SERVICES

WHY ARE OUR BOARD & TRAIN PROGRAMS SO EFFECTIVE?

A client might choose a Board & Train program for several compelling reasons, each of which addresses key challenges that often arise during the dog-owner relationship:

Behavioural Challenges: If your dog is exhibiting problematic behaviours such as reactivity to other dogs or people, excessive barking, leash pulling, jumping, or overall disobedience, these can be difficult to address without a structured and consistent training approach. A Board & Train program offers the dog focused, one-on-one training with Troy who understands how to resolve these issues effectively. In a controlled environment, Troy can identify the root causes of the behaviours and employ strategies that are tailored to your dog’s individual needs, ensuring the issues are addressed in a way that leads to sustainable results.
Lack of Time or Expertise: Many dog owners, especially those with busy schedules, struggle to dedicate the time and energy needed to train their dog consistently. Training a dog requires not only time but also knowledge of proper techniques. For owners who are unsure how to address their dog’s issues or simply don’t have the time, a Board & Train program offers a solution. While the dog receives professional training, owners can focus on their daily responsibilities. They will also receive clear guidance on how to continue supporting their dog’s progress when they return home.
Need for Structure: Some dogs, particularly those that are energetic, anxious, or easily distracted, thrive in a structured, routine-driven environment. The clear boundaries and consistency of a Board & Train program help dogs learn more efficiently and retain the training they receive. By following a consistent schedule, dogs begin to understand expectations and reinforce their training naturally. This structure helps them adjust to daily life at home more smoothly, reducing confusion and anxiety.
Seeking Long-Term Results: While many owners are looking for quick fixes, the goal of a Board & Train program is to create lasting, sustainable behaviour changes. By focusing on building a strong foundation of obedience, socialisation, and proper manners, the program ensures that the changes extend far beyond the training environment. A dog trained in this manner can handle a variety of real-world situations, from walks in busy neighbourhoods to being around guests at home. The skills learned during the program translate to everyday life, improving the overall relationship between the owner and the dog.
Stress-Free Training: Dogs that experience anxiety, fear, or high levels of distraction may find training in a busy household or outside environment overwhelming. A Board & Train program offers a controlled, distraction-free setting where the dog can focus on learning without being influenced by the usual stresses of their environment. This makes training more effective, as dogs are able to work through challenges and fears without outside distractions impeding their progress in the initial stages.
Convenience: For dog owners who want professional training but don’t have the time or ability to engage in daily training sessions, a Board & Train program is a highly convenient solution. With minimal involvement required from the owner during the program, the dog receives expert guidance, ensuring that their behaviour is improved in a short amount of time. This convenience allows owners to receive the benefits of professional training while not having to worry about the intricacies of daily lessons or drills.
Specialised Needs: Some dogs may have unique or specific behavioural issues that require a more intensive, individualised approach. Whether it’s dealing with aggression, fear-based behaviours, or intense separation anxiety, the Board & Train program offers the ability to customise the training plan to meet those specific needs. Troy works with your dog on targeted issues, creating a clear path forward for the dog’s development and progress.

Ultimately, a Board & Train program is designed to give both the dog and the owner the foundation for success. By offering expert guidance, a structured environment, and tailored training, the program addresses common challenges that can make it difficult for owners to build a peaceful, well-behaved relationship with their dog. When clients seek a solution that provides lasting change with minimal effort on their part, the Board & Train program delivers results that set both the dog and the owner up for a future of harmony.

WHAT SETS US APART: PRECISION AND CARE IN EVERY STEP!

Your dog will receive Troy’s full, undivided attention. From training to care, Troy is the one leading every step of the process. Unlike many other facilities, where multiple individuals – often still in their learning stages themselves – handle different aspects of your dog’s care and training, here, Troy is the consistent, experienced professional overseeing everything.

This ensures your dog’s training and care are cohesive, efficient, and tailored to their unique needs. With Troy directly involved in every part of the process, you can trust that no details are overlooked and that your dog is receiving expert attention and training at all times.

LIFE AFTER BOARD & TRAIN: WHAT TO EXPECT?

When your dog returns home after completing a Board & Train program, the changes they’ve experienced are designed to have a lasting impact, with the goal of improving both your dog’s behaviour and your relationship.

Here’s how the training translates into your everyday life together:

Sustained Behaviour Changes: Our Board & Train program is designed to create lasting behavioural improvements through consistency, structure, and reinforcement. While each dog’s needs are different, we focus on building a solid foundation that integrates smoothly into your home life. As a result, you’ll see meaningful and sustained improvements in your dog’s behaviour, making everyday interactions more harmonious.
Enhanced Owner Confidence: One of the biggest benefits of our Board & Train programs is that it equips you with the tools to continue the work at home. You won’t just see progress – you’ll feel confident in your ability to manage challenges moving forward. We provide guidance on how to maintain consistency and continue reinforcing behaviours, so you’re supported in keeping up the momentum.
Stronger Bond: As behavioural issues are addressed, the training fosters a deeper, more positive connection between you and your dog. The work we do together helps reduce stress and frustration, allowing you both to enjoy each other’s company in a more harmonious way.
Tools For Ongoing Success: The program is designed to ensure that you’re never left on your own. We provide you with the necessary techniques and resources to maintain the progress your dog has made. This includes actionable steps for keeping their behaviour on track and managing any new life circumstances that may arise, ensuring you’re always prepared to support them in their development.
A Fresh Start: The structured environment of our Board & Train programs offers a reset for many dogs, enabling them to break old habits and learn new, more desirable behaviours. With this reset, you and your dog have the opportunity to move forward together, taking on new challenges with a stronger foundation and clearer communication.

In essence, our Board & Train program provides you and your dog with a fresh perspective on your relationship, building a more positive, confident dynamic. The training is an investment not just in your dog’s behaviour but in the long-term success of your life together, empowering you with the tools to nurture that progress in the years to come.

Our Training Methodology: Balanced and Consequential Learning!

Our Training System

The key to achieving a happy, motivated, and reliable dog lies in understanding the balance between Positive and Negative learning. Our training system is consequential. There are consequences for every behaviour. Consequences can be both great or aversive. Positive learning is essential in every exercise but is inherently unreliable on its own. For example: “If I’m motivated, I will work. If I’m not, I don’t want to.” Since Positive learning relies entirely on motivation to be present, it cannot always be consistent. However, when Positive and Negative learning are combined, they create a complete and reliable understanding for the dog.

Following The Learning Laws

What Does Science Tell Us: What Works, What Doesn’t, and What’s Practical?

Exclusively Positive Training (“Positive-Only” or “Force-Free” Approach)

This method rewards good behaviour while ignoring bad behaviour.

✅ Pros: Builds motivation and enthusiasm.
❌ Cons: Lacks all reliability – if the dog isn’t interested or motivated, training falls apart and also fails to stop unwanted behaviours.

Exclusively Negative Training (“No Rewards” or “The Dog Must Listen” Approach)

This method relies on the dog performing behaviours to avoid discomfort, without incorporating rewards.

✅ Pros: Creates consistency and reliability (when applied correctly).
❌ Cons: Lacks positive motivation and engagement – dogs trained this way often respond out of avoidance rather than enthusiasm.

The Correct Approach: Double Reinforcement Training

We use a balanced training system that incorporates both Positive and Negative learning – leveraging the entire learning quadrant – to create motivated, reliable dogs that are happy, confident, and uncomplicated!

Negative Reinforcement – Do More / Amplify Behaviour:

Pressure is applied (as little as possible, as much as necessary) and stops the moment the dog performs the desired target behaviour. For example: Think of a car seatbelt warning – the beeping stops once the seatbelt is fastened.

Positive Reinforcement – Do More / Motivate:

Once the correct behaviour is performed, a reward is given. For instance: When a child completes their homework, they get access to their toys.

Negative Punishment – The Strongest Teacher:

This involves withholding a reinforcing stimulus. For example: If a child misbehaves, they temporarily lose access to their toys.

Positive Punishment – Stopping Bad Behaviour:

Pressure is applied (as little as possible, as much as necessary), with dosage being key. Too little, and the behaviour is amplified. The sweet spot is enough to extinguish the unwanted behaviour without scaring or frightening the dog, and without reinforcing it negatively. An example of positive punishment can be observed when a mother is nursing her puppies. If a puppy bites her too hard whilst feeding, she will provide a firm correction to stop the unwanted behaviour, but still allowing the puppy to continue feeding, but now, without causing discomfort to the mother.

Final thoughts:

Most trainers, from my current experience and knowledge, operate within the realms of Positive Reinforcement and/or Positive Punishment, without considering the balance of what lies in between. In doing so, they create dogs that are either hypersensitive (often misinterpreted as “happy”) with an inability to handle pressure – even environmental stressors – or dogs that live in a constant state of avoidance, lacking passion for life.

So, tread carefully when you encounter trainers or groups claiming to be “Positive Only” or saying “They don’t use rewards,” as both extremes – while seemingly opposed – can be equally problematic if not handled with awareness and balance.

Success lies in utilising the full learning quadrant with intentional, strategic, and balanced methods – prioritising the dog’s emotional well-being while ensuring clarity and consistency. This approach guarantees that your dog is not only reliable but most importantly, happy and confident!

ABOUT CORE CANINE

Troy’s love for animals began in his early years, shaped by growing up with dogs, specifically Rottweilers. His parents, who ran a dog training business and bred working line Rottweilers, had a significant influence on this inclination. This environment quickly captivated Troy, leading to his intense fascination and deep engagement with all aspects of canine life.

Troy established Core Canine with the mission of delivering top-tier dog training, catering to the general public, sporting enthusiasts, and Law Enforcement alike.

Core Canine provides personalised support to clients and their dogs through individual Private Lessons and Board & Train programs. Although our operations are primarily based in multiple locations across the Yarra Valley, our services extend statewide and nationally, ensuring comprehensive support tailored to your specific needs.

In 2014, Troy’s fascination with training dogs, particularly high-drive working dogs, ignited a profound purpose and passion. At 25, he achieved his Certificate III in Dog Behaviour & Training through the NDTF, marking the beginning of his journey.

Troy’s path soon crossed with prominent figures in Australia’s working dog community, leading him to seize every available opportunity to learn and grow. Under experienced tutors, he accumulated a wealth of knowledge and experience, attending seminars nationwide and deepening his passion for the sport of I.G.P.

As a founding member of the Melbourne Sport Dog Club, Troy played a pivotal role in its integration into the Working Dog Federation Australia, eventually serving as President from 2020 to 2023. Under his leadership, the club hosted numerous trials and seminars, contributing significantly to the dog sport community.

Troy’s dedication to competitive endeavours extends to his personal dog, Von Forell Xylon, with whom he achieved their B.H. Title and earned the esteemed judges’ choice award. Building on this success, they are now focused on attaining their I.G.P. 111 Title.

His journey also led him to Evan Herbalis, proprietor of vonultimatedogshop.com and vonultimate.com,! where Troy’s latest protégé, Von Ultimate Chanel, was born. This breeding, between Gringo Ja Na Ka and Venna van de Zeelberg, represents a union of champions, with Venna being the first of her kind in Australia, boasting KNPV and IGP titles.

Troy’s aspiration is anchored in driving innovation, setting benchmarks for specialised training, and nurturing the holistic development of all dogs, regardless of their intended roles.