Before you book
Do you take dogs with a bite history?
A bite changes how an owner talks about their dog. It often starts with an apology and ends with asking whether anyone will take them. We will consider it, through Behaviour Rehab, and the route in is the same for every dog: a full assessment first, which is what decides acceptance. This page covers what the program works on, what can help before the consultation, and what we will not promise.
Last reviewed September 25, 2026
The assessment first
Before a plan exists, we need the whole picture.
The assessment is not a formality; it is what decides whether Behaviour Rehab is the right program and, if it is, what the plan looks like. Dogs with bite histories are accepted into Behaviour Rehab after that full assessment, and the program is customized to the dog once it is done. A bite over a food bowl and a bite at a stranger on the stairs are, in our experience, often different problems, and the assessment is where that gets worked out rather than assumed.
What the program works on is published: a full behaviour assessment, reactivity work at the dog's pace, anxiety rehabilitation, fear-based behaviour work, confidence building and structured socialization, across five to six weeks of daily, individualized one-on-one work. The dog lives inside the routine it is being taught, with enrichment and individual care, and there are no group classes at any point. Two free follow-up sessions and in-depth owner education are included, so the owner learns the why, not just the what.
- Full assessment before any plan
- Acceptance decided by the assessment
- Program customized to the dog
- One-on-one, never a group
Before the consultation
Useful preparation, none of it required.
It can help to have the incident history written down in order before the consultation: where each event happened, who was involved, what led up to it, and what the injury was. That is optional preparation, not an intake requirement. In the meantime we suggest plain management: leash on, gates closed, the trigger kept at a distance, and a basket muzzle introduced slowly with food so it becomes ordinary equipment. In our experience a growl is useful information, so we do not suggest punishing it.
What we will not promise is that the dog never reacts again, or that a bite cannot happen after training; the program works on published goals, not predictions. If a bite was a sudden change in a dog who was never like this, asking a vet first is sensible advice. In Calgary, the City's bylaws page for dogs says an owner must ensure their dog does not bite, injure, chase, threaten or attack people or animals. That responsibility sits outside training.
Asked and answered
The questions people ask us.
Do trainers take aggressive dogs?
We do, through Behaviour Rehab, and only after a full assessment. Aggression, reactivity and anxiety are what that program is built for: five to six weeks of board and train with two free follow-up sessions and in-depth owner education, customized to the dog.
Is there a board and train for dogs that bite?
Yes, with a condition. Behaviour Rehab is a five to six week board and train priced at $4,850 to $5,760 plus GST, and dogs with bite histories are accepted into it after a full assessment, with the plan written once that assessment is done. The dog lives the structured routine it is learning for the whole stay.
Will a trainer take my aggressive dog if it has already bitten someone?
We will consider it, and the answer comes from a full assessment, not from this page. Behaviour Rehab is built for the barkers, the lungers, the hiders and the growlers, and dogs with bite histories are accepted into it once that assessment is complete. Bringing the complete incident history helps, including the events that feel embarrassing, though it is optional.
Is there an aggressive dog board and train in Calgary that works one-on-one?
Everything at Northline K9 is one-on-one and there are no group classes, which matters for a dog who has bitten. During the stay we post updates on social media and check in personally by phone or email, and visits are gently discouraged, since they interrupt the routine being built.
Keep reading
Start with the assessment.
Book a consultation. The incident history is welcome but optional, and we will say honestly whether Behaviour Rehab is the right next step.
From real owners
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