Dog Boot Camp

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.

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!

Boot camp 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.

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.

A dog needs to be able 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.

Dogs enrolled for the 12-week course 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.

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.

Each one of our boot camp 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.

In-board training is a method of training, where we board your dog at our facility for the duration of the training process. Our programs enable your dog to learn commands quickly and effectively. Having your dog participate in daily training sessions is a key component to the success of our training. With consistent and countless repetition of commands, we accomplish much more than a once-per-week program.

Puppy camp is for dogs 4 - 12 months of age. If a dog is 12 months or older, it would enroll in the Boot Camp course. Puppy camp is offered in a 4-week course because it is a fundamentals course for young dogs. We do not offer a 4-week option for dogs 12+ months of age, because by this stage of life, a dog will have established behaviors that will take more time and training experiences to address.

Tuition is $6,800 for the 8-week Boot Camp and $8,800 for the 12-week Boot Camp. Tuition covers your dog's boarding, training 7 days a week, and handler training for you at graduation. A 50% deposit reserves your dog's spot, and the balance is due at graduation. Dogs over 100 lbs, or dogs that need a colossal size crate, have a $200/month fee. Optional services such as special food preparation, grooming, or boarding before or after camp are extra; see our FAQs for details.

An eight-week boot camp includes 120+ training sessions. To match this with weekly private lessons would take well over a year, cost significantly more, and still rely heavily on your time and consistency. At the Academy, professional trainers do the intensive foundation work, then we teach you how to maintain and build on that training at home.

We use all four quadrants of operant conditioning. During the learning phase we go through hundreds of repetitions of each command using positive reinforcement and verbal markers to teach the dog what the commands mean. Once a dog understands the commands and is motivated to follow them, we move to proofing and generalizing: holding the dog accountable so it responds reliably, around distractions, everywhere. That third phase is where we use the electronic collar, never before the dog has learned what is expected. At graduation we teach you the commands and the proper use of the equipment. More about our methods.

Yes, with your follow-through. Owner training is a big part of the success of our course. At graduation you receive hands-on handler training with your dog, written go-home instructions, and a video of your dog performing the commands. After your dog returns home, two hours of follow-up handler training and lifelong support from the Academy are included.

Once camp begins we do not allow visits, because trainers would have to cancel training exercises and distraction-proofing drills to host them. Instead, we email you a weekly update with photos and a description of your dog's progress.

We do not accept dogs with aggression toward humans. Dog-on-dog aggression, resource guarding, and other behavioral issues may be accepted on a case-by-case basis. If you are not sure whether your dog would be accepted, please contact us.

Yes. Families send their dogs from across the country and from Canada. You can bring your dog to Hugo yourself, or book private, door-to-door dog transport with a member of our team. Handler training at graduation is in person, so plan a trip to the Academy for graduation day. See dog boot camp for out-of-state families.