Board and train
Does board and train help a dog that ignores you outdoors?
Sometimes, and the honest step is admitting we do not know why your dog stops listening outside. Limited practice around distractions is one common reason; so are excitement, worry, a cue that has drifted, or a smell that is more interesting today. A board and train can put daily one-on-one work behind the skills around distractions. Whether that helps your dog depends on what is going on, which is what the consultation is for.
Last reviewed September 28, 2026
Two published scopes
Leash on for two weeks, or leash off for three.
Two board and trains speak to a dog who listens indoors and not out. On-Leash Foundations, two weeks at $1,865 + GST, covers loose-leash walking, heel, sit, stay, down and place plus everyday distractions, sends the slip lead and training collar home with the dog, and comes with lifetime phone and email support. Functional Off-Leash, three weeks at $3,030 + GST, covers recall around distractions and manners with the leash off; an Educator remote collar is included, with owner education on using it properly.
Neither program is assigned from one symptom, and we would not want it to be. A dog that ignores you on leash and a dog that ignores you with the leash off are asking different questions, and a dog that is frightened outside is asking a third, closer to what Behaviour Rehab is built for: anxiety, reactivity and aggression, planned and priced after a full assessment. Which one, if either, is recommended at the consultation, and a smaller program when it is enough.
- Two weeks on leash
- Three weeks toward recall
- Educator collar taught to you
- Rehab if fear is the driver
Limits and handover
What we cannot change, and what changes hands.
A board and train cannot change the outdoors. The geese, the joggers and the loose dog with no manners will still be there when your dog comes home, and we do not promise how your dog will respond to any of them. What the program can do is give the dog daily one-on-one practice around distractions inside a structured routine, and give you a handover lesson where the cues, the markers and rewards, and the tools are taught to you.
Bring specifics to the consultation, because they change the answer. Does the dog ignore you everywhere outside, or only when other dogs are in view? Is the leash on or off when it happens? Does the dog look busy, or does it look worried? Would you rather learn the handling yourself, in which case Private Training is $150 + GST for a one-hour session with a written weekly plan customized to your home? Each answer narrows the conversation before it starts.
Asked and answered
The questions people ask us.
Why does my dog ignore me outside but listen at home?
There is more than one possible reason, and we would be guessing without meeting the dog. Limited practice around distractions is a common one; excitement, worry and a cue that has quietly changed meaning are others. The consultation is where we look at which applies to your dog.
Which board and train is for a dog that only listens indoors?
It depends on the leash and on the reason. On-Leash Foundations works on heel, sit, stay, down and place around everyday distractions over two weeks, while Functional Off-Leash works on recall around distractions over three weeks. Neither is assigned from one symptom, so the recommendation waits for the consultation.
Will my dog listen to me outdoors after board and train, or just to the trainer?
We cannot promise how a dog responds to you outdoors after any program. What we can point to is the handover lesson, where the cues and tools are taught to you, and the free follow-up sessions that come with every board and train.
Is private training better for a dog that ignores me on walks?
Sometimes, and it is a fair question. Private Training is $150 + GST per one-hour session with a written weekly plan customized to your home, built for owners who want to do the training themselves with professional guidance, while a board and train puts daily one-on-one work behind the dog instead. The consultation recommends one, and the smaller option when it is enough.
Keep reading
Selective hearing on walks?
Describe where your dog stops listening, leash on or off, and what it does well at home. Book a consultation.
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