Home-Based
Board & Train Programs
Our Home Location in La Porte, TX
When to enroll in a Board & Train
Our private one-on-one sessions offered are extremely effective but may not always be available or feasible for your situation. Board & train programs can be a good option for busy owners who do not have the time or expertise to train their dog, or for dogs that require intensive training with a skilled professional. We offer THE BEST programs for under-vaccinated puppies (younger than 4 months).
Our board and train program is a specialized program designed to provide obedience skills and behavior modification for a dog while they stay at our (the trainer's) home.
Interested? Read it all below!
Can you believe she used to be reactive and pull on leash relentlessly?
3 weeks of board & train!
Board and Train Program at Sammye’s Dogs Home
We understand how nerve-wracking it can be to leave your dog in someone else's care. That’s why at Sammye’s Dogs, we go above and beyond to ensure your dog feels comfortable, loved, and well-cared for while receiving top-quality training.
Your dog will become a cherished member of our family for the duration of their stay. They will enjoy individualized attention from Sammye Darling, a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KSA) with years of experience, and have full access to our serene, 1.5-acre, fully-fenced property in La Porte, Texas.
Our approach is rooted in the most up-to-date, science-based positive reinforcement training techniques, which not only create a more enjoyable experience for your dog, but also lead to faster, longer-lasting results. We focus on rewarding good behavior rather than using punishment or corrections—setting your dog up for success in a kind, compassionate way.
How Our In-Home Board and Train Program Works
1. Evaluation. Before beginning the program, we conduct an initial evaluation to assess your dog’s behavior, temperament, and training needs. This helps us create a customized training plan and ensures we’re the right fit for your dog. Evaluations are required for dogs 6 months and older and typically take 45-60 minutes. For current private training clients or puppies under 6 months, this step isn’t necessary. At the evaluation, we’ll also estimate the length of your dog’s stay.
2. Boarding. During their stay, your dog will live in our home with our family and personal dogs. This homelike environment ensures a more relaxed, real-world setting for training, where your dog will feel safe and comfortable. If you’re concerned about how your dog will interact with our other pets, please reach out before booking to discuss their compatibility.
3. Training Sessions. Each day, your dog will participate in multiple one-on-one training sessions with Sammye. These sessions focus on teaching and reinforcing positive behaviors using rewards like treats, praise, toys, and a variety of other motivating rewards. Training may include basic obedience cues (sit, stay, come, place), leash manners, socialization, and addressing any problem behaviors identified during the evaluation. The goal is to ensure that each dog receives the tailored training they need to succeed.
4. Socialization and Enrichment. In addition to formal training sessions, we believe in enriching your dog’s stay with positive socialization experiences. Your dog will be gently introduced to new people, environments, and sounds. Depending on their needs, we may also facilitate controlled interactions with other dogs to help them build confidence in social settings.
5. Progress Updates. We know how important it is for you to stay informed, so throughout the program, you’ll receive frequent updates via text or email. These updates will include photos, videos, and a mid-program report to keep you in the loop about your dog’s progress, improvements, and any challenges encountered.
6. Owner Training. Once the training is nearing completion, we offer one free transfer session per week of stay to teach you how to reinforce and maintain your dog’s newly learned behaviors at home. These sessions ensure that you’re equipped to continue your dog’s success once they’re back in their familiar environment. Sessions can be conducted in-person at your home (if within our service area) or via Zoom. Please note that transfer sessions must be scheduled in advance.
7. Follow-Up Support. Our commitment to your dog’s success doesn’t end when the program concludes. We offer continued support after your dog returns home, including phone consultations and additional training sessions if needed. We want to ensure that the progress your dog made with us continues smoothly in their home environment.
Pricing
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For puppies 5 months old and younger, the in-home Board & Train program starts at $2,200.
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For dogs 6 months and older, the price starts at $2,800, with the final cost depending on the complexity of the training goals or behavior issues.
Payment Terms
A non-refundable reservation of 50% is due upon reserving your dog’s program dates. The remaining balance is due 7 days before the start of the program. If we have an immediate vacancy and you're interested in booking that month, we may consider working on a 6-month payment plan.
Why Choose Sammye's Dogs?
Choosing a board and train program is a big decision. With Sammye’s Dogs, you can rest easy knowing your dog will be treated with the utmost care and compassion. Sammye is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KSA), committed to using only the most up-to-date, positive reinforcement-based techniques. This ensures a more enjoyable and successful learning experience for your dog.
We know how important your dog is to you, and we take our responsibility as their temporary guardians seriously. Their training and happiness are our top priorities.
Contact Us Today
If you’re ready to schedule an evaluation or want to learn more about our Board & Train program, feel free to reach out. The sooner you book, the sooner we can start helping your dog become the well-behaved companion you’ve always wanted! Check out our stories for other clients' dogs' experiences @sammyesdogs
Want to educate yourself about the dog training field?
> Get Nerdy With Us! <
What is Positive Reinforcement R+?
Followed by topics such as "What Is a Balanced Trainer? Why use Certified R+ Trainers?" "Understanding Dog Trainer Certifications in the United States" and "Beware of Sales Tactics and Guarantees.")
A positive reinforcement trainer is a dog trainer who uses rewards to encourage and strengthen desired behaviors in dogs. Rather than punishing undesirable behaviors, a positive reinforcement trainer focuses on reinforcing good behavior by providing rewards such as treats, praise, toys, or play when the dog behaves in the way the trainer wants. The idea is to create a positive, motivating environment for the dog, where good behavior is consistently rewarded, making it more likely to be repeated.
The Best Start for Your Under-Vaccinated Puppy: Early Socialization & Training at Sammye’s Dogs
At Sammye's Dogs, we understand that the early months of your puppy’s life are critical for their long-term development, well-being, and happiness. That’s why we offer specialized programs for puppies younger than 4 months, including those who may still be under-vaccinated. As a respected, reputable, and ethical breeder, we know that early socialization, responsible health testing, and solid foundational training are essential to a puppy’s growth.
Why Choose Sammye's Dogs for Your Under-Vaccinated Puppy?
The first few months of a puppy’s life are a critical window for socialization. Early interactions with different people, environments, and safe encounters with other dogs shape your puppy’s future temperament and behavior. Sammye’s Dogs provides safe, controlled socialization experiences for puppies who may not yet have completed their vaccinations. We ensure that your puppy can build the confidence and social skills they need while remaining protected and comfortable. Our program focuses on exposing them to a variety of experiences in a safe and nurturing environment, laying the foundation for a well-adjusted adult dog.
As an ethical, health-tested and titled, breeder, we are deeply invested in the well-being of each puppy. Our breeding practices prioritize health and temperament, ensuring that the puppies we work with are bred for stable, balanced behavior. With our background as breeders, we have a unique perspective on puppy development, which allows us to create training programs that cater to their specific developmental needs. Our experience ensures that your puppy receives gentle, effective training that will help them grow into confident and well-behaved dogs. We follow the Puppy Culture and AVIDOG Transformational Puppy Program curriculums.
Our in-home board and train program provides a calm, loving environment where your puppy is treated as part of our family. We offer one-on-one attention, and every training session uses positive reinforcement techniques to help your puppy thrive. These methods—using treats, praise, toys, and other individually tailored rewards—ensure that your puppy enjoys a fun, stress-free learning process. Our home environment allows puppies to learn while being in a familiar, secure space, and our focus on positive training techniques fosters quicker and more lasting results.
We know how important early training is in preventing future behavior problems, which is why we’re dedicated to getting your puppy off to the best start possible. By combining early intervention, ethical breeding practices, and compassionate, positive reinforcement training, we ensure that your puppy will grow into a confident, well-behaved companion.
At Sammye’s Dogs, we are committed to providing a personalized, safe, and enriching experience for your puppy. With our expertise in both breeding and training, your puppy will receive the best care and training to ensure they have the right tools to become the dog you’ve always hoped for.
Secure Your Puppy’s Future Today
Early socialization and training lay the groundwork for a lifetime of success. If you want to give your puppy the best possible start, now is the time to schedule a spot in our exclusive early socialization program. We work closely with each puppy to ensure they develop the skills needed for a happy, healthy life. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you set your puppy up for success.
Don't have a puppy or dog yet but would like a well-bred purebred AKC Golden Retriever or Labrador Retriever? Check out our owner's kennel, Sunbuilt Retrievers.
> Read more on Dangers of NOT Socializing your Puppy During it's Critical Socialization Period! <
Review from Owner:
"When I first got my puppy, I thought I was doing all the things right, playing crate games, working on obedience, etc, but still wound up with a pup with horrible separation anxiety. I tried every online tutorial and blog, working for months on my own trying to gradually desensitize my dog to being alone. After months of little to no progress, I was starting to worry I'd have a dog with life long panic attacks who I could never leave alone. I tried several private trainers, who more or less parroted the same things I was reading online and had already tried on my own. Anytime I left the house I either had to take my pup with me or pay someone from rover if I couldn't find an available friend to watch her. I had several months off before starting a new job, and I treated training my dog like a full time job yet still wasn't making progress.
Sammye's reverse board and train changed everything. After a few weeks of reverse board and train days (The trainer comes to your house for several hours to work on a problem in the dogs home environment), I now have a dog who I can leave at home without a second thought. No crying, no whining, and certainly no more panic attacks!
Sammye was always very respectful of my home and I always felt comfortable leaving her with my pup and a house key. As a bonus, my pup was always exhausted after a full day of working with Sammye, which meant I got to enjoy a tired out, snuggly pup when I got home. Sammye was incredibly patient with her, and used positive reinforcement methods that aligned with my own philosophy (I can't say the same of the other trainers I tried).
Sammye was so professional and clearly very knowledgeable in her field, and I cannot recommend her enough.
If I could give her 10 stars I would. As my pup grows more I'm sure we will run into other problems, and I fully intend on reaching out to Sammye when the time comes." Thank you Sammye for all your hard work!"
- Dr. Elyse Lopez
BEWARE OF SALES TACTICS
"Guaranteed results" "Results in X amount of time"
Real dog trainers CANNOT "Guarantee" behavior of a living, breathing animal or state an issue can be "fixed" in any certain amount of time. It is unethical to mislead potential clients into thinking otherwise to make a quick buck.
Our favorite example is Nicole Wilde's friend's rhinoplasty procedure. "Her parents eventually agreed to allow her to have a rhinoplasty—a “nose job.” After careful research and consultations with various plastic surgeons, they settled on one who guaranteed that if they didn’t like the results, he would modify it again, free of charge. Armed with this assurance, they moved forward. As it turned out, my friend did not like the results. In fact, she hated them. As promised, the second surgery was performed free of charge. Unfortunately, it yielded results no better than the first. My friend was not any closer to having the straight, narrow nose she’d envisioned, and although I would never have said so, it now looked downright odd. It took a third surgery, performed by another surgeon, to get it right."
What value does a guarantee of additional services hold if the provider lacks the proficiency to achieve success initially? Think a dog training company that pledges results, asserting they can solve your dog's issues in a single session. Even if unsuccessful, they commit to returning until the problem is resolved. Is this a worthwhile arrangement, particularly if the initial session comes with a hefty price tag? Doesn't the foundation of this "quick fix" approach suggest a lack of appreciation for the time needed to modify certain intense or deeply ingrained canine behaviors?
Of course simple, basic obedience skills like teaching sit and down can be taught quickly. However, in the majority of instances, trainers who pledge immediate guaranteed resolutions for significant issues such as aggression often rely on aversive and punitive methods. While the quick fix may appear miraculous, there are repercussions associated with the use of punishment—it merely stifles behavior rather than tackling the root problem. Furthermore, attempting to replicate the trainer's actions may not yield identical results for the owner, and there have been instances of individuals being bitten in the process. And the transfer sessions with these trainers, if any are given, are not in the owner's home and usually these skills do not transfer to success in the owner's home rendering their attempt at training provided at their kennel useless. Additionally, is it truly desirable to treat your dog harshly and potentially jeopardize the trust between you and your furry companion? Certainly not.
Another example referencing a similar concept is teaching a child a foreign language. Can fluency really be guaranteed in the true meaning of the word?
Every dog is unique, with distinct temperaments, personalities, and responses to training. Positive reinforcement scientifically works for ALL mammals (they must not be doing things correctly, if these trainers think otherwise). A dog trainer cannot predict or control all variables that may influence a dog's behavior. Ethical trainers acknowledge and respect the individuality of each dog, understanding that outcomes may vary.
A dog's behavior is often influenced by its environment, including the owner's home, lifestyle, and other external elements. Ethical dog trainers recognize that factors beyond their control may impact a dog's behavior, making it impossible to guarantee specific outcomes.
Successful dog training often requires active participation and consistency from the dog owner. Ethical trainers understand that if the owner doesn't follow through with training techniques or fails to maintain a consistent approach, it can affect the dog's behavior. Guaranteeing results without considering owner commitment is not ethically responsible.
Dogs may encounter new and unpredictable situations that can affect their behavior. Trainers cannot foresee all potential scenarios that a dog may face, and therefore, they cannot guarantee how the dog will react in every circumstance.
Health issues or genetic predispositions may influence a dog's behavior. Ethical trainers recognize that these factors are beyond their control, and guaranteeing behavioral outcomes would be unrealistic and potentially misleading.
In summary, ethical dog trainers emphasize the importance of a customized and flexible approach, understanding that living beings, including dogs, exhibit variability that cannot be entirely controlled or predicted.
