The Truth About Board & Train Programs | Will Bangura, Dog Behaviorist

Are you considering sending your dog to a board-and-train program?

Before you do, listen to this episode.

In this episode of Dog Training Today, Will Bangura, M.S., CAB-ICB, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, FDM, FFCP, explains why board-and-train programs often fail to create lasting behavior change, especially for dogs struggling with aggression, reactivity, anxiety, fears, phobias, and separation anxiety.

Many board-and-train programs promise fast results, but are those results true behavior modification or simply behavior suppression?

You'll learn why aggression is not an obedience problem, why reactivity is not an obedience problem, why fear and anxiety are not obedience problems, and why the pet parent is often the person who needs training the most.

Topics discussed in this episode include:

• The difference between obedience training and behavior modification

• Why emotional problems cannot be solved through obedience alone

• How punishment can suppress behavior without changing emotions

• Why many board-and-train programs rely on electronic collars, prong collars, and other aversive methods

• The hidden risks of behavioral suppression

• Why pet parent education is critical for long-term success

• When board-and-train may be appropriate and when it may not

For more than 35 years, Will Bangura has helped pet parents resolve severe dog behavior problems, including aggression, reactivity, anxiety, fears, phobias, separation anxiety, resource guarding, compulsive behaviors, and dog-to-dog conflict.

Will Bangura is Arizona's only CAB-ICB Certified Canine Behaviorist and provides in-home behavior consultations throughout Phoenix, Scottsdale, Chandler, Mesa, Gilbert, and Glendale, as well as virtual consultations worldwide.

Read the complete companion article and access all resources related to this episode:

https://phoenixdogtraining.com/board-and-train-dog-training-phoenix/

Watch the companion YouTube video:

https://youtu.be/gsvpSTkejgQ

The article includes both the podcast episode and YouTube video, along with additional information about board-and-train programs, dog aggression, reactivity, anxiety, separation anxiety, behavior modification, and what pet parents should know before sending their dog away for training.

Schedule a behavior consultation:

https://phoenixdogtraining.com

Learn more about Will Bangura:

https://dogbehaviorist.com

Subscribe to Dog Training Today for evidence-based discussions on dog behavior, canine psychology, aggression, reactivity, anxiety, behavior modification, and humane dog training.

#PhoenixDogTraining #DogBehaviorist #DogTrainingPhoenix #WillBangura

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Raised by wolves with canine DNA in his blood, having trained more than 24,000 pets, helping you and your fur babies thrive. Live in studio with Will Man Gurama, answering your pet behavior and training questions. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome your host and favorite pet behavior expert, Will Bangurama.

SPEAKER_00 0:42

Thanks for joining me for another episode of Dog Training Today. I'm a certified canine behaviorist. I'm the founder of Phoenix Dog Training. I've been doing this for more than 35 years. I've helped pet parents address aggression, reactivity, anxiety, fears, phobias, separation anxiety, compulsive behaviors, and many of the most challenging canine behavior problems imaginable. Today, I want to talk about board and train programs. This is a topic that often generates strong opinions. And frankly, it should, because the decision to send your dog away for training can have a tremendous impact on your dog's welfare, your relationship with your dog, and the long-term success or failure of the training process. Now, let me start by saying something that may surprise you. I understand why board and train programs are attractive. If you're struggling with a dog that's barking, lunging, pulling, growling, snapping, reacting to other dogs, reacting to people, destroying the house when left alone, or making daily life stressful, the idea of dropping your dog off and having someone else solve the problem sounds incredibly appealing. You're tired, you're frustrated, you've probably spent hours watching YouTube videos, you've probably read articles, you've probably received conflicting advice from friends, family members, social media groups, trainers and veterinarians, perhaps. Everyone seems to have an opinion, and nothing seems to be working. Then along comes a trainer offering a simple solution. Send your dog away for two weeks, three weeks, maybe four weeks, and your problems will be solved. Who wouldn't find that tempting? But here's the problem. Because the biggest misconception in dog training is the belief that the dog is the only one who needs training. The truth is that the person who most needs training is actually the pet parent. And that's not criticism, that's reality. Think about it. Your dog may spend two weeks with a trainer, maybe three, maybe four, but your dog is going to spend the next 10, 12, or 15 years living with you, not the trainer. You are the one who needs to learn how to read canine body language. You're the one who needs to recognize stress signals before they escalate. You're the one who needs to know how to manage difficult situations. You're the one who needs to understand reinforcement, learning, emotions, motivation, and communication. Those skills don't just solve today's problems. Those skills help you navigate every challenge that comes afterward. One of the greatest benefits of working directly with a professional behaviorist or trainer isn't what the dog learns, it's what the pet parent learns. Yeah. When pet parents understand behavior, everything changes. They begin noticing subtle signs of stress. They recognize when the dog is becoming uncomfortable. They identify triggers before an explosion occurs. They understand how their own actions influence outcomes. That's powerful knowledge. And it's knowledge that remains useful for the rest of the dog's life. Board and train programs often remove the pet parent from that educational process. And having one or two transfer lessons after the dog has finished the board and train program simply isn't enough. The dog receives training, the pet parent receives a demonstration. Those are not the same thing. Now, let's talk about another issue. The timeline. One of the first questions I ask when evaluating any training and any training claims is very simple. How long is this supposed to take? If someone tells me they can resolve serious aggression, serious reactivity, intense fear, or separation anxiety in two weeks, alarm bells start going off. Because emotional change takes time. And this brings us to one of the most important distinctions in dog behavior. Obedience training is not behavior modification. Let me say that again. Obedience training is not behavior modification. Teaching a dog to sit, that's obedience training. Teaching a dog to stay is obedience training. Teaching a dog to heal is obedience training. Those are behaviors. Behavior modification involves changing emotional responses. Aggression is not an obedience problem. Reactivity is not an obedience problem. Fear and anxiety are not obedience problems. They're emotional problems. The barking, lunging, growling, snapping, pacing, whining, and destruction are merely symptoms. They're the visible signs of an underlying emotional state. Imagine somebody has a fever. The fever isn't the disease, the fever is the symptom. If you only focus on the symptom without addressing the cause, you haven't solved the problem, have you? The same thing happens with many behavior issues. The reactive dog isn't simply choosing to bark and lunge, an anxious dog isn't choosing to panic, an aggressive dog isn't choosing to experience fear, conflict, or distress. The behavior is the result of what's happening emotionally. And emotions cannot be trained away in a week or two. They have to be changed through carefully structured experiences that create new emotional associations. That process takes time, it requires patience, it requires consistency, and it requires the involvement of the people who live with the dog every day. Now, here's where many board and train programs run into trouble. They're expected to produce dramatic results very quickly. Pet parents are spending significant amounts of money. The facility has a limited amount of time. Results need to be visible. And when speed becomes the priority, punishment often becomes the tool. Let me say that again. When speed becomes the priority, punishment often becomes the tool. Not always, but oftentimes. Electronic collars, prong collars, harsh leash corrections, flooding, intimidation, compulsion. Why? Because punishment works quickly. At least on the surface, if you punish barking hard enough, barking may stop. If you punish lunging hard enough, lunging may stop. If you punish growling hard enough, growling may stop. But stopping behavior and changing emotion are not the same thing. A dog can stop growling and still be afraid, right? A dog can stop barking and still be anxious. A dog can start reacting and still be stressed. The emotional state remains unchanged. The dog has simply learned that expressing those emotions have consequences. That behavior is suppressed, and that's behavior suppression, not behavior modification. And over the years, I've heard the same story repeatedly. A pet parent calls me. They tell me their dog went through a board and train program. Initially, everything seemed fantastic. The dog came home and appeared transformed. The barking had stopped, the lunging had stopped, the reactivity disappeared. Everybody was thrilled. Then something happened. Two weeks later, one month later, maybe two months later, the behavior started returning. Sometimes gradually, sometimes all at once. And in many cases, it came back more intensely than before. Why? Because the underlying emotional issue was never truly addressed. The symptoms were suppressed, the emotions remained. The pressure holding those emotions down eventually weakened. And when it did, the original problem resurfaced. This is especially concerning when it when it's about aggression. Because suppression can create a dangerous illusion. Many dogs communicate discomfort through warning signals, looking away, lip-licking, yawning, freezing, growling, showing teeth. Those signals serve a purpose. They're communication. When punishment suppresses those signals, we haven't necessarily made the dog safer. In some cases, we've made the dog more dangerous because we've eliminated warning signs while leaving the emotional conflict intact. Now, let's discuss another concern: transparency. When you're working directly with your trainer or behaviorist, you're present. You see what's happening. You ask questions. You observe techniques. You evaluate whether you're comfortable with the methods being used. Board and train changes that dynamic. Your dog is somewhere else. You're not observing every interaction. You're not seeing every training session. You're not witnessing every correction. You're trusting someone else to make decisions on your behalf. Most trainers are good people. Most genuinely care about dogs. But the reality is that board and train facilities have produced some of the most disturbing abuse cases that we've seen in the industry. Every year there are stories of dogs being neglected, intimidated, injured, or worse, while enrolled in the training programs. Again, I'm not saying every board and train facility is abusive. I'm saying that lack of transparency creates risk, and risk deserves consideration. Now, is there ever a place for board and train? Yes, I believe there are circumstances where it can make sense. Perhaps a pet parent has a significant physical disability. Perhaps serious health issues prevent participation. Perhaps there are extraordinary circumstances that make direct involvement impossible. But those situations are exceptions. They're not the rule. For the vast majority of pet parents, especially those dealing with aggression, reactivity, fear, anxiety, or separation anxiety, the best outcomes occur when they are actively involved in the process. Because lasting change isn't about creating a dog that obeys commands. It's about creating a dog that feels differently. It's about creating a pet parent who understands behavior. It's about building trust. It's about improving communication. It's about strengthening the relationship. And relationships, well, those can't be outsourced. If there's one thing that I hope you take away from today's discussion, it's this. Training is not something that gets done to a dog. Training is something that a dog and a pet parent learn together. The goal isn't simply to stop behavior. The goal is to understand behavior. The goal isn't simply compliance. The goal is emotional well-being. The goal isn't a quick fix. The goal is lasting, reliable, durable change. And lasting change comes from education, patience, consistency, and understanding. Well, that music means that we are out of time. Hey, thanks for joining me for this episode of Dog Training Today. If you're struggling with aggression, reactivity, anxiety, fears, phobias, separation anxiety, or other serious behavior concerns and would like professional help, visit PhoenixDogtraining.com to learn more about my in-home and my virtual behavior consultation services. And if you love what we do here at Dog Training Today, do me a favor, leave us a five-star review, share this with somebody, make sure that you subscribe to the podcast so that you never miss an episode. I'm Will Van Gura. Take care of yourself, take care of your dog, and I'll see you next time.