Board and train
Board and train when a second dog joins the household
Two dogs do not split the training work in half. Each one arrives with its own habits, and a board and train goes to the dog you enrol, not to the household. That makes the question less about which dog is the troublemaker and more about which dog has the clearer list of things to work on: the leash, the place command, a recall, or a puppy's crate comfort.
Last reviewed September 28, 2026
Which dog goes
Choose by what each dog needs to work on, not by who arrived first.
If the resident dog is the one with the list, the case for sending it before the newcomer arrives is practical: you get its handover lesson and first weeks of home practice done before a second dog is competing for your attention. On-Leash Foundations, two weeks at $1,865 plus GST, is built for dogs who drag, lunge at squirrels or treat the leash as a suggestion. Functional Off-Leash, three weeks at $3,030 plus GST, works on recall around distractions for dogs with decent manners.
If the newcomer has the list, the calculation is different. A puppy in its learning window is who Puppy Fundamentals is built for: three weeks at $2,775 plus GST, with crate comfort, name recognition, leash manners and structured socialization on the curriculum. How long a new dog should be home before it leaves is an individual question, not a rule; bring that timing to the consultation. Whichever dog goes, we recommend the program at the consultation, including a smaller one when it is enough.
- Training goes to the enrolled dog
- Choose by each dog's list
- Puppy Fundamentals for young newcomers
- Timing is an individual question
Two dogs at home
One dog's training does not write the other dog's rules.
A board and train trains the enrolled dog. It does not train the dog that stayed home, and a trained dog does not establish the other one's behaviour by example; the second dog will need its own teaching. The handover lesson is about the dog that went: what it has worked on and how you keep it going at home. Introductions and shared house rules are planning questions for your particular dogs, and worth raising at the consultation.
Two dogs who have already fought are a different conversation. Anxiety, reactivity and aggression are what Behaviour Rehab is built for: five to six weeks of daily, individualized work at $4,850 to $5,760 plus GST, customized to the dog after a full assessment, with two free follow-up sessions and in-depth owner education. A bite history does not rule a dog out; the assessment decides. See a vet first if either dog is hurt, and keep them apart until there is a plan.
The programs
Programs and prices
W · One-hour session
Private Training
One-on-one coaching with you on the other end of the leash.
Includes a written weekly plan to work from
SW · Weekdays, drop-off 8–10 am · pick-up 5–7 pm
Day Training
Professional training all day, your couch at night.
Includes weekly one-hour go-home lesson, daily structure
NE · 2-week board & train
On-Leash Foundations
If every walk is a wrestling match, pulling, barking, zig-zagging, this two-week program rebuilds the walk from the ground up with foundational on-leash obedience..
Includes handover lesson, follow-up session, lifetime support, slip lead + collar
Asked and answered
The questions people ask us.
Is it worth doing a board and train before getting another dog?
It can be, if the resident dog has a clear list to work on and you would rather do its handover lesson and home practice before a second dog needs your attention. What it will not do is pre-train the newcomer, who arrives with its own habits. Which program, if any, is a consultation question.
Should the new dog be trained before introducing it to the resident dog?
There is no fixed order that suits every pair, and we would rather not pretend there is. How settled the new dog is, what each dog is already doing around the other, and whether there is any tension all shape the timing. Bring the specifics to the consultation and we will talk it through with you.
Which dog should go to board and train when there are two?
The one with the clearer list of things to work on, not the one who arrived first or last. A dog that pulls, ignores a recall or has never held a place command has published programs that work on exactly those things, and a puppy in its learning window fits Puppy Fundamentals. Training the enrolled dog does not train the other one, so the other list still stands.
Two dogs that already fight: will a board and train fix it?
We will not promise a fix, and the honest first step is a full assessment. Behaviour Rehab covers anxiety, reactivity and aggression and is customized to the dog after that assessment; a bite history is handled the same way, assessment first. Until then, see a vet if either dog is hurt and manage the two separately.
Keep reading
Plan the order together
Tell us about both dogs, the one here and the one coming. We will talk through which list to start with. Book a consultation.
From real owners
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