About Balance Together Dog Training

Who runs it

The about page is written in the first person: "Hi, I'm Karina Nielsen, Founder and Trainer of Balance Together Dog Training." It says she grew up with "Dobermans, Retrievers, and a Pomeranian," that she "started my career at a large kennel in 2020," and that she "continued my education through mentorships, shadow programs, workshops, online courses, and professional communities focused on canine behavior and training." The page credits her with having "worked with hundreds of dogs and their families," and describes her own dog Loki, who "struggled with intense reactivity toward both dogs and people" and now "helps many of my clients' dogs build confidence and social skills."

Where it works

The home page places the business in Oconomowoc: "Balance Together Dog Training is located in Oconomowoc, WI and serves the greater Milwaukee area. We offer private lessons, day training programs, board and train programs, and virtual lessons to best fit your training needs."

The programs and what they cost

This site is unusually open about price. The Day Training Program is listed at $3300 for "16 full days of day training," running "4 days per week for 4 weeks," with the dog at the trainer's home "for 6-8 hours each day" and go-home sessions at the end of each week. Private lessons are sold in packages at $1440 for six, $1800 for eight and $2250 for ten, each lesson 60-90 minutes; pay-as-you-go rates are listed as $300 for a 60 minute lesson and $350 for a 90 minute lesson. A hybrid program is priced at $2600 for eight full day training days plus four lessons in your home. The site says payment plans are available through PayPal and that custom programs can be discussed at the consultation.

Board and train – read the caveat

Board and train is described on the services page but is not currently open: "I am not currently taking new board and train clients. That being said, I might make an exception for you and your dog, if it makes most sense in your unique scenario." Where it does run, the page gives a range of $1400 – $5500 for four to twenty days, Tuesday to Friday, over one to five weeks. Graduate boarding is listed on the home page as "Only available for graduates of an ecollar training program."

Terms worth knowing

Training collars are flagged repeatedly as "an additional cost." The services page notes that the published program pricing "is for dogs who are at least 6 months old and will be doing a program using training collars I recommend," and directs owners of younger puppies to ask about hybrid programs. The home page lists a year of free follow-up lessons for full programs and lifetime support by email and text.