Diabetic, Seizure, Migraine, A-Fib, Narcolepsy and POTS Alert Board and Train Program.

Board and Train student Quote: “Thanks to a Service Dog Academy trained Diabetic Alert Dog, for the first time in 4 years my wife was able to take the kids on a small beach vacation, alone, without fear that I might die while she was gone.”

Board and Train Program Information:

      • Minimum of 2 month stay
      • For dogs 12 weeks of age and UNDER only
      • Dog must pass temperament screening (to ensure your dog will be suitable in our household and is suitable for service work) prior to enrollment in board and train program. Temperament screening is will not be performed until deposit of board and training fees are paid.
      • If your dog does not pass board and train temperament screening, a $500 fee will be taken from your deposit and the remainder will be returned to you.
      • Trainer to dog ratio in board and train program is 1 to 2.
      • Dog will be living in our homes, living our lives and be introduced to aspects of your life (for example, if you play ice hockey, then every attempt will be made to make sure your dog is introduced to the sound of an ice hockey rink/game).
      • Cost of 2 month board and train package is $7000 per month for a total of $14,000.

Cooper and Daisy during our first board and train trial.

Program Information:

Dogs being trained for alert work will receive at a minimum at least 20 minutes a day of Pavlovian scent training. On days in which we are not socializing your dog to the public or other dogs an additional 15 minutes of scent training will be added. Daily, dogs will engage in frequent mind enhancing games that teach your dog critical thinking skills and to become what we refer to as the “Improvisational Diabetic Alert Dog”. Additionally dogs being trained for service work will be taken to public places as a “service dog in training” so that they may get used to walking on different types of surfaces, experiencing new smells and sounds and exposed to the many different objects they will encounter in everyday life (shopping carts, sliding doors, elevators, skateboards, bicycles, wheelchairs, walkers, busses, etc).

Sherlock at the top of the space needle during one of his socialization outings

  All training will be tracked on paper and/or in an electronic database so that clients can see what exactly was accomplished on each day of training. While in our care, your puppy will receive daily intensive training in: chewing, leash-walking, proper greetings, stay, home manners (go to mat, anti-begging, settle, etc), wait, recall (come) and basic obedience such as sit, down, focus and control. Puppies will meet no less than 100 new strangers a week, the minimum number of social interactions suggested for proper socialization and be exposed to numerous dogs and puppies in a safe social setting. Trainers work daily on aggression prevention including body, resource, and location guarding, prophylaxis, alone training (to avoid separation anxiety), acquired bite inhibition (to install a soft mouth) and potty training. Training starts from the moment your puppy passes through our doors. Immediately your puppy’s trainer will initiate a nothing in life is free program in which he may engage in fun and normal puppy activities if he shoes good manners and proper behavior. All inappropriate behaviors are managed into appropriate outlets and puppies emerge at the end of the program more focus, controlled, happy, confident and well behaved.

Cooper in Target on one of his socialization training sessions.

What We Need You To Do

You will be required to provide your dogs food, medicine, crate, toys and medical care. The owner must provide the trainer with proof that the dog has been given the bordatella and DHLPP vaccinations. The dog must be heartworm negative and on a flea/tick preventive. Any medications to be administered to the dog during training will be provided by the owner and administered by the trainer as instructed by the owner. To pay your board and train DEPOSIT ONLY please send a check to Service Dog Academy, 1632 Lakeview Dr. Waterloo IL 62298