Five Reasons Not to Board and Train Your Dog in denver

By Dion Studinski, Canine Behavioral Consultant

For many Denver dog owners, the idea of sending a difficult dog away to a board and train program sounds like the perfect solution. The promise is tempting: a few weeks at a professional facility and your dog comes back “fixed.” We understand the appeal. Living with a dog with behavior issues can be stressful and even embarrassing in a city where dogs are welcome everywhere, and prevalent everywhere, from trails to parks to patios. But while these programs may sound convenient, they’re often too good to be true. The truth is that you can't send your dog away to a board and train facility in Denver and expect a perfect dog to be delivered back to you. 

A search for “board and training in Denver” will deliver no shortage of companies offering a quick-fix to your dog’s behavior issues. I’d like to offer you important considerations, fair warnings, and an alternative perspective that you should absolutely consider before committing to these programs. 

Board and train facilities are fundamentally the wrong approach to dog training. Here’s five core reasons why:

1. Dogs Learn in Context

I’ll point out something basic right off the bat: your dog is not human. Too many owners make the mistake of thinking their dog sees the world in the same way they do: they don’t.

Dogs are very context focused. For example, if you teach your dog to sit on command in the kitchen, they will not necessarily follow the same command in the park. They learned to respond in one place, but not in others. Until you show him that you expect the same behavior across different situations, they will not understand what is expected.

The same is true of board and train programs. Dogs do not generalize well. A dog may learn to follow commands for a professional trainer in a Denver facility, but that does not mean the behavior will transfer to you. Since dogs are contextual learners, the real work needs to happen with you. For training to be long-lasting and meaningful, your dog must learn to respond in real-life environments and under your direction. The missing piece is not the setting, it’s you.

2. You Need to Rebuild Trust Together

Dealing with a badly behaved or aggressive dog can be a stressful experience. If your dog has exhibited aggression toward you, it may take time before you fully trust them again. But trust does not flow in one direction. Your dog also needs to learn to trust you back, to see you as a steady, confident leader they can rely on.

This is where board and train falls short. Even if a trainer insists that your dog’s behavior has improved, it won't mean much until it happens with you. You need to see your dog’s progress first hand, be part of the process, and feel the change for yourself. Helping your dog overcome behavior issues is not something you can outsource. It is a journey you and your dog must take together. 

3. Old Habits Return at Home

Dogs learn through associations. Your dog’s bad behavior at home may be part of a well-established routine that has been reinforced over time.  A board and train facility can interrupt those habits temporarily, but as soon as they return home, they’ll likely return to old habits.

This is because the associations and routines that triggered the behavior in the first place are still there. Your dog has linked certain situations, cues, or interactions with unwanted behavior, and those connections do not disappear simply because they spent a few weeks away.

That is why your involvement is essential. To break these habits, you need to be inextricably linked with the dog’s training process. Your dog must learn new patterns while working directly with you to meaningfully change their behavior. It is only when you are present and actively guiding your dog through those same triggers that the old associations can be broken and replaced with new ones. If you are not part of that process, the old habits remain unbroken, and the progress rarely lasts.

4. Training Must Address the Root Cause

The right training approach for your dog depends on the cause of their behavior.  Aggression and behavior issues have multiple causes, including fear, territorial instincts, and hierarchical  struggles. In our training, our first order of business is identifying the root cause of your dog’s behavior issues. 

This is the first step to better understanding your dog. Once we understand the underlying problems and how you interact with your dog, we work together to address these issues at their source. 

For example, if your dog is territorial, training them to control their aggression anywhere else but in the home won’t make a bit of difference. If your dog is aggressive  toward you or members of your family, it is likely that this is a form of dominance aggression, something you can’t work on if they are being trained solely by someone else. 

5. You Cannot Remove the Owner From the Equation

The biggest flaw in board and train is that it sidelines the most important piece of the puzzle: you. Lasting behavior change requires your dog to see you as the leader they can trust, and that bond cannot be built by someone in your place. The question is not whether your dog will listen to a professional trainer, it is whether they will listen to you. You must gain the skills and knowledge to ensure that training and good behavior lasts.

Your dog needs to associate guidance, safety, and consistency with you. That trust can only develop when you are actively involved in the training process. Without your presence, your participation, and your leadership, the progress made with anyone else will not stick.

Training your dog is not a quick fix or something that can be outsourced for a few weeks. It is an ongoing process that requires consistency, patience, and your direct involvement. If you do not know the steps the trainer has used, or you do not practice them yourself, the progress will unravel and you will find yourself back at the starting line. 

That is why our approach at Ancillary K9 is centered on building the bond between dog and owner. We don’t just train your dog, we teach YOU too! By giving you the knowledge to understand your dog and the skills to lead them with confidence, we make sure the results last a lifetime. Board and train may look like a shortcut, but without you, it is only a pause button. Real change happens when your dog learns to trust and follow your lead, and that is where the family dog of your dreams and a lifetime of good behavior begins.

Looking for the best local alternative to board & train in Denver? Ancillary K9 offers in-person dog training right here in Denver. 
Looking for aggressive dog training in Denver? We’re your top choice.
Have questions, need help, or struggling with your dog’s behavior and don't know where to turn? Contact us for a free consultation

Further Reading: The Problem With Board & Train