Boarding
Overnight boarding is offered to eligible clients who want an active, competent, and supportive space for their dog to stay while they host in-laws, go on vacation, adjust to a new member of the family, or recover from medical procedures. Boarding is an intensely fun, stimulating, and tiring experience for most dogs. Boarding dogs live alongside Adrian’s working dog in their home, accompany them on hikes, errands, playdates with other dogs, trips out of the city to canoe, explore new trails, and/or attend dog trials, and enjoy plenty of off-leash outdoor exercise and decompression time.
Boarding is *not* designed to tackle specific training or behaviour challenges, or provide comprehensive service dog foundations. If a client is interested in boarding a dog or puppy specifically to work on training issues, please refer to the Board and Train page. New clients interested in boarding services must complete the in-person “Meet and Greet” and book a one-night “Trial Sleepover” before they are eligible to book boarding services. A non-refundable 50% deposit is required for all boarding stays at the time of booking.
Insured, Professional Care
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Roam Dog Training is insured with business insurance and commercial auto insurance
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Adrian is trained in human and canine First Aid and CPR
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Adrian works well under pressure and handles emergency situations calmly, swiftly, and effectively
Comfortable Home Environment
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Dogs live in Adrian’s home with Figment and the cats
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Usually only one or two client dogs boarded at a time
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All boarding dogs are treated with the same love and attention as Adrian's personal animals
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Every dog has access to the home, yard, and all furniture
Adventures and Training Included
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All boarding dogs get life skills training throughout the day, every day
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Consistent routines, patterns, and structure
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Off-leash hikes, sniff walks, play sessions, sports lessons, and other wild adventures
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Daily structured rest and settle time for all dogs
Daily Updates
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Clients receive summaries of training and activities with photos and videos
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Unless Adrian is handling emergencies, unusually busy, or out of cell range, these reports can be expected daily
Puppy Boarding
For puppies younger than six months of age. Suitable for pet dogs, sport dog puppies, and service dog prospects. All boarding puppies will receive daily training and management in order to maintain skills the puppy is learning at home or otherwise outside of boarding. Some of the things puppies may work on during boarding include:
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Urban socialization (public transit, crowds, busy roads, construction noises, café visits, etc)
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Hiking and recall foundations
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Dog and cat socialization
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Handling and grooming practise
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Loose leash walking
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Settling and tether training
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Prevention training for unwanted behaviours (resource guarding, counter surfing, jumping, alert/demand barking, reactivity, etc)
$185 + HST per day
Adolescent Boarding
For puppies 6-18 months of age. Suitable for pet dogs, sport dog puppies, and service dog prospects. Adrian will maintain the current skills of all adult boarding dogs (ex., City skills, hiking skills, settling and tether training, basic cues, leash walking, house manners, prevention and management for unwanted/adolescent behaviours, etc) but will not work on specific training issues. Please refer to Roam Dog Training’s Board and Train services if you are interested in an overnight training program.
$170 + HST per day
Adult Boarding
For dogs older than 12 months. Suitable for pet, sport, and service dogs. Adrian will maintain the current skills of all adult boarding dogs (ex., Recall, settling, basic cues, leash walking, house manners, neutrality to triggers, etc) but will not work on specific training issues. Please refer to Roam Dog Training’s Board and Train services if you are interested in an overnight training program.
$140 + HST per day
Backcountry Camping Trip
For the dog parent who wants to give their adventure dog a taste of Ontario’s beautiful wilderness (without sacrificing themselves to the bugs), or for the avid (or aspiring) camper who is nervous about taking their dog into the backcountry for the first time. Suitable for fit and active dogs and puppies. Canoe or hiking trips are usually 2-4 days in length. Available a few times each summer and fall, space permitting: please get in touch with Adrian for more information. Regular boarding rates apply.
Eligibility Criteria
Dogs displaying any of the following behaviours are NOT eligible for boarding services with Roam Dog Training:
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Aggression, severe reactivity, and/or unsafe behaviour towards other dogs
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Aggression, severe reactivity, and/or unsafe behaviour towards humans
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Unsafe predatory, or other dangerous behaviour concerning cats
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Excessive barking at any point
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Severe separation (including crate/confinement) anxiety
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Moderate to severe resource guarding
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Inability to tolerate riding in a vehicle for short or long periods of time
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Inability to tolerate basic handling safely (if muzzle trained for this specific purpose, an exception may be granted)
*Please reach out for private training if your dog is struggling with any of the above issues, and Adrian will be happy to help!
Boarding vs. Board and Train
Boarding
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Designed for dogs and puppies who are doing well in their training and do not need targeted help in specific areas of training
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No defined training plan or goals are set
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Can accommodate short- and long-term stays
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Can sometimes accommodate emergencies and last-minute requests
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Eligibility criteria are a bit stricter, especially for adult dogs
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More affordable for the client, but with less training support/feedback
Board and Train
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Designed for clients who want targeted help in specific areas of their dog’s training, or for puppy owners who want a trainer to take the lead on basic puppy foundations and socialization
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Custom training plans and goals are made for each dog
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Minimum stay required
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Must be booked in advance. Less flexibility for last-minute requests (ex., I got a puppy TODAY! PLEASE HELP!)
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More expensive, with more training support and feedback for the client