# Thinking about doing a 1 week board/train for my 10 month old V



## Vanbpoun (Jul 16, 2014)

Good afternoon everyone,

I am living/working in the Nashville area and there is a small boarding/training program located in Smyrna (30 minutes from me) that I am thinking about having my V do. I am lucky enough that my work (an office type job) lets employees bring dogs to work. However, she acts up quite a bit. (wandering around, whining if I have her leashed, stealing stuff, growling at new people)

Along with that she has a lot of other "quirks" like pulling while on leash and her love for ingesting all things trash. 

I wanted to see if this community has had any negative things to say about boarding/training programs and if you could provide me with some questions I should look into/ask when I tour the facility & meet the trainer. 

Also, did boarding your V have any unintended consequences on their personality? Nona can be incredible sweet and cuddle for hours. So, I am worried she may come back "too different". 

Just let me know any information you can provide (good or bad). 

Thank you, 
Vp


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## Vizsla Baby (Nov 4, 2011)

Unrelated I know but you need to come to our next get together! Probably in the Fall. It might be a bit far, I'm not sure exactly where you are.

http://www.vizslaforums.com/index.php/topic,26938.msg210458.html#msg210458


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

I would want to know how many vizslas they have trained in the past. Have them answer that question before asking this next one. Out of those Vs how many of the owners were happy with the training, and wouldn't mind being a reference. What is their training philosophy, and how many years they have been training? If they have kennel help, and do they do background checks on them. How much time will be spent with your dog each day, how many times a week, and exactly which trainer will be working with your dog, if they have more than one. Do they carry insurance if something were to happen to your dog while its in their care? If not, you may want to take out your own policy. 
If you like all their answers to your questions, go visit the kennels.
The dogs should be happy, and like the trainers. The kennels should be clean, and well maintained.

I'm sure there is more, but those are a few that come to mind.


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

the joys of being self employed, I plan my work to fit in with my dog schedule, (2 days till I get V #2  ), I'm not sure how I'd feel about boarding on of my dogs out, my guess is that I'd have to be in an IC unit or similar type emergency situation before I'd consider it. Not a helpful post, granted, just my opinion.


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## hobbsy1010 (Jun 4, 2011)

I have friends who like myself are self employed mainly in the construction trade who get their dogs walked and board them out when they fancy a weekend 'OFF' :-\

Not for me, I took the commitment to them that I would be there 24/7 and 365 DOTY and like Harrigab mentioned it would take some family catastrophe before they were kennelled away from us.

Not a popular response I bet, just our way with our pups.

Hobbsy


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## ZekieBoysMom (Jul 10, 2014)

I'd question how effective a one week program might be. I work at a hunt club that offers dog training during the summer months. Many of our members will board their dogs with us for a few weeks or even most of the summer for training. Our trainers have mentioned that it can sometimes take one to two weeks before a vizsla will bond with them & trust them enough to be ready to really commence training. They'll spend that first week or two just walking with the Vs and forming a one-on-one bond before starting on any hunt training. Though _maybe _a week-long could be sufficient for your issues.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

I'm retired and have sent a dog to a trainer, or boarded them with a trainer when I went out of state.


Oh how they hate it. Just look how sad they were.


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## Vanbpoun (Jul 16, 2014)

I just want to clarify that I am only contemplating boarding for the specific reason of training. I could never take an "off week/day" and board her away. She is with me at all times. I took a trip to Oregon and instead of flying for cheaper/quicker she and I took a 2,000+ mile trip in the car just so we could be together. 

Another reason I am interested in the boarding/training is because we have done the one night a week group classes for a 6 weeks and even tried private tutoring. However, in group classes it seems like the more "troublesome" dogs get less attention/demonstration and the private classes were just too spaced out to be beneficial. 

I would have to agree that the 1 week board/train might not be optimal. Especially since my V is very hesitant around new people. (Even though we socialized her early and often). I can barely bring myself to even think about not having her around for a week much less TWO! 

Haha, TexasRed they look miserable!


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

A lot of 10 month old Vs still pull on the lead, and these dogs go through stages when some become more alert of strangers. If you type *teenage* in the search box to the right, you will see it can be a troubling time till it passes.

If you don't think you can leave her with a trainer for a extended period of time, don't send her. She would need time to bond with the trainer before any real training would start to take place. Just as she would start to settle in, you would be picking her up. I've seen it happen many times, where the dog is just starting to get it. The family misses the dog, so they pick it up. Months later they bring the dog back, only to repeat the same scenario.
You can't set a time limit, as each dog is different. A bold dog may feel right at home in two days, but a less bold one may take a week or two. A very timid one might never become fully comfortable. 

I would still consider doing the group, and private lessons at the same time. Private to help train you to work with her. Group because it puts her training around other people and dogs.
Sometimes we have to teach these dogs how to settle, by practicing it at home daily. Start small, and add time until you can get her to lay quietly without whining. With mine it starts as puppies in the crate. You whine, so I ignore you. You lay quietly and I will get you out to play, but increase the time they need to be quite with age. I transfer that training to them laying near my feet on a pad. I've even used a spray water bottle on mine as puppies, for yapping. To this day I can pick up a spray bottle and they will stop. I used it last week when Lucy did not want to settle because the cable man was in the backyard.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Another reason I don't like to pull a dog from a trainer early is the dog does not get to have the AHH I've Got IT moment. You know the moment when you see it. Their whole body language changes, and they do it happily, boldly, and with gusto. They have that spark in their eyes. You don't want to rob your dog of that moment.


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## v-john (Jan 27, 2013)

One week isn't a long time to be with a trainer. 

Also, most trainers would rather train the owner, then the dog. Figure, if you train the owner, you are more likely somewhere with the dog, rather then train the dog, and send the dog back to the owner and the owner allow all the bad habits, or "undo" all the training that the trainer just did.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

V-John said:


> One week isn't a long time to be with a trainer.
> 
> Also, most trainers would rather train the owner, then the dog. Figure, if you train the owner, you are more likely somewhere with the dog, rather then train the dog, and send the dog back to the owner and the owner allow all the bad habits, or "undo" all the training that the trainer just did.


I agree, a trained dog does little good for a untrained owner.
I wouldn't say they would rather train the owner than the dog. Some dogs are easier to train than their owners. While other owner may be good but just hit a stumbling block, and needs a little help getting the dog past it.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

I hope my prior post did not sound to blunt.
It comes from my own experience. I did need help with Cash. A trainer worked with him, and then worked with me and him together. Cash was a lot more dog than I had planned on, and I don't think he would be where he is right now, had I not had help. If a dog can leave a trainer scratching his head, and want to think overnight on the next plan of action. I don't think a novice like me had a chance of getting past some of the stumbling blocks I was faced with.


> Some dogs are easier to train than their owners


I once told the trainer I needed to send my husband to him, and his words were "You don't have enough money for me to train him". We both laughed because I knew he was right.


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