Did you know that Beyond the Dog is now providing Dog Board and Train Programs to San Francisco clients? During this four-week program, our team, led by Dr. Kristyn Echterling-Savage and Sean Savage, will teach your dog high-level obedience commands, good manners, and address behavioral concerns. In this blog, we will answer commonly asked questions on our board and train program, our training methods, qualifications, and how the program works.
What is taught in our board and train programs?
During this program, your dog will be taught through a personalized training program that focuses on a variety of goals that can include:
- Crate training
- Puppy manners training (chewing, playbiting, and jumping)
- Leash training
- Socializing your puppy
- Potty training
- Teaching your puppy high-level obedience (down, sit, heel, stay, come, wait, etc.)
- Preparing and testing for the Canine Good Citizen Title or Certification
Depending on your dog’s needs, we can address specific behavioral programs such as:
- Separation anxiety
- Resource guarding
- Touch sensitivity
- Fearful behavior.
Now that we’ve briefly discussed what our board and train programs cover, let’s discuss our trainer’s experience.
What experience do our trainers have?
Our Board and Train program is led by our co-founders, Dr. Kristyn Echterling-Savage and Sean Savage, who established Beyond the Dog in 2005. Both Dr. Echterling-Savage and Sean Savage have over 20 years of experience obedience training and addressing behavioral problems.
Dr. Echterling-Savage is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB) and Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), with a PhD in Behavioral Psychology, specializing in animal behavior. As a co-founder of Beyond the Dog, she mentors trainers across all our locations, develops training programs, trains dogs through our board and train program and virtual training programs, and provides expert guidance on behavioral cases nationwide. Her depth of experience ensures our training philosophy is applied effectively, consistently, and compassionately.
Sean Savage is a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC) and Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA). He has extensive experience training dogs in obedience and manners, as well as addressing complex behavioral challenges. Sean manages training programs in Sarasota and Tampa Bay. He also works directly with dogs in our board and train programs.
Shelby Shipp is a dog trainer for our board and train programs, as well as our in-home programs in Tampa Bay and Sarasota. Before joining Beyond the Dog, Shelby worked as a veterinary assistant while completing her Bachelor of Science in Animal Science. She works closely with and trains under the mentorship of Dr. Echterling-Savage and Sean Savage. Shelby has experience training dogs in obedience and manners, and treating complex problem behaviors.
Now that we have discussed our team’s experience, let’s explore our training approach.
Our training approach
To best understand a dog’s behavior, we need to recognize all of the factors that shape their actions. In Dr. Echterling-Savage’s words:
“People think that if you raise a dog ‘right,’ they won’t ever engage in aggressive or problematic behavior, but this isn’t true. Our pets’ behaviors are constantly being reinforced by their environment, and not just by their owner’s actions. An important first step is to acknowledge that external factors can significantly affect an animal’s behavior, which will help us to understand why they might be behaving in a particular manner”.
We take a science-based approach to understanding a dog’s behavior that benefits a dog’s behavioral wellness. A dog’s behavior is complex and affected by many different influences, including their environment, training history, and genetics.
Our training methods use a functional approach that identifies why the pet is engaging in a behavior and then teach them an appropriate way to achieve the same or a similar result. Our approach reinforces positive behaviors that creates lasting, positive associations, helping your dog achieve the best possible results.
We use multiple behavior modification methods to effectively change a dog’s behavior. If you would like more information on how behavior modification works to effectively change a dog’s behavior, we recommend you check out Dr. Echterling-Savage’s blog on “Does behavior modification work?”.
We don’t use fear or pain to punish a dog, which includes shock, prong, or choke collars. In our experience, positive reinforcement and classical conditioning are as effective, if not more effective, in teaching obedience behaviors and treating problem behaviors. If needed, punishment methods that we use include methods that include verbal reprimands and timeouts, depending on the function of the behavior.
For more information, you can check out Dr. Echterling-Savage’s blog on “Does It Matter How You Train Your Dog? The Effects of Aversive Training Techniques on Well-Being“, where she discusses various common aversion techniques, their side effects, and the benefits of using positive reinforcement and other ethical ways to create behavioral change.
How does our board and train program work?
The first step is to contact our pet behavior team to discuss your training concerns, get a personalized recommendation, and decide if a board and train program is right for you.
If you decide to enroll your dog in our board and train program, we ask that you submit your completed “Indirect Assessment of Canine Behavior” questionnaire so that we can better understand your dog’s behavioral history and training goals.
You will then meet with Dr. Kristyn Echterling-Savage for a virtual consultation. During which you can discuss your training goals, any questions that you have, and your dog’s unique needs. Dr. Echterling-Savage will then develop a personalized training program to achieve long-term success in meeting your goals.
Our team, led by co-owners Dr. Echterling-Savage and Sean Savage, will then pick up your dog from your home and fly with them to their home in Tampa Bay, Florida. We will be unable to enroll your dog in the program if they cannot travel in the cabin due to weight restrictions. Though you or a trusted party are more than welcome to bring your dog to Tampa Bay to begin the program. We also provide virtual training programs nationwide if you are unable to enroll in a board and train program or if you prefer virtual training. These virtual programs will be with Dr. Echterling-Savage.
Your dog will live at their home for four weeks as part of the family, with dedicated time for training and leisure. By training in a home setting, your dog can learn skills that will transfer easily to your home. Training will also take place around Tampa Bay to teach obedience commands and socialization skills and address any behavioral concerns. This training can take place at parks, shops, hiking trails, dog friendly beaches, farmers’ markets, and more.
We will keep you regularly updated on your dog’s progress throughout the four week program, with regular conversations, photos, videos, and progress reports. At the end of the four weeks, we will bring your dog back to your home, where you and your dog will undertake 4.5 hours of return and follow up lessons. These lessons are designed to teach you how to manage your dog’s newly learned skills, reinforce desired behaviors and ensure long term success in their training.
We are here to help
For information on how we build a personal relationship with your dog, use our personalized plans to meet your dog’s unique needs and treat behavioral issues, you can check out our blog on “Commonly asked questions on our board and train retreat”.
If you’re interested in enrolling in our Dog Board and Train Programs for San Francisco, you can always contact our Pet Behavior Team today for a free consultation. We also offer virtual training programs to address multiple problem behaviors with Dr. Echterling-Savage. For more information, you can check out our Tik Tok channel, YouTube channel, puppy training blogs, and dog training blogs.
