Beyond The Backyard
Day Training Program
The program is a unique learning experience designed to teach dogs better behaviors and how to perform obedience skills in the real world. As a result, pet parents gain all of the perks from a professionally trained and physically exercised dog without investing large amounts of their personal time!
"...Strike came home super content and satisfied, which was awesome, because I had been used to picking up a very frustrated and under-exercised dog from daycare facilities/day training. He gives Ronny 5/5 stars!"
Brittany Fox., Pet Parent
Strike, 1.5yo Australian Shepherd
New Iberia, LA
What will my dog learn in the day training program?
A personalized training program is created for every dog to accomplish the goals set by the pet parents. The dog trainer can teach and strengthen a variety of obedience skills, tricks, and performance sports for highly active dogs:
Obedience, Tricks, & Real Life Skills
Home & Public Manners
Skills include obedience, crate training, greeting guests, and settle on a mat.
Recall: Come When Called
Skills taught include nose touch, automatic check-ins, traditional and emergency recall.
Loose Leash Walking
Skills taught include door manners and walking alongside the human around distractions.
Impulse Control
Skills taught include games to prevent food being stolen and a release cue to take away an item.
Physical Exercise & Enrichment
Hiking Excursion
Skills include independent sniffing for decompression, auto-check ins, and recall in a distracting environment.
Swimming
Skills include learning proper swimming form, building confidence in water, and recall out of water.
Scent Detection: Nosework
Skills include odor imprinting, building search drive, and advanced competitive skills.
Canine Fitness & Conditioning
Skills include muscle strengthening, improving cardiovascular endurance and body awareness.
With the initial training steps taught during the program, it is easier for pet parents to maintain the desired behaviors they want from their dog in public spaces.
What do I receive from the day training program?
The day training program is designed to train both ends of the leash – the dog and their owner. Therefore, the dog trainer works individually with the pet parents to provide the following valuable service features:
In-Person Meet-N-Greet
First, the dog trainer will visit the pet owner’s home to complete an initial Meet-N-Greet and consultation. The trainer completes a behavior assessment on the dog, documents the training goals, and schedules the dates for the program.
6 Days of Day Training
The program is divided into three days a week which stretches across two weeks. Training days are on Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays.
Pick-Up & Drop-Off Included
The dog trainer picks up and drops off each student for the scheduled times arranged with the dog's owner.
1-1 Pet Parent Coaching
A follow up lesson is provided at the dog owner's house to provide a handler lesson on maintaining the behaviors the dog learned during the program.
Phone Call Check-In
The dog trainer follows up with the client two weeks after the follow up lesson to answer any lingering questions.
Training Video Footage
A Google Drive link is provided to give the pet parent access to the videos the dog trainer recorded during the day training program.
"...I feel that Ronny really took the time to understand how Olivia responded to outside stimuli and how to best grab her focus back to the task at hand. I felt safe and confident leaving her in Optimal Canine's care!"
Mikayla M., Pet Parent
Olivia, 1.5yo Mix
Carencro, LA
Beyond The Backyard Day Training Packages
Optimal Canine’s day training program is an all day experience for the enrolled canine students. Up to three dogs are accepted into the program at a time to provide a personalized learning experience. Each dog will experience a full day planned to improve their obedience skills in the real world. Every dog returns home happy and fulfilled after experiencing the Beyond The Backyard day training program.
*Pricing does not include pick-up or drop-off fees. The travel fee for pick-up and drop-off is 58.5 cents per mile traveled to client's home. The Louisiana milage rate follows Notice 2022-03 issued by the IRS on December 17.
What will my dog experience during training?
Only progressive and Positive Reinforcement training methods are used to train dogs in the program. All dogs participate in games to learn how to offer desirable behaviors and gain access to rewards they find enjoyable such as food and toys. The dog trainer does not use intimidation, fear, pain, or aversive training tools – guaranteed!
Every dog experiences fun adventures, activities, and enrichment opportunities that are beneficial to their mental, physical, and biological needs. Ultimately, these components unlock the door to achieve better behavior and each day of the program is designed to provide the six benefits listed below:
Real World Training
Training is completed in public spaces, both urban and natural environments, to teach real life skills necessary to be a well behaved dog.
Cardiovascular Exercise
Physical exercise is met each day to promote cardiovascular health and reduce over-excitability in daily life.
Food Enrichment
Each dog receives a chew treat or stuffed puzzle toy based on the foods agreed upon with the dog's owner.
Decompression
Each dog is provided with safe opportunities to engage in natural dog behaviors they enjoy, such as long sniff walks or swimming.
Rest
Relaxation is just as essential as training and exercise. Every dog is provided a nap in a crate each day to prevent over-exhaustion.
How does the day training program work?
One dog stays with the dog trainer from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm three days a week for two consecutive weeks. Day training days are on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday which provides pet parents an ideal solution to training and exercising their dog while at work.
The program is intended to provide all of the same benefits as a Board and Train without the dog staying overnight at the trainer’s home. This ensures the dog returns home each night to their owner which allows them to rest the following day. It is not unusual for a dogs to be tired after a full day of activities which is why the day training program is only available three days a week.
Therefore, the dog returns home each night after an exciting and fulfilling day of dog-adventures and training.
Beyond The Backyard Day Training Program is available in Lafayette, LA & surrounding areas
What are the requirements for the day training program?
The program accepts dogs six months and older. Human aggressive dogs are not accepted in the day training program without prior Behavior Modification training to ensure the dog trainer’s safety with the dog. Dogs with fear, anxiety, dog-aggression, and resource guarding is accepted in the program where these problems can be addressed as an individual training goals.
Proof of health is required for enrollment. This includes current DAPP Vaccinations (Distemper, Canine Adenovirus types 1 & 2, Canine Parainfluenza Virus, & Canine Parvovirus), Rabies Vaccination, flea prevention, and a negative fecal within 14 days of starting the program. Titer Tests are accepted as proof of immunity within the three year testing window.
Beyond The Backyard Day Training Service Area
Optimal Canine’s Beyond The Backyard day-training program is available to pet parents in south-central Louisiana. Service area includes the following cities and towns: