Board & train
Does board and train help with stealing and keep-away?
Board and train can help with the dog's half of keep-away, not the household's. A sock disappears, someone shouts, the dog bolts under the table, and the whole room joins in. From the dog's side this is often the best five minutes of the day. A live-in program can work on place and manners around distractions. It cannot teach your family to leave the chase alone.
Last reviewed October 4, 2026
Two players, one game
The curricula cover the dog's half of the game.
Stealing is not a listed skill in any program, but the surrounding manners are. Functional Off-Leash, three weeks at $3,030 plus GST, works on off-leash manners and distraction training. On-Leash Foundations, two weeks at $1,865 plus GST, works on a place command and working around everyday distractions. Puppy Fundamentals works on place too, for the puppy whose mouth is still full of laundry.
Every board and train also includes a structured routine and enrichment, which gives a busy dog something to do besides patrol the laundry basket. A trade or a drop is not named in any curriculum either, so ask at the consultation how it would fit your dog. What the stay cannot touch is the floor at home. If socks stay within reach and someone still lunges for the remote, many dogs pick the game back up, because the dog did not learn it alone.
- Place command listed
- Everyday distractions listed
- No chase from anyone
- Floor management stays yours
Retiring the game
Everyone at home has to retire from the chase.
The handover lesson is a good moment for everyone at home to watch, not only whoever booked. Keep-away usually needs every player to quit, including guests and children. Children never take part in training, but they need to know the rule: no grabbing, no chasing, call an adult. Every board and train includes free follow-up sessions, and On-Leash Foundations adds lifetime phone and email support. Our guide on how to stop a dog stealing things and playing keep-away holds the method.
Bring the inventory to the consultation: what gets taken, where it was, and who ran after it. If the dog has ever frozen, stiffened or growled over a stolen item, that may point to guarding rather than a game; Behaviour Rehab is built for anxiety, reactivity and aggression, after a full assessment. Private Training, $150 plus GST per one-hour session with a written plan for your home, is another option, and Program fit is decided at the consultation, and the smaller choice is the recommendation when it is enough.
Asked and answered
The questions people ask us.
Does board and train fix stealing and keep-away?
It can work on the dog's side: a place command and manners around everyday distractions. The other side is the chase, and that stays with whoever lives in your house. Nobody can promise the stealing ends, because the game needs two players and a program trains one.
Which program is the stealing and keep-away training program?
There is no program with that name. Functional Off-Leash lists off-leash manners and distraction training, and On-Leash Foundations and Puppy Fundamentals both list a place command. The consultation settles the program, including recommending a smaller one when that covers it.
Can board and train help a dog that steals things and then growls?
Growling, freezing or stiffening over a stolen item can point to guarding rather than a game, and that needs a full assessment first. Behaviour Rehab is built for anxiety, reactivity and aggression, five to six weeks at $4,850 to $5,760 plus GST, priced after that assessment. Meanwhile, never punish the growl, trade for a safe toy rather than grabbing, and manage what the dog can reach.
Will a dog still play keep-away with the kids after board and train?
If the kids still chase, many dogs pick the game back up, because the running is the reward. Children do not take part in training, but they do need the household rule: no grabbing, no chasing, fetch an adult. The handover lesson is a good time to agree that rule together.
Keep reading
Ready to retire the chase?
Book a consultation and tell us what gets stolen and who gives chase. We will suggest the format that fits, smaller if enough.
From real owners
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Real Northline dogs