About Pro 36 Canine Academy

Live-in board and train from Valley Mills

Pro 36 Canine Academy is a balanced dog training business based in Valley Mills that serves the Waco area. It runs board and train programs where the dog lives in the trainer's home with his family, working exclusively with lead and only trainer Justin Schaefer from the first day to graduation. Justin trained at Tarheel Canine Training Inc. in North Carolina.

Programs and prices

Every program starts with a 90-minute consultation; the $30 fee goes toward the program. Basic Obedience Foundation ($1,400, 2 weeks) teaches sit, down, heel, come, place and leave it and addresses jumping, leash pulling, nipping, door crashing and potty training. Advanced Obedience ($3,200, 6 weeks) adds hand signals, e-collar responsiveness and off-leash reliability at a distance, with a premium e-collar from eCollar Technologies included. Both include weekly updates, a graduation lesson at the owner's residence and one free follow-up lesson; graduates can book more private lessons at $40 for up to a year.

Method

Pro 36 uses all four quadrants of operant conditioning. Positive reinforcement teaches each expectation first, then well-timed corrections show the behavior is required, always aiming for the minimum effective correction.

What to ask

Ask how many dogs stay in the program at one time and what a typical week looks like.