Costs & pricing
Comparing board and train quotes in Calgary
Two quotes with the same bottom line can describe very different programs. One might be two weeks with a slip lead included; another might be four weeks with a remote collar and two follow-ups. Below is the nine-point method we would use on any board and train quote in Calgary, ours included, followed by how our own published programs answer each point.
Last reviewed October 4, 2026
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Nine things to line up before you look at the total.
Start with length, in weeks, written beside the price. Then curriculum: not the brochure words but the specific behaviours worked on, such as loose-leash walking, place, recall around distractions or reactivity. Third, tools: is a slip lead, training collar or remote collar included, or will you be buying one afterward. Fourth, the handover: is the owner taught what the dog learned, or is it a pick-up at the door. Fifth, follow-ups: how many, and at what cost.
Sixth, support after the program: phone, email, and for how long. Seventh, where the dog actually stays. Eighth, for a behaviour case, whether the price is quoted before or after someone has assessed the dog; a reactivity quote given sight unseen is a guess. Ninth, whether prices are published at all, since a number you can only get by phoning is hard to compare. Write all nine down for each quote, and only then read the totals side by side.
- Weeks written beside the price
- Tools included or bought afterward
- Handover lesson, not a door pick-up
- Behaviour quotes after an assessment
Item by item
How our published programs answer the list.
Length and price: every program is published with its length in weeks and a figure plus GST, from two weeks for On-Leash Foundations to five or six for Behaviour Rehab, the only program quoted as a range. Tools: Puppy Fundamentals and On-Leash Foundations send home a slip lead and training collar, and both off-leash programs include an Educator remote collar, so the equipment is already inside the figure you are comparing.
Handover and follow-ups: every board and train ends with an owner handover lesson and includes free follow-up sessions, with two listed on Advanced Off-Leash and Behaviour Rehab. Support: On-Leash Foundations carries lifetime phone and email support. Where dogs stay: clean, comfortable accommodations with fresh water, daily exercise, enrichment and individual care. Assessment: Behaviour Rehab alone is priced after a full assessment, because its plan is customized to the individual dog.
Asked and answered
The questions people ask us.
How do you compare board and train programs?
Line up the same nine items from each quote before reading the totals: length in weeks, the specific behaviours taught, tools included, handover lesson, follow-ups, after-program support, where the dog stays, whether behaviour cases are assessed before pricing, and whether prices are published. Two quotes that match on all nine are comparable. Two that do not are different products, whatever the totals say.
What should be included in a board and train price?
Ask for daily training, a structured routine, updates while your dog is away, a handover lesson and follow-ups to be spelled out, because those are where quotes quietly diverge. Ours also include the training tools: a slip lead and training collar on Puppy Fundamentals and On-Leash Foundations, and an Educator remote collar on both off-leash programs. If a quote leaves any of these out, add their cost before comparing.
Why do board and train prices vary so much in Calgary?
Usually because the programs behind them vary: two weeks is not four, a program that includes a remote collar is pricing in equipment, and a behaviour case assessed first is a different service from one quoted blind. Our own published range runs from $1,865 for two weeks to $5,760 at the top of Behaviour Rehab, plus GST.
Does Northline K9 publish its board and train prices?
Yes, every program price is on the site, plus GST. The only range is Behaviour Rehab at $4,850 to $5,760, because that program is customized after a full assessment. Everything else is a single published figure.
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Bring your other quotes
Book a consultation. We will run the nine items against your dog and name the program that matches, smaller one included.
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