Board and train
Board and train without an e-collar
Some owners want the live-in format, the daily one-on-one work and the handover lesson, and would rather the remote collar stayed out of it. That is a reasonable ask, and we would rather hear it before a program is booked than after. This page covers which programs list which tools, what our balanced method means without a remote collar, and what still needs confirming at the consultation.
Last reviewed September 28, 2026
Without the remote
Which programs list a slip lead and training collar.
On-Leash Foundations is two weeks at $1,865 + GST. It works on loose-leash walking, heel, sit, stay, down and place around everyday distractions, and the slip lead and training collar go home with you, along with lifetime phone and email support. Puppy Fundamentals is three weeks at $2,775 + GST and works on crate comfort, name recognition, sit and stay, down and stay, place, leash manners and socialization, and includes free follow-up sessions. Neither program lists a remote collar.
Functional Off-Leash and Advanced Off-Leash are the two programs that include a remote collar. The first works on reliable recall around distractions and off-leash house manners over three weeks; the second works on off-leash heel and sit, stay and down at distance over four. Behaviour Rehab has no fixed tool list, since it is planned and priced after a full assessment. A tool list says what is included, not what is ruled out, so a no-collar request needs a conversation.
- On-Leash Foundations, two weeks
- Puppy Fundamentals, three weeks
- Slip lead and training collar included
- Remote collar listed for off-leash programs
Before you book
The consultation is where a no-collar preference belongs.
We would rather hear a tool preference at the consultation. Tell us plainly: no remote collar, no prong collar, slip lead only. We can then say which programs fit and confirm whether the exclusion works for your dog before you book. No e-collar does not mean no tools, and it does not mean reward-only. Our approach is balanced: markers and rewards teach each skill first, then slip leads, prong collars or remote collars are matched to the individual dog, introduced properly and taught to you.
Here is the honest part. Reliable recall around distractions, off-leash heel and commands held at distance are what our off-leash programs are built to work on, and both include a remote collar. On-Leash Foundations and Puppy Fundamentals are built around leash manners, place and everyday distractions. We recommend a program at the consultation, not before, and a smaller program when it is enough. Whether a tool exclusion changes that for your dog is a question for the same conversation.
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 there a board and train with no e-collar?
On-Leash Foundations and Puppy Fundamentals both list a slip lead and training collar, not a remote collar. That is what is included, not a written exclusion, so tell us at the consultation if you want the remote collar left out and we will confirm whether that works for your dog.
Can board and train be done without a shock collar?
Ask at the consultation, which is where the program is recommended. The remote collars we use are modern Educator collars, included with Functional Off-Leash and Advanced Off-Leash; the two foundation programs list a slip lead and training collar instead. Any exclusion needs confirming for your dog before booking.
Is there a positive board and train in Calgary?
We would call it balanced rather than reward-only. Markers and rewards teach every skill first, then tools are matched to the individual dog, introduced properly and taught to the owner. If you want a live-in program with no remote collar, On-Leash Foundations and Puppy Fundamentals are the two whose listed tools are a slip lead and training collar.
What does skipping the e-collar programs leave out?
Functional Off-Leash and Advanced Off-Leash are the programs built to work on reliable recall around distractions, off-leash heel and sit, stay and down at distance. Both include a remote collar. If your dog's life is leash walks, the house and the yard, those may not be skills you need.
Keep reading
Prefer no remote collar?
Raise it before anything is booked. We will confirm which programs fit your dog and your tool preference. Book a consultation.
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