Fully reward-based board-and-train taking only two dogs at a time, with 2-, 3- and 4-week programs and a second location at Farmhouse Pet Lodge in Georgetown.
Program details are summarized from Black Dog Behavior & Training'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.
Black Dog Behavior & Training is based in Wilmington, DE. Full details are on their own site at blackdogbt.com/board-train. Board and train clients commonly travel from surrounding areas, since the dog stays on site for the length of the program.
Published pricing for Black Dog Behavior & Training is 2-Week $3,300 / 3-Week $4,950 / 4-Week $6,600. Confirm directly with the trainer — program length, your dog's needs, and what's included (equipment, follow-up lessons) all change the final quote.
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.
Founded 2023, offers board-and-train programs from 2 to 8 weeks aimed at obedience and resolving behavioral issues.
Runs a 2-week basic obedience Boot Camp and a 3-week Boot Camp for anxiety, reactivity or behavioral issues, both with follow-up lessons and daily updates.
Offers Standard (2-4 wk), Advanced (4-6 wk) and Custom board-and-train programs with three private owner lessons and lifetime group classes.
Husband-and-wife training team based in Northern Delaware. Their 4–6 week board and train has the dog living in their home with their own dogs and cat, and private lessons are included before and after.
Offers 1- and 2-week board-and-train programs where the dog lives with a trainer and returns with seven guaranteed off-leash commands.
In-House Training is a 3-week (21-day) program of training while boarding, offered alongside obedience classes and private lessons.