Dog Training FAQs from Sarasota Dog Owners

Private obedience lessons at Off Leash K9 Training Sarasota FL start at $700 for five sessions; the 2-week board & train is $2,900 and the 3-week advanced board & train is $4,350. Puppy programs start at $475, Behavior Modification Lessons are $1,100 and Therapy Dog Preparation is $1,000. All include the e-collar and leash.

Yes. Every program starts with a free phone consultation. You describe your dog and your goals, and we recommend a program or tell you if we are not the right fit. Call (941) 357-4500.

Payment options are shown at checkout on the pricing page. Any financing terms, where offered, are subject to eligibility and are described there in full.

The e-collar, the training leash, the sessions or boarding described for the program, and the handoff session for board & train. Board & train programs also include lifetime refreshers after completion. Guarantee terms vary by program; see the footer note.

Lessons if you want to learn to train your dog yourself; board & train if you want the foundation built for you by a Pro Trainer; Behavior Modification Lessons or Board and Train if aggression, anxiety or reactivity is the problem; puppy programs under 5 months. The free consultation settles it in ten minutes.

Your dog lives with a Pro Trainer for 2 weeks or 3 weeks, trains daily, and you receive a daily video report cards. The program ends with a 2–3 hour one-on-one handoff where you learn every command and the e-collar settings.

The 2-week basic program proofs commands around home and neighborhood distractions. The 3-week advanced program adds parks, dog-friendly stores and restaurant patios, and is for dogs 6 months and older without behavioral concerns. Our 3 week behavioral board and train is for dogs with behavioral issues such as anxiety, aggression, resource guarding, etc.

You receive a video report card every day of the program, so you watch the progress as it happens, and the handoff session at the end is 2–3 hours with you and your dog together.

You leave the handoff with a plan for the first weeks at home, the e-collar and leash are yours, and lifetime refreshers are available after completion at Off Leash K9 Training.

An e-collar (electronic collar) is a remote communication tool that delivers a low-level stimulation — comparable to the vibration of a cell phone on your neck — to cue a dog at any distance. It is not a "shock collar" in the way most people imagine (high-voltage punishment). Modern e-collars have 100+ levels, and we work at levels so low the dog barely perceives them — just enough to say "I'm talking to you". At Off Leash K9 Training Sarasota, the e-collar is introduced after the dog already knows the commands, as a communication extension to enhance the training, not a correction tool.

No. The modern e-collars we use are communication tools, not punishment devices. The sensation is comparable to a phone vibration. We condition the e-collar at low, comfortable levels as a guidance signal — the dog learns what it means through positive association before it's ever used in training. We do not use high-level corrections, and we do not use the e-collar to punish behavior. Dogs trained with properly introduced e-collars are demonstrably relaxed, confident, and happy — as evidenced by our hundreds of training videos showing dogs wagging tails during e-collar work.

Not when introduced correctly. We condition the e-collar at low, comfortable levels as a guidance signal — never as punishment for reactive behavior. The e-collar gives us the ability to communicate calmly with a reactive dog at the exact moment of trigger, redirecting attention before escalation. When paired with counter-conditioning and threshold work, the e-collar is one of the most effective tools for reactivity rehabilitation because it provides consistent, emotionless communication that doesn't escalate the dog's arousal the way a handler's frustration or leash-jerking can.

No. Puppy programs use positive reinforcement only. E-collars will only be introduced after a dog is 6+ months.

Small dogs train on the same programs with collars sized for them and levels set accordingly.

Puppies under 5 months can start the AKC Star Puppy program ($475) right away, and puppies from 12 weeks can join the Puppy Board & Train (from $1,900). At 6 months puppies move to Basic Obedience Lessons or Board and Train package.

Yes. Both are the first topics in the puppy programs, with a routine built for your household, and crate training is part of the Puppy Board & Train.

Bite inhibition and manners are built into both puppy programs. The earlier mouthing and jumping are redirected, the easier the adult dog is.

Absolutely! Our Behavior Modification Lessons and Behavioral Board and Train are built for dogs with aggression, anxiety and reactivity, combining desensitization to triggers with obedience that gives the dog a job. We customize every package to ensure it is built for your dogs needs.

Yes! Our Behavioral Board and Train is 3 weeks with 4 follow up sessions. Once completed it does come with refreshers for the life of the dog at any Off Leash K9 Training location.

A reactive dog over-reacts to a trigger (barking, lunging) and settles; an aggressive dog intends to make the trigger go away. Both are handled in either our Behavior Modification Lessons or Behavioral Board and Train, with a safety plan first for aggression.

At public parks around Sarasota and Bradenton, because dogs have to learn around real distractions. There is no storefront; board & train dogs live with their trainer.

Off Leash K9 Training Sarasota FL serves Sarasota and Manatee counties: Sarasota, Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, Venice, North Port, Siesta Key, Longboat Key, Osprey, Nokomis, Palmetto, Parrish and Englewood. Call (941) 357-4500 to confirm yours.

About 45 minutes to 1 hour a day between private lessons. Board & train owners get a plan at the handoff and keep practicing from day one at home.

Private lesson programs run 4 to 8 sessions, usually one per week; board & train is 2 or 3 weeks; puppy lessons are 6 sessions. How fast results show depends on daily practice.

Monday to Friday 9 AM to 7 PM and Saturday and Sunday 12 PM to 7 PM for calls and scheduling. Lesson times are set with your trainer.

Board & train programs include lifetime refreshers after completion, and we stand behind every program. Guarantee details apply to select programs and terms vary by program; contact us for the full terms that apply to your dog's program.

After completing a board & train, you can bring your dog back for refresher sessions if a command slips. Details for each program are on the pricing page.