FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Will my dog forget me during the 4+ weeks of training?
Absolutely not! Dogs have a great time here, but there’s no place like home. Every dog remembers its family. Many of our graduates later return for alumni boarding and they are excited to be back. We become extended family for each of our trainees, but no one can replace their actual family!
How do i select the right board & train program?
Our 4-week board & train (the shortest one) is appropriate for the typical family dog who needs to learn obedience and manners, and who probably has a little bit of shenanigans going on (things like jumping on guests, counter surfing, darting out the front door, etc) but no major issues. “Major issues” include anxiety of all kinds (separation anxiety, stranger danger, etc), any kind of aggression (resource guarding, dog aggression, human aggression, etc), leash reactivity, etc. Those major issues require a 6-week board & train at the minimum, but if there are multiple and/or severe issues, the 8-week board & train might be more appropriate. Only the most complicated and severe cases require the 10-week board & train program.
If you’re not sure which program to select, please start by filling out our application. This will give us the information we need to know in order to help you determine which program is right for your dog. Don’t worry about selecting the wrong program—we’ll let you know what your dog needs!
Many dog owners whose dogs could technically be enrolled in the 4-week board & train elect to have them stay for 6 or 8 weeks instead, and that’s okay too. The more time your dog spends here with us, the more time we have to pattern and proof the right family-dog behaviors, and the easier things will be when your dog returns home!
But my dog has already been to a board & train! why does he need to go again?
Many of our clients (I’d say at least 30%) have already been to a board & train program and yet they still need help. It is truly a shame that more dog trainers do not understand (or do not prioritize) what is required for long-term behavior change. It is upsetting that the bar is so low in our industry!
This is exactly what motivates us to be very thorough with our board & train program, to be VERY honest with you about who your dog is and what your dog needs, and to provide long-term support after the board & train. We believe we have an ethical responsibility to do the job right the first time. We aim to be the LAST dog trainer you need to hire, not the next in a long line of trainers.
This is why we don’t offer shorter board & train options, and why we’re so strict about which dogs are eligible for which programs. We have spent many years honing our programs to offer the best possible training, and we will not enroll a dog in a program knowing it will not be successful.
So, if we insist on a certain program for your dog, it’s because our experience tells us that there are deeper rooted issues that need to be addressed in order for the behavior that concerns you to be addressed. Our private lesson program does not offer nearly enough dog-trainer time to address deeper issues and provide behavior modification.
Do you offer private lessons?
We periodically accept applications for private lessons. If applications are being accepted for this program, you will see it listed in the program drop-down on our application. Private lessons are only appropriate for dogs who need to learn basic obedience and manners and whose owner(s) are ready, willing and able to put in the time at home to practice and implement the training skills and required lifestyle between lessons. Private lessons can address minor issues (jumping, counter surfing) but they cannot address more significant issues that require behavior modification. We will always do what’s best for the dog, so if your dog’s issues are too much for private lessons, we will invite you to enroll in our board & train program instead. For more information on which issues are right for private lessons, go to our private lessons page here.
Where will my dog be trained?
All board & train dogs will live and train in my home with my family and my dogs. Your dog will spend time in our training room, in our home living as a typical family dog, in our play yards and on the trails of our property, and on field trips being exposed to lots of different environments.
Do you offer boarding?
Yes! We happily welcome the graduates of our adult board & train program back for boarding anytime. Boarding is only available to graduates of our board & train program because it’s important that all dogs are on the same page in terms of behavior and communication. Boarding includes playtime with human and canine friends, time on the trails with us (weather permitting), and of course, the maintenance of all training protocols. You also have the option to add dedicated training time, structured walks, a bath and/or a nail trim.
Do you have group training classes?
We occasionally offer group classes to the general public but we do not have any running at this time. We do, however, host regular pack walks for our graduates. These pack walks are valuable opportunities for graduates of our programs to practice their skills (and for their families to practice leading them!) with some guidance from your’s truly. It’s also nice to get together with other like-minded dog owners.
You are so far away from me. Do you have other locations?
We train from our home, so no, we only have this one location. However, with our shortest board & train program being 4 weeks, we have had customers drive all the way from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Ohio and even Texas to take advantage of our training. They also spent time at the local breweries and vineyards and made a nice trip of it!
Do you guarantee your results?
No, I don’t believe it’s ethical to guarantee an animal’s behavior. However, I can say that I’ve trained many dogs who have already been through professional training programs, and my training is their last stop. This is because not only do we train the dog, we educate the owners on how to maintain the training during the go-home lessons and go-home materials. We also provide lifelong support. If you are just getting to know us and concerned that there’s not a guarantee, then I would encourage you to follow our daily social media stories for a while. We are intentionally very transparent in Instagram stories (with the same content pushed to Facebook stories) so that folks can get to know us and see both our trainees and our graduates!
I’m going to miss my dog. Can I come visit while s/he’s in training?
We like to think of the program as rehabilitation (or a “behavior reset”) so to get the best results, we do not allow visits during the program. However, all dogs that are here for training become social media stars so that their owners can stay up to date on how they are doing and can learn along with them. Follow along in Instagram or Facebook stories to see the dogs who are currently with us—that will give you a good idea of what to expect once it’s your dog who’s here!
WHAT IS BALANCED TRAINING?
Balanced dog training teaches a dog both “yes” and “no” using various ways to communicate. To encourage desired behaviors, dogs receive rewards (affection, food and/or praise). To discourage undesired behaviors, dogs receive appropriate, fair consequences. There is also plenty of teaching and guiding involved so that the dogs learn to make better behavior choices on their own going forward.
To put that into perspective, if a kid does something they know they shouldn't do, the parent gives them a consequence. Or if they do something great, the parent gives them a reward. Well, the same idea applies to dog training! Without the balance and clarity of both “yes” and “no,” dogs often become confused and anxious as they attempt to figure out this crazy world. We provide the communication, guidance and leadership that helps them understand what exactly is expected of them and empowers them to make better choices.
WHAT TOOLS ARE USED & are they safe?
These are the most frequently used tools at Sadie's Rules:
prong collar (Herm Sprenger brand)
e-collar (E-collar Technologies brand)
martingale collar
crate
slip lead
place cot
All tools used by Sadie’s Rules are safe and effective. I’ve used them for years on both my trainees and my personal dogs. I continue to use them because they provide outstanding communication and clarity, and ultimately make my dogs safer. I can take them hiking off leash, to busy restaurants, and into stores and not have to worry about their behavior.
If you’re wondering if the e-collar and prong collar are really necessary, I recommend checking out this post.
WILL TRAINING CHANGE MY DOG'S PERSONALITY?
Nope! You can train behavior, but you can’t train personality. If you have a silly, quirky dog, it will become an obedient, silly, quirky dog. If you have an insecure, fearful dog, your dog will still be a bit on the nervous side after training, but they’ll return home with more confidence and much better coping skills. Most importantly, you’ll learn how to lead and guide your dog to help them feel safe and secure.
Dogs can and DO learn how to be obedient, calm and mannerly without losing all the personality quirks that make us love them in the first place!
WILL MY DOG BE PERFECT AFTER THE BOARD & TRAIN?
Perfect, no. Dogs aren’t robots, even very well trained dogs. However, your dog will have a fantastic foundation and you will be educated on how to take what your dog has learned and implement it at home. Once your dog graduates, they will need to reshape their associations with how they behavior in your home and with you. This means some work and effort from the family is required make the transition home successful. The coaching, instruction and follow up support we offer during the immediate transition home is what makes our training results “last” long term.
It’s a lot like the relationship you may have with your personal trainer and the work you put in at the gym. You can't just work hard at the gym and then eat McDonald's all day everyday and expect your body to look like David Beckham's—you have to follow your trainer’s instructions at home, too. Luckily, your dog will return home in the best behavioral shape of their life, which means the at-home work will be MUCH easier, much more practical, and more enjoyable.
ARE THERE ANY BREEDS you WON'T TRAIN?
No. I am a firm believer that the breed of the dog does not determine their behavior. However, I realize that certain breeds can exhibit certain traits and patterns, i.e. some breeds are more athletic than others. I do reserve the right not to work with a particular dog and family, should I feel Sadie's Rules is not the right fit for them.
HOW MUCH DO YOU CHARGE?
We are very transparent about our pricing. All rates for adult programs (5 months and older) are listed on the Services page and all prices for the puppy programs (up to 16 weeks) are listed on the puppy training page.
Follow us on social media!
Want more info about our training and our programs? One of the best ways to learn more about us is to follow us on Instagram and Facebook. We post behind-the-scenes footage to our “stories” every day so you can follow along with the training journey of each dog in our program. We also have a YouTube channel filled with tons of tutorials and free info!
