Board and train
Board and train over the summer in Calgary
Summer is when a Calgary dog's freedom gets tested: the river pathway, the campsite, the off-leash park, the patio. Only the off-leash park is meant for a dog off leash; on the pathway and the patio, the City of Calgary's bylaw expects a leash, and a campsite has its own rules. This page covers the two off-leash programs, running a program while you travel, and the heat questions to ask before booking.
Last reviewed September 28, 2026
Recall versus permission
A reliable recall and a legal off-leash spot are two different things.
Functional Off-Leash is a three-week board and train at $3,030 plus GST. It works on reliable recall around distractions, off-leash house manners, socialization and distraction training, with a Micro or Mini Educator remote collar included and owner education on the tool. Advanced Off-Leash is four weeks at $3,940 plus GST and works on off-leash heel, advanced recall, sit, stay and down at distance, public manners and advanced distraction training, with two free follow-up sessions.
A recall is a skill; being off leash is a permission, and the two come from different places. In Calgary, a dog off the owner's property is expected to be on leash unless it is in a designated off-leash area, and the City of Calgary publishes the rules. A campsite or a provincial park has its own rules, so check before you unclip. An off-leash park is legal, but it is not risk-free: other dogs are inside the fence with yours.
- Recall around distractions
- Remote collar included and taught
- Check the leash rules first
- Other dogs inside the fence
Timing around travel
The trip you already booked can be the training window.
Every program runs on its own clock, from two to six weeks, and a trip can sit inside that window with the dog training rather than waiting. While you are away you get social-media updates and personal phone or email check-ins, and we gently discourage visits because they interrupt the routine. Plan your return so the handover lesson lands when you are not rushing back to work; that is where the remote collar and the routine become yours.
There is also graduate boarding: $65 plus GST a night, open to graduates and existing clients, with optional refresher work while you are away. It is boarding, and we do not claim it stops a dog from slipping; that depends on what gets practised at home. Once the dog is back, start where distractions are few and add more as your dog shows it is ready. Free follow-up sessions come with every board and train for when it gets shaky.
The programs
Programs and prices
E · 3-week board & train
Functional Off-Leash
Everything in the on-leash program, then the next level: reliable off-leash recall even around distractions.
Includes handover lesson, follow-ups, Educator remote collar
SE · 4-week board & train
Advanced Off-Leash
The full four-week build: from functional foundations to advanced reliability in public environments and around higher-level distractions.
Includes handover lesson, 2 follow-ups, Educator remote collar
Asked and answered
The questions people ask us.
Is summer a good time for a board and train in Calgary?
It is a practical time if you have a trip the program can run through, or an off-leash goal you want to work on before the season is over. We do not claim summer produces a better result than any other month. Which program, and whether a smaller one is enough, gets decided at the consultation.
Can our dog do training while we are on vacation?
Yes. A program can run while you travel, with social-media updates and personal phone or email check-ins along the way. Plan to be home for the handover lesson, since that is where you learn the tools and the routine.
What does a summer board and train program change because of the heat?
The inclusions are the same in July as in January: daily one-on-one training, a structured routine, and clean, comfortable accommodation with fresh water and individual care. How heat is handled for your particular dog is a question to ask at the consultation, especially if your dog struggles in warm weather.
We already finished a program. Can the dog stay while we go camping?
Yes. Graduate boarding is $65 plus GST per night for graduates and existing clients, and refresher work can be added while you are gone. It is a stay, not a second program, so keep your own practice going once the dog is home.
Keep reading
Plan the off-leash summer
Tell us where you want your dog off leash and when you travel. We will say which program fits. Book a consultation.
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