family let it slide.
The second reason is a new problem: a graduate who was steady around dogs starts barking at cyclists after a scare. New reactivity is its own question, and Behaviour Rehab, built for anxiety, reactivity and aggression, is planned after a full assessment, so we would want to see the dog first. The third is a new home: a different neighbourhood, a new partner, a condo after a house. A private hour at $150 + GST is one way to start that conversation.
- Place breaks at the doorbell
- Loose leash tightened back up
- New reactivity after a scare
- New home, new household rules
Refresher or repeat
What each option includes, and what it does not.
Every board and train includes free follow-up sessions; Advanced Off-Leash and Behaviour Rehab list two, and On-Leash Foundations graduates also have lifetime phone and email support. Those are yours to use, and a question about timing or criteria is a fair thing to bring to one. Private Training is one hour at $150 + GST, and you leave with a written weekly plan customized to your home. Graduate boarding is $65 + GST per night for graduates and existing clients.
That $65 + GST is the boarding rate, not a training fee. Refresher work during a stay is optional; ask us when you book and we will talk through what it could look like for your dog. An On-Leash Foundations graduate who now wants recall at the river is asking for a new skill, and Functional Off-Leash is built to work on reliable recall around distractions. The consultation is where a program gets recommended, and we recommend the smaller one when it is enough.
Asked and answered
The questions people ask us.
Does Northline K9 offer a board and train refresher?
Not under that name, but two options come close. Graduate boarding is $65 + GST per night for graduates and existing clients, and refresher work during the stay is optional rather than included in that rate. Private Training is an hour at $150 + GST and ends with a written plan for the week.
Can a dog go back for more training after graduating?
Yes. Every board and train includes free follow-up sessions, and graduates can also book Private Training or graduate boarding with optional refresher work. If the goal has changed, the consultation is where a program is recommended, including a smaller one when it is enough.
What is graduate boarding refresher training?
Graduate boarding is a $65 + GST per night stay for graduates and existing clients. Refresher work is something you can ask to add while your dog is with us; it is optional and not part of the nightly rate, so tell us what has slipped when you book and we will talk it through.
How do you know if a dog needs a refresher or a whole new program?
Start with what changed. A skill that used to hold and now does not is a different conversation from a goal your dog's program never covered, such as off-leash recall after an on-leash program. The consultation is where that gets sorted, and we recommend the smaller program when it is enough.
Can a dog do board and train twice?
Yes. A graduate can take a second program with a different goal, such as Functional Off-Leash after On-Leash Foundations, and graduate boarding with optional refresher work exists for smaller top-ups. Whether a second program, a refresher stay or the included follow-up sessions fit best is recommended at the consultation.
Keep reading
Ready for a top-up?
Tell us what slipped and when. We will talk through follow-ups, graduate boarding or a private hour. Book a consultation.
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