Board & Train 

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One dog. One home. One calm, focused plan.

Some dogs learn best when life slows down and the world makes sense. Our Bespoke Stay & Train offers exactly that: your dog comes to live in a real family home with Caroline or Avril, becomes part of the household, and learns quietly through everyday routines as well as structured training sessions. There are no kennels, no rows of barking dogs, and no conveyor belt of “quick fixes”. Just steady, kind teaching in a peaceful home where clear house rules and calm help dogs exhale and settle.

 

What makes this different

• Only one dog at a time. Your dog receives our full attention from morning to night. This keeps arousal low and lets us tailor the day to their needs.

• A true home environment. Training happens where dogs actually need their manners—by the kettle, at the front door, on the sofa they’re not meant to leap on, in the garden gateway, and out on real walks.

• Experienced hands. You’re working with a clinical canine behaviourist (Avril) or an advanced trainer (Caroline) who live and breathe calm, ethical training. We use reward-based methods and quiet, consistent handling.

• Your goals, our plan. Before any stay, we agree your priorities—your bequests—so we’re working on what matters to you: loose-lead walking, calmer greetings, recall, settling on a bed, polite household habits, car confidence, or decompression for sensitive rescues.

 

A typical day (gentle, structured, calm)

Every day is shaped around your dog, but as a guide:

• Morning settle & house manners. Out to the loo, breakfast on a training plan, this may mean they are working for all or much of their food, so may only be a small breakfast to keep their appetite for training. then a little “life skills” around the home—waiting at doorways, settling on a lead on my chair while I have breakfast, starting the day calmly.

• Training walks. We practise lead walking, attention around real-life distractions, and recall in suitable, secure areas (using a 10-metre rope if appropriate). As we advance this may include other exercises for example stays/sits/downs/close heelwork as well as loose leadwork

• Rest time. Deep rest is as important as training. We build in naps and calm time so learning can stick.

• Short, focused sessions. A few minutes of precision work—position changes, watch at heel, recall, calm greetings—sprinkled through the day.

• Evening wind-down. A gentle potter, a settle beside us on lead if necessary, calming stroking—then bed.

Where appropriate and only with your consent, your dog may meet our own calm resident dogs under careful supervision, learning sensible social skills and house etiquette. If your dog prefers space, we keep it that way.

 

Who this suits — and who it doesn’t

Ideal for:

• Puppies or adolescents needing consistent house rules and better impulse control.

• Rescue dogs who benefit from decompression, predictable routines and gentle confidence building.

• Dogs who pull on the lead, struggle to settle, get over-excited with visitors, or forget their recall when life gets interesting.

• Families who are busy for a spell and would value a kind “reset” carried out by professionals.

 

Not suitable for:
Because this is a family home, our Stay & Train is not appropriate for dogs with dog-to-dog aggression or aggression towards people. If your dog has a more complex history, please book a 1-to-1 behaviour consultation first; we’ll advise the kindest, safest route for everyone.

 

Welfare first, always (including our crate routine)

• Dogs live in the house with us—never in a kennel block.

• Crate routine: just as with our own dogs, guests sleep overnight in a crate, and are crated if left for short periods during the day. We recommend introducing the crate before coming to stay, we can help with the training to make it stress free for you  both, but best they learn this first at home if at all possible. That way Crates are introduced kindly, used positively, and set up as a comfortable resting place. If your dog already has a strong, safe rest routine we’ll mirror that—and we’ll discuss the right set-up for them before the stay.

• We use your dog’s normal diet; please provide enough food for the stay.

• Please send any medication with clear instructions.

• Vaccinations and parasite control should be up to date.

• Transport is safe and secure; gardens are fenced; interactions are supervised.

• Rest is protected; we never drill or “flood”. Calm brains learn best.

 

Your role in the learning

Stay & Train is not a magic wand; it’s a head start. We do the groundwork, then show you how to keep those habits alive at home. Handover includes:

• A clear summary of what we worked on, what your dog now understands, and the exact cues/positions we’ve taught.

• A practical lesson with you at pick-up (or a separate handover if that’s easier), so you feel confident continuing.

• Simple homework and—if you’d like—short video clips showing the handling we’ve used.
  Follow-on one-to-ones or group classes are available to keep everything ticking along.

 

How long should my dog stay?

That depends on your goals and your dog. Short stays can be brilliant for a reset and to identify what really helps; longer stays allow more repetition in different contexts. We’ll be honest about what’s fair to promise and will never oversell results. What we do promise is careful, consistent teaching and clear communication with you. A minimum of 14 days is the best if your goal is all about outcomes.

 

Availability

We only accept one dog at any time, so dates go quickly—especially around school holidays. If this feels right for your dog, please get in touch early so we can talk through your aims and pencil in suitable dates.

 

What to pack

• Your dog’s usual food, measured out

• Comfortable bed (if used at home) and a familiar blanket

• Well-fitting harness/collar and lead (no flexi leads, please)

• Any medication, plus your vet’s details

• A favourite safe toy and a few high-value titbits (to avoid diet change in the first day or two.)

 

How booking works

1. Initial chat. Tell us about your dog and your priorities; we’ll advise on suitability and suggested length of stay.

2. Pre-stay plan. We agree aims, discuss house rules (including the crate routine), and answer any questions.

3. Stay & Train. Your dog lives with Caroline or Avril, working through the plan at a gentle pace.

4. Handover & support. You collect (or we deliver by arrangement), complete your practical lesson, and go home with a simple plan you can follow.

 

Ready to talk?

We’d love to meet you both and explore whether a home-from-home stay is the kindest next step.

• Enquiry form: use the form below and we’ll reply promptly

• Phone/WhatsApp: +44 7505 277374

• Email: avril@thedogcalmer.com

Give your dog the gift of calm, consistent teaching in a peaceful family home—and let’s help them breathe out, learn well, and come back to you ready to thrive with thedogcalmer.