In Stay and Train, the dog stays in the lodging suites and gets multiple daily lessons on a custom program taught by several trainers. Follow-up support and at-home exercises are provided after graduation.
Program details are summarized from Bark Avenue – Ankeny'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.
Bark Avenue – Ankeny is based in Ankeny, IA. Full details are on their own site at ankenybarkavenue.com/dog-training. Board and train clients commonly travel from surrounding areas, since the dog stays on site for the length of the program.
Bark Avenue – Ankeny 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.
Board and train dogs stay in their trainer's home for the duration; options include a 2-week program, a 4-week program and a 4-week Puppy Foundation program. Each includes a transitional lesson at completion and four follow-up lessons.
Quad Cities day camp, boarding, grooming and training facility. Its Board & Train program has dogs stay at the facility for daily structured training, management, enrichment and skill development.
Des Moines-area obedience school serving Urbandale. It offers puppy and group obedience classes, therapy and service dog training, private lessons, competition training and board and train, for all breeds from 8 weeks old.
Offers one- and two-week board-and-train packages, including multi-dog pricing, for puppies and dogs needing extra attention.
Pet resort at 2811 Hyatt Cir offering Board and Train stays of 1, 2, 3 or 6 weeks using LIMA-based positive reinforcement training; the resort asks owners to reach out for full program details.
Central Iowa trainer near Fort Dodge offering three board and train programs: 10-day Foundations, 3-week Obedience and Manners, and 6-week Advanced Obedience and Recalls, each including private lessons.