Wichita-area trainer (Beth Ericson) offering in-home training, group classes and behavior consultations. Board & train stays of 1, 2 or 3 weeks are held at Wag'en Tail Ranch in Valley Center, KS.
Program details are summarized from A Better Companion's own website. Confirm current pricing, program length, and availability directly with the trainer before booking — and see what to check before you hand over your dog.
A Better Companion is based in Kechi, KS. Full details are on their own site at dogsbybeth.com/services.html. Board and train clients commonly travel from surrounding areas, since the dog stays on site for the length of the program.
A Better Companion does not publish pricing, which is normal for board and train — most trainers quote after an evaluation. Board and train programs generally run $1,500–$6,000 depending on length and intensity. Request a quote to get their number.
Two weeks is the common minimum for meaningful obedience results, and three to four weeks is typical for off-leash reliability. Serious behavior cases — aggression, severe reactivity, resource guarding — generally need four to six weeks or more, and many trainers set a minimum stay for those. Programs shorter than a week are usually best understood as a jump-start or a refresher, not a transformation.
It works when the handoff works. A good trainer can reliably teach your dog new skills in a few weeks, but dogs do not generalize automatically — the results hold only if you learn to maintain them. This is why the go-home lesson and follow-up support matter more than almost anything else in the program. Ask specifically how many follow-up sessions are included and what happens if the behavior returns two months later.
Ask: How many dogs are in your care at once, and who handles my dog? What training methods and equipment do you use, and what happens if my dog does not respond? Where does my dog sleep? Can I visit the facility before booking? How many follow-up lessons are included? What updates will I get during the stay? Vague answers to any of these — especially about methods and supervision — are a reason to keep looking.
Reputable programs are, but the industry is largely unregulated, so due diligence is on you. Visit in person before you book. Ask to see where dogs sleep and exercise, confirm the trainer carries insurance, ask about staff-to-dog ratios and overnight supervision, and check that they have a working relationship with a local vet. Be cautious of any trainer who will not let you see the facility, or who guarantees a specific outcome on a fixed timeline.
Three-week Foundation and four-week Transformation board and train packages in which the dog boards with the trainer near Salina, plus a 3-4 week Puppy Foundations option for puppies under 4 months; lifetime follow-up support is included.
Offers a 1-week board-and-train for obedience and manners foundations and a 2-week option adding off-leash and e-collar work.
Wichita-area board and train with 1-, 2- and 3-week programs at its facility, using relationship-based training without e-collars or prong collars.
Board and train in which the dog spends an extended period with the trainer to work on its issues, sold in 1- to 4-week packages. The business also trains service dogs.
A force-free trainer whose 3-week Boarding School houses dogs in the trainer's family home in Spring Hill. Drop-off is Monday morning, with weekday overnights and Friday delivery home plus in-home lessons.
Boarding, daycare, grooming and positive-reinforcement training in Eudora, serving the Kansas City, KS area. Its Board and Train covers boarding, daycare and tailored training sessions, with a 2-week minimum.