Choosing a trainer
What questions to ask before booking a board and train
Board and train asks you to hand over your dog, your money and a few weeks of trust on the strength of a conversation. That conversation goes better when you arrive with questions, and it is a fair test of any trainer, us included. Here is the list we would hand a friend, grouped by category, followed by a candid note on which of our answers are published and which wait for the consultation.
Last reviewed October 4, 2026
The checklist
Eight categories, and what to ask in each.
Program and curriculum: ask what the dog will practise each day, and what is not covered. Tools and method: ask which tools are used, how each is introduced, and whether the owner is taught to use them before the dog goes home. Where dogs stay and daily routine: ask where the dog sleeps, how much of the day is training versus rest, and who is with the dogs. Updates: ask how owners hear from the trainer, and what happens if an update worries them.
Handover and follow-ups: ask how long the handover lesson runs, what the owner leaves with in writing, and how many follow-ups are included. Behaviour assessment: ask whether the dog is assessed before a program is recommended, and whether the trainer will say so if a smaller program would do. Prices and terms: ask for the price with GST, plus deposit, cancellation and payment terms. Qualifications: ask how the trainer learned, how long they have done this, and whether a past client can be contacted.
- Curriculum, tools and daily routine
- Updates, handover and follow-ups
- Assessment before any recommendation
- Price, terms and background
Our answers
What we publish, and what waits for the consultation.
Several of our answers are on this site. Curriculum and price are published for every program, including Behaviour Rehab at five to six weeks and $4,850 to $5,760 plus GST after a full assessment. Every board and train includes a handover lesson and free follow-ups. Tools are published: markers and rewards first, then slip leads, prong collars or Educator e-collars matched to the dog and taught to the owner. Dogs stay in clean, comfortable accommodations with fresh water, daily exercise, enrichment and individual care.
The rest is consultation territory, on purpose. Deposits, cancellation and payment terms, how the day is structured for your particular dog, and what a bite history means for the plan are answered at the consultation, not on a web page. The same goes for our own background: ask, and you will get a straight answer in person. The consultation is also where the program is chosen, and when a shorter program covers what your dog needs, that is what we will suggest.
Asked and answered
The questions people ask us.
What should I ask a board and train trainer about tools?
Ask which tools they use, how each one is introduced to the dog, and whether you will be taught to use it before your dog comes home. A trainer who cannot explain why a tool suits your dog, or who will not show you how to use it, has given you your answer.
Is it rude to ask a dog trainer about their qualifications?
No. Anyone taking your dog for weeks should expect the question and answer it comfortably. Ask how they learned, how long they have done this, and what kinds of dogs they have worked with.
Should a trainer assess my dog before I book a board and train?
Yes, and be wary if a program is recommended before anyone has seen the dog. Our consultation is where the program is recommended, and if a less involved program fits your dog, that is the one we recommend.
What price questions should I ask before booking a board and train?
Ask for the full price with GST, what is included in it (tools, handover, follow-ups), and the deposit, cancellation and payment terms in writing. Our program prices and inclusions are published on this site; the terms are covered at the consultation.
Keep reading
Bring the list with you
Book a consultation and ask us every question on this page. You should leave with plain answers, not a sales pitch.
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