Board & Train vs. Private Lessons: Which One Is Right for Your Dog and Your Family?

One of the most common questions we get is whether a dog should go through private lessons or a board and train program. The honest answer is that there isn’t a universal right choice. The best option depends just as much on the family as it does on the dog.

If you’ve been following us for a while, you may recall that we’ve made some changes to how our programs are structured. One of those changes includes how we handle more serious behavior cases. This post is meant to give some clarity on why we offer both options, how they differ, and how to decide which one makes the most sense for your situation.

There is no “best” program, only the best fit

Training works when it fits into real life. A program that sounds great but doesn’t match your schedule, energy level, or comfort handling your dog is going to be hard to follow through with.

We look at three things when helping a family choose a program. The dog’s needs. The family’s lifestyle. And how much structure the dog realistically needs right now.

When those three line up, training tends to move quickly. When they don’t, even good training plans can stall out.

When private lessons make sense

Private lessons are a great option for many families. They work especially well for dogs with mild to moderate issues and for owners who want to be directly involved in the training process.

This route is usually a good fit when owners have the time to practice between sessions and want to learn how to handle their dog themselves. It also works well when the dog already has a decent foundation and just needs guidance, structure, and consistency layered in.

One of the biggest benefits of private lessons is education. You’re not just handing your dog off and getting them back trained. You’re learning how to communicate clearly, how to manage everyday situations, and how to maintain the training long term.

That hands-on involvement can be incredibly valuable for the right household.

The reality of private lessons

Private lessons do require follow-through. Training doesn’t stop when the session ends. Progress depends on what happens during the week in between.

Life gets busy. Work runs late. Kids have activities. Some weeks are harder than others. When practice slips, training can slow down. That doesn’t mean private lessons don’t work. It just means they work best when families can realistically commit to them.

When board and train makes more sense

Board and train programs remove a lot of the variables that make training harder for busy families. During a board and train, your dog lives with us and follows a consistent routine every day.

This option tends to work well when schedules are unpredictable, when owners feel overwhelmed by behavior issues, or when a dog needs a clear reset in structure. It also allows us to work through patterns more efficiently because there are no long gaps between training sessions.

As part of the changes we’ve made, we now handle major behavior cases exclusively through board and train. This includes things like aggression, serious reactivity, and situations where safety is a concern.

Those cases require close management, controlled environments, and consistency that simply isn’t realistic to achieve through weekly lessons alone.

The upside and the trade-offs of board and train

Board and train offers clear advantages. Training happens every day. Structure is consistent. Bad habits are interrupted quickly. Many dogs settle into the routine faster than owners expect.

That said, it’s not a magic fix. Your dog will be away from home temporarily, and owners still need to learn how to maintain the training once the dog returns. The transition back into the home is an important part of the process, and we spend time preparing families for that.

The difference is that you’re starting from a place of clarity instead of trying to build structure from scratch.

So which one is right for you?

A few honest questions usually make the answer clearer.

How much time can you realistically dedicate each week?
Do you feel comfortable handling your dog through mistakes?
Is the behavior inconvenient, or does it affect safety?
Do you want to build the training alongside your dog, or would you rather start with a foundation already in place?

There’s no wrong answer. There’s just the option that fits your life right now.

A final thought

Training should make life easier, not more stressful. We don’t believe in forcing families into programs that don’t fit, and we don’t believe in under-serving dogs who need more structure than private lessons can provide.

As we continue sharing updates about our programs, we’ll be going deeper into what owners can expect from board and train and how to set dogs up for long-term success once they’re back home.

That will be coming next.