The first step, for everyone
Not every dog is a fit.We find out first.
Every dog starts with an evaluation. For daycare and boarding, we check whether the group setting, van travel, and daily routine are right for your dog. For specialized training, we establish a baseline and build the starting plan.
2-minute evaluation quiz
For daycare and boarding, it helps us see whether the group routine is the right fit. For specialized training, it gives us a baseline for a custom plan.
Two ways to do it
Choose where the evaluation happens.
At your home
$125About an hour
We come to your house and do the evaluation there.
If you start any program, the full evaluation payment is credited toward your first program payment.
At the farm
$50About an hour
You bring your dog to our facility at the farm for the evaluation.
If you start any program, the full evaluation payment is credited toward your first program payment.
Both options take about an hour.
What we are actually checking
The evaluation answers two questions.
Is daycare or boarding the right fit?
Daycare and boarding include van travel, supervised time with other dogs, shared training, outdoor play, and settling indoors. We assess whether that environment is the right fit for your dog before the first pickup or stay.
What training should come next?
We establish a baseline of what your dog can do now, what you would like to improve, and which specialized or custom training plan makes sense as a starting point.
You leave knowing whether your dog can start daycare or boarding, or whether specialized work should come first.
How it goes
An hour, then a plan built around your dog
- 01
You book it
Start the quiz, choose your evaluation location, and pick a time.
- 02
We spend an hour with your dog
In your home or at the farm. We meet the dog, watch it move and react, and ask you a lot of questions. You will do most of the talking early on.
- 03
We set the starting plan
Whether we can help, what to work on first, which program fits, and what it costs. The plan is built around your dog rather than pulled from a fixed package.
- 04
The plan can change
The evaluation is the start, not the final answer. We adjust the work as we see how your dog responds. If help at home is needed later, it can be added after the program.
Questions
Before you book
- Why is an evaluation required?
- Daycare and boarding include van travel and time with other dogs. We assess whether that setting suits your dog, establish a baseline, and decide whether regular care or specialized training is the right first step.
- What are the two evaluation options?
- $125 at your home. We come to your house and do the evaluation there. $50 at the farm. You bring your dog to our facility.
- Do I get the fee back?
- You pay for the evaluation when you book. If you move forward with a program, we apply the same amount to your first program payment. If you do not move forward, you still leave with the assessment and starting plan.
- What if you say no?
- We tell you why and what would have to change. Often that is private work first and a second look later. Turning a dog away is not the end of the conversation.
- Is the program fixed at the evaluation?
- No. The evaluation gives us a starting point. The program is built around your dog and can change as we see what works. At-home follow-up can be added after the main program if it would help the result hold.
- How soon can you come out?
- Call and we will tell you. Michael does most evaluations himself, so the diary is the real constraint.
Book it
We collect across the greater DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia area. Call and tell us about your dog.
Call (347) 322-3607$125 at your home, $50 at the farm. If you start any program, the full evaluation payment is credited toward your first program payment.
See the training levels first