The Problem with Board and Train Programs
I am no stranger to stories about dog trainers committing acts of abuse or neglect. I’ve seen it firsthand, in the news, and have heard far too many personal accounts from clients regarding their experiences with other dog trainers. Still, I wasn’t prepared for the mountain of news articles yielded by a simple Google search for “dog trainer investigation.”
https://abc7ny.com/animal-abuse-rahway-dog-trainer-bubba-luv-training/12949997/
“Police in Rahway are investigating after multiple disturbing videos surfaced from a dog training center. In one, you see what appears to be a man beating and choking a dog. Another shows a man, kneeling on a dog.”
https://www.wptv.com/news/region-c-palm-beach-county/loxahatchee-acreage/dog-trainer-faces-five-charges-of-animal-cruelty
“A 21-year-old dog trainer in Loxahatchee has been arrested and faces five charges of animal cruelty, including video evidence from the owner that shows her apparently choking and kicking dogs.”
These incidents appeared to have happened in “board and train” programs. This is a popular program that involves the owner leaving their dog with a trainer for an extended amount of time. I’ve offered these programs myself with many happy clients as a result. But it’s clear that in too many cases, board and train programs are becoming a massive problem.
This issue is not specific to any particular type of trainer or training philosophy. It transcends the arguments over tools, labels, or techniques. In the articles I found, abuse involved riding crops, leashes, bare hands, feet, and body weight. Abuse requires nothing specific. Neglect, of course, requires nothing at all.
Why does this keep happening? And how do we stop this?
The “why” can be hard to understand until you consider a couple of facts about board and train programs:
They are expensive programs that tend to appeal to newer/inexperienced dog trainers due to the amount of money that can be made.
They tend to be marketed in a way that leads the dog owner to believe that they will have the perfect dog in a matter of weeks or a couple of months with little to no work on their part.
Those two facts can create a recipe for disaster. A newer or inexperienced trainer looking to quickly make a living from dog training can easily get in over their head. Through their marketing, they make promises they can’t keep in the time frame given or with their limited skill set. This puts a great deal of pressure on the trainer to deliver results fast. An inexperienced trainer may resort to heavy-handedness to get those results.
Unfortunately, that heavy-handedness is often not caught unless someone manages to get a video or the dog ends up with visible injuries. More often, the owner only sees that their dog is performing the commands it is given. The trainer gets a glowing review and continues to make a large amount of money by repeating this process.
They take more dogs because that’s more money. And then, in so many cases, they burn out but don’t stop. They can’t stop as they now rely heavily on the income they’re receiving.
That’s when the neglect happens.
https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2023/05/31/dog-trainer-arraigned-animal-cruelty-charges-burlington-firefighter/
“All of the dogs either lost a “significant” amount of weight, were injured, or both. One suffered a foot puncture wound, while another lost 20 pounds, officials said.”
https://www.sylacauganews.com/local/sylacauga-dog-trainer-arrested-for-animal-abuse-amidst-heartbreaking-stories-from-pet-owners
“Several other owners took to social media and reported similar incidents of their dogs returning home injured, starved, or missing after being trained by Shotwell.”
https://www.fox4news.com/news/professional-k9s-dog-death-garland-leia
“Daniels provided FOX 4 with documents showing the results of the necropsy. It confirmed Leia’s cause of death was severe dehydration and heat stroke. “
So, how do we stop this horrific cycle?
Owners - The simplest answer is to choose a different training option. However, I want to be clear that there are many respectable, compassionate trainers offering board and train programs that can be very beneficial. To find them, consider these suggestions:
Don’t assume the trainer is a good choice because they’re a “nice person.” Some of the worst cases of cruelty come from otherwise “nice” people.
If you don’t know much about the trainer, take a group class or private lessons with them first. This will give you a glimpse of their training style, personality, and whether or not they are a good fit.
Forget about labels (force-free, balanced, etc.). I’ve seen horror stories come from all tribes of trainers. DO ask for details about the training process. Be sure you’re comfortable with the response.
Ask what you might need to do in order to maintain and continue the training once it’s done. If you don’t get a detailed response that you’re comfortable with, be skeptical.
Ask where the dog will be staying and if you can see the area first, even if they train from their home. It should be safe, climate-controlled, and clean.
Ask about zoning, insurance, and licenses. A professional should have all of these things in order, if required. (Note: Depending on location, dog training may not require a license, but anyone running a business should have a business license.)
Ask about experience, and be wary if the trainer is vague. Certification is a huge plus if it comes from an organization like NADOI that looks closely at level of experience as part of the criteria for certification.
Understand that even in a board and train program, you WILL have to do a considerable amount of work. These programs are fantastic for getting you and your dog on track, but they are not a quick fix.
Trainers - Staying quiet about this will result in us killing our own profession from the inside out. We have to speak up and demand that our fellow trainers do the following:
Stop adding board and train programs before they’ve acquired extensive training experience. No other program puts more pressure on a trainer than this one.
Stop offering board and train programs because they think it will mean less contact with people. It is our job to keep the owner informed and to train the human as extensively as we train the dog.
Stop marketing board and trains in a way that makes owners view them as a “quick fix.” Not only are they setting themselves up for failure, they’re making it REALLY hard for the rest of us to help owners have realistic expectations.
Stop putting time constraints and expectations on themselves that aren’t realistic.
Stop seeing dollar signs instead of dog lives.
Every time a board and train goes wrong, it reflects on the entire profession. We need to educate owners, and we need to help newer, less-experienced trainers. And most importantly, we need to call out abuse when we see it.