(Board & Train) Foundation Camp

Overview

Foundation Camp at Partners Dogs School is a structured program aimed at building the fundamentals of obedience and positive behaviors. The program focuses on developing essential skills that form the basis of a dog’s good manners, ensuring a strong partnership between dog and owner. Through a combination of training techniques, consistency, and owner involvement, Foundation Camp sets the groundwork for a happy, obedient, and well-adjusted dog.

Key Benefits & Features

Real-life reliability: Door greetings, sidewalk distractions, polite leash skills, and the “off switch” at home (place/crate).
Daily connection: Pupdates every day—photos/videos + a short note in your dog’s “voice” describing what they practiced and how they did.
Transfer that sticks: A Transition Lesson, 3.5 hrs of private coaching, 16 Days of DaySchool, and 8 Pet Parenting Classes help you keep momentum.
Balanced approach: Reward-forward teaching with clear structure and fair accountability when appropriate.
Graduate perk: After any camp graduation, Pet Parenting Classes are $10 for your dog’s lifetime (50% off).

Training Phases & Steps

Build — trust, engagement, language

Introduce reward markers, clean leash handling, name response, crate routine, place/settle.
Goal: your dog offers focus, learns patterns, and can relax between reps.

Train/Address — reliability with increasing distraction

Proof sit, down, stay, come, heel/loose-leash, polite greetings, thresholds, calm in crate.
Add duration/distance and mild→moderate distractions.
Goal: predictable first/second-cue responses; handler mechanics stay clean.

Transition — handoff to the family

Transition Lesson at pickup: you practice cues, leash skills, reward timing, and home routines (doors, meals, couch rules).
Goal: a smooth transfer backed by a 30-day home plan so skills stick.

Owner Training Phases

At enrollment: Access on-demand videos (8+ hrs) and the Pet Parent Guide for quick wins before pickup.
During boarding (≈14 nights): Daily Pupdates with photos/videos plus periodic trainer notes.
Pickup day: Transition Lesson (60–90 min) — record on your phone if you’d like.
Weeks 4–10: Use your 3.5 hrs of private coaching (across intro/working/transition), 16 Days of DaySchool, and 8 Pet Parenting Classes to generalize skills in the real world.

Program Value & Involvement

Immersive start, supported finish: We compress early learning into a focused two-week boarding phase, then invest heavily in owner transfer and practice.
Clarity for the whole family: Unified cues and routines reduce confusion and speed results.
Everything you need in one bundle: Training, coaching, practice days, group classes, and at-home resources.

What’s Included

14 nights of immersive boarding & training
3.5 hours of private lessons (intro • working/demo • transition)
16 Days of DaySchool + 8 Pet Parenting Classes (post-camp practice)
Parent education: Pet Parent Guide + 8+ hrs of on-demand videos
Daily Pupdates: photos/videos + a dog-voiced summary of the day
Graduate perk: Lifetime Pet Parenting Classes at $10

Cost & Payments

Foundation Camp — Standard: $3,276
Foundation Camp — Suites: $3,486
To reserve dates (most reservations): $100 nonrefundable deposit
At check-in (camps/long-term): 50% due
At pickup: Balance must be $0
Private Lessons: Single sessions are paid in full at booking (nonrefundable; not financed). If you’d like financing, choose a package of lessons and finance the package.

Financing Options

Coaching Financial — Compare offers from multiple lenders.
LendingUSA — Popular for ~36-month installment plans (subject to approval).
PayPal Credit — Promos like 0% if paid in 6 months (upon approval; terms apply).
Approvals, rates, and terms are set by the lender. Financed services are not refundable. Extras not in the financed amount are due at checkout.

Learn more about our Financing Options, here.

Foundation vs. Behavior Camp

	Foundation Camp	Behavior Camp
Goal	Everyday manners & obedience	Behavior-first plan (reactivity, anxiety, resource guarding, aggression)
Length	10 weeks total (incl. 14 nights boarding)	12 weeks total (incl. 21 nights boarding)
Lessons	3.5 hrs private lessons	4.5 hrs private lessons
Day program + classes	16 Days of DaySchool + 8 classes	16 Days of DayCamp + 8 classes
2025 price	$3,276 Standard ($3,486 Suites)	$5,964 Standard ($6,279 Suites)
Fit	Puppies/adolescents; basics & manners	Significant behavior issues; requires PD360 review

How we help you choose: We start with a PD360 — Partners Dogs 360 Assessment:—a structured intake where we review history, triggers, daily routine, medical context, and your goals. Based on PD360, we’ll recommend the right program, outline timeline/inclusions/cost in a written estimate, and map the exact next steps.

See more information on Behavior Camp, here.

Welfare, Daily Routine & Communication

We design camp around learning + welfare so dogs feel safe, rested, and engaged.

Daily rhythm (example):

Morning: Potty break → engagement drills (name, touch, leash warm-up) → breakfast & settle.
Mid-day: Obedience reps (sit/down/stay/heel), place/settle duration, confidence games, brief social exposure → rest.
Afternoon: Real-life setups (door greetings, thresholds, recall in yard), enrichment chew, decompression → rest.
Evening: Light practice or calm walk → dinner → bedtime routine.

Care & oversight:

Trainers monitor stress signals, appetite, stool, energy, sleep quality, and adjust the plan to your dog’s pace.
Calm, clean spaces; crate/quiet time builds the “off switch” most families want at home.
We follow your feeding/medication instructions; tell us about sensitivities upfront.
If concerns arise, we’ll contact you; for health issues we coordinate with your veterinarian as appropriate.

How you’ll stay in the loop:

Daily Pupdates: short, encouraging updates written in your dog’s “voice,” plus photos/videos from that day’s work.
Trainer context: periodic notes on progress, sticking points, and what’s next.
Transition Lesson: see the skills live, practice with a coach, and leave with a 30-day home plan.

Onboarding Process

Quick consult & estimate → align goals and confirm Foundation vs Behavior Camp (via PD360 if needed).
Reserve dates → pay the $100 nonrefundable deposit (most reservations).
Prepare → verify vaccinations, complete Parent Portal, and pack labeled food, meds/instructions, flat/buckle collar, approved leash (no retractables).
Check-in (camp) → review goals/house rules you want trained; 50% due.
Training phase (≈14 nights) → we train, enrich, and rest; you receive daily Pupdates with photos/videos.
Transition & pickup → hands-on lesson, receive your 30-day home plan, and finalize payment ($0 balance required).
After camp → use your 16 DaySchool days + 8 classes to keep momentum; grads get $10 classes for life.

Common Questions & Answers

What is Foundation Camp, in plain English?
Foundation Camp is our comprehensive Board & Train pathway for everyday life skills. Your dog starts with about two weeks (14 nights) of immersive training where we install reliable behaviors—sit, down, stay, come, loose-leash/heel, calm greetings, crate/house manners, thresholds, and place/settle. After boarding, the program shifts to private lessons (3.5 hours total), 16 Days of DaySchool, and 8 Pet Parenting Classes so you learn the handling and routines that make the results stick at home. You’ll receive daily Pupdates written in your dog’s “voice,” with photos/videos showing what they practiced that day, plus trainer context on progress and next steps.

How much does Foundation Camp cost and what exactly am I paying for?
For 2025, Foundation Camp is $3,276 (Standard) or $3,486 (Suites). That’s a bundled program price that includes the 14-night boarding/training phase, 3.5 hours of private coaching, 16 Days of DaySchool, 8 Pet Parenting Classes, parent education (on-demand videos + guides), and your Transition Lesson with a 30-day home plan. The bundle keeps the focus on outcomes, not piecemeal sessions. If you prefer upgraded lodging, choose Suites; otherwise Standard delivers the same training content. We’ll provide a written estimate so you can see everything clearly.

What’s actually included—and how will I be kept in the loop?
Included: the full training pathway (boarding + transfer to you), coaching, practice days, and classes. During boarding, you’ll get daily Pupdates with photos/videos and a short, encouraging note—“Hi Mom! I rocked place while people passed by and practiced come in the yard!”—so you can celebrate progress in real time. You’ll also receive periodic trainer notes explaining what’s improving, what we’re targeting next, and why. At pickup, your Transition Lesson lets you rehearse the cues and hand-offs; you’ll go home with a 30-day plan. After that, your DaySchool days and Pet Parenting Classes give you structured reps in the real world. Graduates receive lifetime Pet Parenting Classes for $10 to keep skills sharp.

How is Foundation Camp different from Behavior Camp?
Foundation focuses on manners and obedience for everyday life—great for puppies, adolescents, and dogs that need a reliable reset on basics (pulling, jumping, inconsistent recall, trouble settling).
Behavior Camp is for significant behavior concerns—for example reactivity (barking/lunging at dogs or people), anxiety (can’t settle, destructive when alone), resource guarding (growling/freezing over food, toys, or space), or any bite history. Behavior Camp typically runs longer overall and includes more intensive behavior-first work after a structured intake. Not sure which fits? We use a PD360 —a guided review of history, triggers, daily routines, medical context, and your goals—to recommend the best path with a clear timeline, inclusions, and cost.

Do I have to pay upfront before bringing my dog? How do deposits and balances work?
To reserve dates, most reservations require a $100 nonrefundable deposit. For camps/long-term stays, 50% is due at check-in, and the balance must be $0 before pickup. Single Private Lessons are paid in full at booking (nonrefundable). If you’d like to finance one-on-one coaching, choose a Private Lesson package and finance the package (not a single session). We’re happy to prepare a written estimate so you can plan exactly how you’d like to split payments.

Do you offer financing? How does it work and what if I’m not approved?
Yes—many families use third-party financing. You can compare lenders via Coaching Financial, apply for fixed-term options via LendingUSA (popular ~36-month plans), or use PayPal Credit (promos like 0% if paid in 6 months, upon approval; terms apply). Approvals, rates, and terms are set by the lender, not by Partners, and financed services are not refundable. If you’re not approved (or approved for less than your total), you can split payments—apply financing to part of the invoice and use another method for the rest. Remember: all balances must be cleared before pickup.

How will I know my dog is okay during the 2–3 weeks at camp? What does a typical day look like?
We design camp around learning + welfare. Days alternate short training blocks, enrichment, and structured rest so dogs stay engaged rather than overwhelmed.

Morning: Potty break → engagement drills (name, touch, leash warm-up) → breakfast & settle.
Mid-day: Obedience reps (sit/down/stay/heel), place/settle durations, confidence games, brief social exposure → rest.
Afternoon: Real-life setups (door greetings, thresholds, recall in yard), enrichment chew, decompression → rest.
Evening: Light practice or calm walk → dinner → bedtime routine.

Trainers watch stress signals, appetite, stool, energy, and sleep quality and adjust the plan to your dog’s pace. You’ll receive daily Pupdates with photos/videos, periodic trainer notes, and then a hands-on Transition Lesson at pickup. If anything concerns us, we’ll reach out; for health issues, we coordinate with your veterinarian as appropriate.

What happens at the Transition Lesson, and what do I do after pickup?
Your Transition Lesson is where we transfer the steering wheel to you. We’ll rehearse leash skills, cue timing, release words, and household routines (doors, meals, couch rules) and match a reinforcement schedule to your dog’s current level. You’ll receive a 30-day home plan with simple daily reps (often 5–10 minutes) to lock in habits. After pickup, your DaySchool days and Pet Parenting Classes provide coached practice around people and dogs. Graduates can keep attending classes at $10 to refresh skills before they slide.

Is my dog a good fit for Foundation Camp right now?
Great signs for Foundation: your goals are mainly manners/obedience, your dog is healthy and able to train multiple short sessions daily, and you’re ready to follow a 30-day home plan after pickup. If your dog shows reactivity, anxiety, resource guarding, or aggression—or you’re unsure—ask for a PD360 assessment. We’ll use PD360 to recommend Foundation Camp or Behavior Camp, right-size the timeline, and map next steps so you don’t over- or under-train.

What should I bring, and are there vaccination requirements?
Before check-in, we’ll confirm the vaccination policy and what to upload to your Parent Portal (requirements may vary by age and program). For packing, send labeled food, any medications with written instructions, a flat/buckle collar, and an approved non-retractable leash. If your dog has food sensitivities or special routines (feeding schedule, bedtime rituals), let us know so we can keep things consistent.

What if my dog “slips” after coming home?
A little regression is normal as dogs adjust to a new environment. Your 30-day plan is designed to handle that: reduce distractions, use shorter reps, and reinforce wins. Tap into your DaySchool days and Pet Parenting Classes for extra reps with a coach watching your timing and leash mechanics. If something feels stuck, reply to your trainer’s update email or call us—we’ll help troubleshoot so you get back on track quickly.

Additional Resources

Guide to Positive Reinforcement: Information on rewards and reinforcement strategies.
Understanding Training Phases: Detailed explanation of each training phase and its objectives.
Contact Support for Foundation Camp Details: Our support team is available to assist with any questions about enrollment or training progress.

Foundation Camp at Partners Dogs School offers a structured, effective approach to foundational training, ensuring dogs develop obedience and good manners that last a lifetime. By building a strong foundation through a combination of in-person training, owner involvement, and consistent follow-up, we support the lifelong success of every dog in our care.