How To Choose A Board & Train Program

You know your pup needs training. Maybe you’ve known it for a while. The question isn’t whether to “train or not to train,” though; it’s about figuring out which program will support your dog, your family, and your lifestyle the best.

For a lot of pet parents, that search leads to Board and Train, and then, a new set of questions takes over: What’s the difference between a 14, 21, and 30-Day program? What’s the cost of a Board and Train, and is it worth it?

Most people focus on the cost and time their pup will be away from home because they’re often the most obvious factors. Another important question that is often overlooked is: what does your dog actually need? Your answer will help you make the right choice in programs.

JM Pet Resort’s Dog Training Philosophy

The roots of JM Pet Resort & Veterinary Clinic began in dog training. Before there was a full-fledged Resort, a Veterinary Clinic, or even a Retail store, there was JM K9 Training—founded on Jeni Mather’s conviction that every dog, no matter how challenging or misunderstood, deserves a chance to thrive within their family environment.

That mission hasn’t changed in 26 years. What has changed is how much more we are able to offer the dogs and families in our community, our JM Family.

Today, beyond training classes and private lessons, we also offer three distinct Board & Train programs: 14-, 21-, and 30-Day, each built on the same science-based, positive-motivational foundation. The difference between each is the depth of behavioral work, the level of real-world exposure, and the transition support your dog and family will need to maintain progress once they’re home.

What is a Board & Train Program for Dogs?

Board and Train is exactly what it sounds like: your dog comes to stay at our Resort for a set period of time, and we train them every day with consistent structure and care.

Compared to weekly group classes, where learning happens one session at a time (and real-world practice sessions in between are entirely up to you and subject to your availability), Board & Train programs create an immersive environment where progress compounds daily. Our trainers work with your pup twice a day, every day that they’re with us. That consistency is the difference between a dog who “knows” a command and a dog that performs it reliably, in real life, even when there are distractions.

But your dog doesn’t just learn commands in our program. They build good habits, increase their confidence, and learn a calmer default state of being. And the results are so much more than learning basic obedience commands—it's a foundation for a lifelong, harmonious relationship.

And, when it’s time for them to return home, you won’t be left wondering how to pick up the training where we left off. We firmly believe that dog training is a learned skill, and our team will share that knowledge with you. Every Board & Train program ends with a private session at the Resort, where our trainers will work directly with you to teach you the techniques to reinforce the training at home.

JM Pet Resort’s Board & Train Programs

While each of our Board & Train programs are designed to address a spectrum of behavioral needs, the foundation is the same across all three tiers, and it's important to know what you’re getting, regardless of which program is right for your dog!

It All Starts with a Consultation

Every training inquiry at JM Pet Resort & Veterinary Clinic starts with a consultation, which is especially important for pups who may be new to our facility or for those pups that our team isn’t already familiar with.

The consultation is not intended to sell; rather, it's one of the most important things we do before a dog ever sets a paw in our programs.

We’re looking at the underlying reasons for your dog’s behavior, not just the surface symptoms. Sometimes, correcting unwanted behavior requires unlearning past habits before new skills can be taught, and while that can take more time, it’s the only true way to effectively address these behaviors.

What’s Included in a Board & Train Program at JM Pet Resort?

Individualized training two times daily: sessions focused on your dog’s specific needs, history, and skill level; based on what we discussed during the consultation.
Daily socialization in PLAYtrain® Doggie Daycare: structured, supervised playing, learning, always at your dog’s pace.
Multiple daily snout-to-tail wellness checks by our signature Health4PETS® Liaisons: Training and wellness go hand in hand, and there’s nothing better than having the added peace of mind that a “school nurse” is on staff, ensuring your pup is feeling their best during their stay.
Progress updates throughout the program: Stay in the know with updates from our team about what your pup is working on and how they’re doing.
Positive, motivational, obedience training methods: Science-backed, reward-based training; never fear- or aversion-based techniques.
Fresh, clean, and stress-minimizing environment: Our Resort & Veterinary Clinic are regularly sanitized and cleaned throughout the day, every day. We’ve thoughtfully designed our spaces with your dog’s comfort in mind.
Halti head collar included (if not already owned): Our first recommendation for leash skills and yours to keep when your dog goes home.
Complimentary spa bath so your pup feels fresh and clean before going home.
Private 60-minute go-home training session: When the program ends, you’ll meet with one of our Trainers at the Resort, and we’ll teach you how to continue the training at home. You’ll leave knowing exactly how to maintain everything your pup has learned.
Additional resource package: You’ll leave with training guides, technique reminders, and a $50 coupon toward future group training classes.

The 14-Day Board & Train | $1,750

The 14-Day Board & Train program is a great fit for a wide range of dogs’ and pet parents’ needs. In two focused weeks, your dog builds a strong foundation and comes home with real results.

A German Shepherd puppy practices loose leash walking skills inside the lobby of JM Veterinary Clinic during a Board & Train session.

Who Is This Program Right For?

This program is built for dogs who need core skills established, nuisance behaviors corrected before they become harder to undo, or consistent training that busy schedules make difficult to provide at home. It's also an excellent option for pet parents planning an extended vacation—if you’re already planning to board them, why not come home to a better-behaved pup through a 14-Day Board & Train?

Puppies or adolescent dogs who need foundational skills like crate training, potty training, and impulse control. Our structured environment makes these default behaviors, not daily battles.
The boundary-tester jumping on guests, darting out the door, counter-surfing for snacks, or demonstrating selective hearing at the worst times, and also testing everyone’s patience.
Recently adopted dogs who could benefit from structure, a consistent routine, or who need a little extra help figuring out the rules in their new life.
Busy yet devoted pet parents who love their dog deeply but don’t have the time or expertise to run consistent training sessions every day.

What This Program Addresses

Our trainers call them “nuisance behaviors.” Real issues that affect daily life, such as demand barking, inappropriate digging, ignoring boundaries, jumping to greet guests, and leash pulling. Getting ahead of these behaviors before they become ingrained habits is exactly what the 14-Day Board & Train is designed to do.

In this program, we focus on:

Core obedience: loose-leash walking, recall, sit/stay, polite greetings (with humans and other pups), impulsive control
Nuisance behaviors: counter-surfing, door-darting, or other specific pain-in-the-tail behaviors
Crate training and potty training for puppies: seamlessly taught through our structured environment
Foundational confidence-building for shy or easily overwhelmed dogs

Who This Program Isn’t For

The 14-Day Board & Train does not include off-site field trips. Real-world exposure at this level happens within our Resort environment, a rich and varied training setting in itself.

Dogs with fear-based reactivity, aggression, or more significant behavioral challenges are often better served by our 21- and 30-Day programs. Read our blog for the full deep-dive into the benefits of our 14-Day Board & Train program.

PLAYtrain® Specialist Ali works one-on-one with a small brown dog in the playyards.

The 21-Day Board & Train | $2,700

Our 21-Day Board & Train program was developed in direct response to what our trainers and clients were telling us: there was a gap between the foundation work of the 14-Day and the deep behavioral intervention of the 30-Day, and a lot of dogs are living in that space.

Who Is This Program Right For?

The 21-Day program is the right fit for dogs whose needs are more complex than the 14-Day program can responsibly address, but who don’t require the level of behavioral intervention of the 30-Day program.

It’s also an excellent option for pet parents with high expectations who want their dog’s training to go beyond the basics.

Reactive or fearful dogs who need more time to decompress, build trust, and develop confidence before real-world exposure becomes productive.
Dogs with moderately complex behavioral challenges, such as leash reactivity, persistent pulling, and jumping—behaviors that take time to unlearn before new habits can take hold.
Committed pet parents who want their dog’s specific goals addressed thoroughly, beyond just the baseline ‘needs.’

What the 21-Day Addresses

Everything the 14-Day covers, plus more time to focus on:

Leash reactivity, jumping, and pulling, alongside your specific behavioral goals, not just the foundational needs.
Fearfulness and confidence-building for dogs who need additional time before they’re ready to engage (with our team, and with the world).
Moderately complex behavioral concerns that need sustained repetition and habit-formation to address effectively.
Offsite field trips, one of the key differentiators from the 14-Day. Dogs practice their skills in new environments outside the Resort, building the kind of real-world reliability that doesn’t happen in a single setting.

Bad habits take time to undo. The old one has to lose its grip before new ones can take hold. The 21-Day creates the runway to do that work responsibly, without rushing.

The 30-Day Board & Train | $3,500

A full month gives our trainers the time and space to address deep behavioral patterns at their root, not just on the surface, and to build the kind of lasting change that holds up once your pup comes home.

Who Is It Right For

The 30-Day is designed for dogs with deeply rooted behavioral challenges, and for the families who love them and are ready to invest in real, lasting change.

Recently adopted or rehomed dog with unknown or difficult histories who need more time to build trust before any kind of training can take hold
Adult dogs with deeply established behavioral patterns, fear-based aggression or extreme reactivity whose behaviors significantly disrupt daily quality of life and require consistent, focused desensitization to meaningfully change
Families navigating major life changes—a new baby, a move, a significant schedule shift—who need their dog’s behavior to shift reliably before the transition
Dogs who have had no prior training, or whose training didn’t hold, usually because the root cause of the behavior wasn’t addressed, only managed.

What This Program Addresses

Our 30-Day Board & Train targets behavioral challenges at their source, rather than managing the symptoms. The goal is not compliance, but rather a genuine behavioral change that the dog carries with them because it’s become a part of who they are.

Fear-based aggression, extreme reactivity, persistent disobedience, and significant anxiety
Deeply ingrained patterns requiring consistent desensitization and counter-conditioning work
Behavioral challenges where the quality of life for both dog and family is significantly affected

Exclusive to JM Pet Resort’s 30-Day Board & Train

Off-site field trips with a deeper behavioral focus. Beyond environmental exposure, we’re building reliability and generalization across real-world settings.
An at-home follow-up training session. In addition to the go-home session at the Resort, one of our trainers will come to your home to reinforce your dog’s new skills where they actually live. Home is where the behavior has to hold. This is one of the most meaningful things we offer, and exclusive to the 30-Day program.

Read more in-depth information about the benefits of our 30-Day Board & Train program.

A young Golden Retriever waits for her handler’s cue during a 30-Day Board & Train field trip.

What’s the Difference Between Our Board & Train Programs

Not sure which program would be the right fit for your pup?

Here’s a quick reference that breaks down what’s included, what’s different, and how much each one costs, so you can easily compare all three at a glance.

This table compares pricing and features of JM Pet Resort's three Board & Train programs.