Dog Boot Camp in Minnesota

Neuman K-9 Academy's Boot Camp for dogs has quickly become the Nation’s leading camp. Your dog comes and stays at our facility for 8-weeks, or 12-weeks in length, training 7-days a week. This is referred to as 'Board-and-Train,' because your dog will be boarding overnight, and training from course start till graduation.

Our team of trainers will teach your dog how to respond to obedience commands, walking on leash past other dogs, proper etiquette, and household manners.

This full spectrum learning process includes owner training, a necessary part of ensuring a dog maintains these skills lifelong.

The 10-acre campus gives boot campers plenty of room to run and grow. We create an environment that values proper etiquette and reinforces inherent strengths. Dogs in training are engaged in obedience exercises learning impulse control, proper etiquette, physical conditioning, and pack socialization.

This is our most popular dog obedience training program. It is unique and unmatched by anything we have seen nationwide. We have trained well-known breeds such as Pitbulls, German Shepherds, Cane Corsos, Belgian Malinois, as well as breeds like Golden Retrievers and more!

Confidence Building - Obstacle courses, environmental stability, and dealing with adversity is why we call this boot camp. Dogs learn to work through various conditions that build confidence such as jumping in/out of vehicles, going over agility equipment (A-frames and dogwalks), and going up/down stairs.

Obedience Training (on and off-leash) - Practical and necessary commands for daily living. Commands to walk at your side without pulling, sit automatically when you stop sit-stay, down-stay, 'come' when called, 'wait' at doors or in a kennel until released, go into a kennel on command, and more!

Proper Etiquette - Dogs learn to meet-and-greet humans under control and without jumping (all four paws on the floor), sit and wait at heel position when the handler stops, and wait to get in or out of a vehicle on command.

Treadmill Training - We teach dogs to run on a human treadmill; these workouts improve stamina, tone muscles (incline, intervals, power walking), and will help your dog absorb more during the training process.

Pack Socialization - Learning to co-exist within the pack and have proper play style. Boot Camp dogs in training get to run and play in groups of dogs, learning how to act as a pack, and take direction from human pack leaders, the trainers at Neuman K-9 Academy. Dogs in our boot camp also learn to come when called even while engaged in play with other dogs or on a nature hike. Group play and pack exercises are not intended to solve or address dog aggression. If a dog is aggressive, it may be excluded from pack socialization.

Field Trips - Campers will go into public places the final month of training for distraction proofing, public-etiquette, and conditioning to environmental stimulus. This includes stopping and sitting automatically at a crosswalk, holding stationary positions when people or cars pass, and responding to commands in an urban environment.

Video Proof - At the end of boot camp, we create a YouTube video of your dog, demonstrating their ability to wait in a kennel, run on a treadmill, and respond to obedience commands for male/female trainers. This video illustrates our high standard of training, proving your dog's ability to follow commands.

Handler Training - Each one of our programs includes handler training and instruction at graduation. Handler training is a daylong seminar, with hands-on training for owners. Each client or family will learn about the training their dog has received, how/when to use the commands, and proper reinforcement of the training. Handler instruction includes a YouTube seminar of the instruction, as well as a video demonstration of the owner's dog performing the commands, written instructions, a daylong seminar + hands on training, 2-hours of post course completion coaching (group or private session), and lifelong support from the Academy.

Upon completion, your dog will receive a certificate of completion in recognition from the Academy.

8-Week Camp ($6800)

Our dog training camp is designed for dogs 12 months and older, combining on-leash and off-leash training over eight weeks.

Weeks 1–4: Foundational Training (Controlled Environment)
We begin by working with your dog in a controlled, low-distraction environment. During the first four-weeks dogs will perform hundreds of repetitive exercises developing permanent command associations, learning, and mastering proper responses to commands focusing on:

• Name recognition, sit, down, and stay
• Walking politely on-leash
• No jumping or mouthing
• Daily playgroups for healthy socialization with other friendly dogs

Weeks 5–8: Outdoor Transitions & Obedience Training
During these weeks, we begin training transitions outdoors where your dog will learn to respond to commands under distractions. Training includes:

• Obedience drills with simulated distractions
• Sit automatically when handler stops
• Getting in/out of a vehicle on command (if your dog is large enough or physically able)
• Off-leash recall exercises, treadmill training for stamina, nature hikes
• Learning the “drop it” command

Dog commands your dog will learn: Name (eye contact), sit, down, stay, wait at doors, place, off-leash recall, kennel, drop-it, and heel (on-leash). General etiquette like not jumping on humans or mouthing/nipping.

8-week considerations:
The 8-week course includes all the foundation obedience training and commands a typical pet dog will need, as well as simulated obedience drills (onsite) for distraction proofing. The 8-week course does NOT include field trips into the city, or off-leash heeling.

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12-Week Camp ($8800)

The 12-week course covers everything included in the 8-week camp. This advanced dog training bootcamp is ideal for owners seeking reliable on- and off-leash control in real-world environments.

Weeks 9–12 Real-World Obedience & Off-Leash Control
During the final four weeks, your dog will work in public spaces for distraction proofing training, public-etiquette, and conditioning to environmental stimulus. Training includes:

• Stopping and sitting automatically at crosswalks
• Holding stationary positions as people or cars pass
• Responding to commands in urban environments
• OFF-LEASH recall exercises and OFF-LEASH heeling next to the handler
• Duration-building for down/stay, place, and focus exercises to further develop impulse control

Commands your dog will learn: Name (eye contact), sit, down (including from a distance), stay, place, wait at doors, kennel, drop-it, off-leash recall with distractions, and heeling both on- and off-leash.

12-week considerations:
This course is recommended for owners seeking the highest level of obedience, both on-leash, and off-leash.

The 12-week camp includes field trips into the city for distraction proofing, off-leash heeling (where permitted), and longer distance recalls exercises.

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4-Week Continued Education Camp ($3800)

The 4-week Continued Education (CE) Camp is for dogs who have already graduated from our Academy and are returning to enhance and advance their training.

The program will consist of a refresher on previously learned commands before progressing to the next level of skill development. The curriculum depends on your dog’s prior training:

For graduates of the 4-week Puppy Camp:
This program will follow the curriculum from Weeks 4–8 of the 8-Week Boot Camp (refer to the 8-week boot camp)

For graduates of the 8-week Camp:
This course will focus on the more advanced training covered in Weeks 8–12 of the 12-Week Camp (refer to the 12-week camp)

4-Week CE Considerations:
This course is ideal for owners whose dogs have already completed a previous camp at our Academy and are now ready to take their obedience to a higher level.

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* Age: 12 months or older. If your dog is under 12 months, see the Puppy Boot Camp program.
**No pre-requisites are required for this course.
Note: A $200/month fee will be applied for dogs over 100lbs or giant breed puppies needing a colossal size crate.

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Owner Training – Included in All Boot Camp Levels (Priceless)

In order for ANY form of dog training to be successful, it is important for owners to understand how a dog learns from the training, how and when to use commands, and how to handle a dog lifelong in the real world.

Handler training includes: This half-day session covers:

• How and when to use the commands
• How dogs continue to learn throughout their lives
• Your role in guiding and maintaining your dog’s behavior at home

The success of our camp comes in two forms; Training for the Dogs AND Training for the Owners.

Compare Boot Camp Programs

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Boot Camp Enrollment:

Due to the rigorous training involved, we have limited availability. Start dates are:

07/13/25 | 0 spots remaining
08/10/25 | 2 spots remaining
09/07/25 | 4 spots remaining
10/05/25 | 6 spots remaining

**Last Updated on: 7/21/2025**

Get Started

To register:

1. Click the yellow ""Get Started"" button to submit the enrollment form.
2. We'll email you a contract and payment form (50% deposit via Visa/MasterCard).
3. Complete the behavioral questionnaire and health form (signed by your vet). Return both at least 1 week before camp.
4. Arrive with your dog and required items on the start date.

Continued Education and Dog Boarding

Graduates of our dog obedience training camp program are eligible to return at a later date for refresher training, continuing education, or dog boarding. This is an exclusive program made available to graduates of our training program, giving owners a more productive option to boarding at the local kennel. This is a great way to improve what your dog has already learned, plus we provide a familiar environment, refresher training, and lots of exercise!

To see recent graduates of the academy click here --> Dog Training Videos

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In 2007, when our boot camp course came to be, we were one of the few in the Midwest offering this service. Over the years, we have seen franchise pop-ups, and other trainers imitate this course. We have created the industry standard, often referred to as the ‘Ivy League' of dog training schools, and for good reason. We include a comprehensive learning process for dogs, utilizing all four quadrants of operant conditioning, distraction proofing, impulse control, physical conditioning, pack socialization, and more. We provide video proof of every dog that graduates from our Academy, published (publicly) to YouTube. We also understand the importance of owner training; ensuring a lifetime of happiness, freedom, and the ability for dogs to go more places, and be a bigger part of the family.

Our facility is conveniently located in Hugo, Minnesota. We are 28 miles from downtown Minneapolis or 22 miles from St. Paul (Twin Cities, MN). We receive dogs from all over the country and can arrange shipping and receiving from the Minneapolis International Airport (MSP). The in-board training or board-and-train options we provide allow you to enroll your dog for boot camp, even if you are not close to our Academy.

Don't take our word for it! See what clients are saying about Neuman K-9 Academy Dog Training Boot Camp!

Click here to learn 10 Key Benefits of Our Boot Camp.

Other pages you may find helpful:
Neuman K-9 Academy FAQs
Dog Training Articles
For questions, comments or assistance regarding dog boot camp or other training services,Contact Us or complete our Services Inquiry form.