Training & Boarding

Training Program
We offer a one or two week intense training program for dogs 5 months and older.   The one week session is recommended for younger dogs (5-10 months) and two week session for older dogs (9 months and up).   Training includes multiple sessions a day working on sit, come, stay, heel, down and running alongside a bike. We focus on your individual needs and tailor the program accordingly. We take your dog to the next level of obedience. Your dog will be trained by several different handlers, of all ages so he will learn to obey whoever is at the end of the leash. When you come to pick up your dog at the end of the week, we will show you what your dog learned and how to continue teaching at home.  When your golden spends time at Rolling Oaks he will get plenty of exercise and attention by all our family members.  Contact us for available dates.

The cost for this extensive training is $600 for one week, $1200 for two weeks. This price includes

  • a training collar
  • personal DVD of your dog being trained
  • written tips to help you continue at home to have an obedient dog.

dog obedience training

Boarding

We also board golden retrievers for a cost of $25 per day. Your dog will be allowed to romp and play off leash with our dogs on our 200 acre farm. All boarding dogs must have an up to date record of shots, including the borditella vaccination and flea and tick prevention. A bath can be given before your dog returns home for a cost of $50.

Training Tips & Commands

  • All commands are single word commands. Add the dog’s name & use visual hand signals to help confirm command, especially as the distance increases.
  • SIT – sit like a gentleman or lady
  • STAY – hand signal is open palm…dog should not move from spot until you release him by saying “okay” or “come”
  • COME – you can clap your hands or hold your arm above your head and bring it straight down…dog should sit right in front of you
  • DOWN – dog is laying down…hand signal point with pointer finger down to the ground
  • HEEL – Dog walks at your left side behind you enough to follow your lead, at your pace. When you stop, the dog stops & sits.
  • KENNEL – the dog should go into what ever you are pointing at, the car, crate, into a door opening
  • OKAY – the dog is free to go potty, play, explore, and allowed to be a puppy!
  • FETCH – go pick up whatever you have just thrown. Dog should return to you and give you the item when you command “give.” Hand signal – start with your arm at your side, then swing arm towards item to fetch. TIP – fetching is a great way for your dog to get exercise…it should be a fun time for the dog to reinforce sit, stay & come. If he won’t give you the item, squeeze his bottom jaw & say “give” until he releases, then “good boy!”
  • Never test your puppy, always train! Example: You tell dog to stay, then start a timer to see when he moves, that is testing, not training. Training: tell dog to stay and make him stay until you issue a new command.
  • Never, ever, give a command without making your dog complete the command. Example: “Mac, come” if Mac runs away, go get him and make him sit in front of you, then say come with you being 6 feet in front of Mac. He went from feeling out of sorts with you to pleasing you when you had him complete the command.
  • Use single word commands only. Speak clearly & firmly, enunciate with the dogs name first. Say his name to get his attention. Say Mac, COME…not come on big guy, yes, you can come, come here…yeah, come on!
  • Mix training time with your daily routine: make him sit, stay, then come for his food each time you feed him. Also before you go back in the house after being out.
  • Don’t expect your dog to like you if you never play with it…it needs play time & training time…you can mix the two & have success!


Testimonal

Dear Barb and Russ,
We just wanted to send you an update on our progress with Tahoe since he spent the week training with you. He is a changed man! All of his bad habits are gone, for example he used to bark at us for attention, he was always mouthing at our arms, he only came about 50% of the time when called and rarely laid down when told to. Now we have a dog that can be walked off leash, if he see’s another dog or a person he sits down and waits for us to get to him. He follows hand signals best in fact he will always come to an arm gesture. If he is away from us and we want him to stop we call his name, he looks, we motion for him to sit and he does it! We can even get him to lay down from a distance. When people find out he is only 9 months old they often do not believe us because he is so well behaved. It is hard to believe he only spent one week with you, it was well worth the time apart.  Thank you so much for your time and dedication.
-Steve and Barb