Board and train
Does board and train help with destructive chewing?
Destructive chewing sits awkwardly in a board and train brochure. It is not a skill gap the way leash pulling is, and it happens when nobody is watching, in a house the dog is away from during the program. The buying question is not whether we can teach a dog to stop. It is whether the skills a program does teach are worth the price for your chewer, and when to call your vet.
Last reviewed September 28, 2026
What programs teach
Nothing on the curriculum says chewing, and a few things sit next to it.
No program lists destructive chewing as a skill, and we would rather say that plainly than sell you a fix. A few listed skills sit next to it. Puppy Fundamentals, three weeks at $2,775 + GST, lists crate comfort, a place command and calm around new sights and sounds. On-Leash Foundations, two weeks at $1,865 + GST, lists a place command and working around everyday distractions. Both run on daily one-on-one training inside a structured routine, with socialization and enrichment built in.
What we will not do is forecast that a routine and some enrichment will take the edge off the chewing. A structured routine is what every board and train provides, and a dog who has learned a place command has somewhere to be when you are home and busy. Whether that touches what happens to your baseboards when you are out is not something a program can settle, because the alone hours and the baseboards are yours.
- Chewing is not a listed skill
- Crate comfort in Puppy Fundamentals
- Place command in On-Leash Foundations
- No forecast on your baseboards
Buying questions
What to weigh before booking a program for a chewer.
Start with age and what else is going on. Puppy Fundamentals is built for puppies in their key learning window, and crate comfort on its curriculum is what speaks to a puppy chewing question. On-Leash Foundations is built for dogs who drag and lunge on leash, so bring the whole list if chewing is one item on it. If chewing is the only item, ask about Private Training: $150 + GST per one-hour session with a written weekly plan customized to your home.
Age matters, with hedges. Puppies often chew while teeth come in, and many adolescents chew when energy runs ahead of judgement; those are common patterns, not the only explanations. An adult who damages door frames or drools when left alone is a different question, and not one we answer from a description. Ask your vet about chewing that comes with signs of distress. Behaviour Rehab is built for anxiety, reactivity and aggression, customized after a full assessment.
Asked and answered
The questions people ask us.
Is board and train worth it for destructive chewing alone?
That depends on what else the dog needs, and the consultation is where we sort it out; we recommend a smaller program when it is enough. If chewing is the only concern, Private Training at $150 + GST per one-hour session, with a written weekly plan customized to your home, is one option. If it sits alongside pulling on leash or rough manners, bring the whole list, because On-Leash Foundations is built for those dogs.
Can board and train stop a dog destroying the house when left alone?
No, and we will not promise it. A program can work on crate comfort for a puppy, a place command and a structured routine, and the handover lesson and free follow-up sessions carry those skills home. What happens during the alone hours is outside any program, and if the destruction comes with drooling, panting or damaged doors, ask your vet.
Which program fits a chewing board and train question?
Puppy Fundamentals, three weeks at $2,775 + GST, is built for puppies in their key learning window and lists crate comfort and place. On-Leash Foundations, two weeks at $1,865 + GST, lists place and working around everyday distractions and is built for dogs with leash problems too. Behaviour Rehab is built for anxiety, reactivity and aggression, customized after a full assessment, and the consultation is where we recommend one.
Will the chewing come back after board and train?
Honest answer: no one can tell you that in advance, and we will not guess. Every board and train includes a handover lesson and free follow-up sessions, which is where we look at what is still getting chewed. If the chewing appears alongside signs of distress, ask your vet.
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