Our five-week board and train program, from puppies to aggression.

IDEAL FOR ALL DOGS.
NOT IDEAL FOR ALL DOG OWNERS.

AS DOG OWNERS, WE ARE PARENTS, AND A PARENT'S JOB IS NEVER DONE.

No matter how difficult or aggressive, we are impartial to the issues your dog may have. However, we enjoy working with clients looking to become better, more responsible owners.

OUR SOLUTIONS

During our board & train program, we will address specific problem areas in addition to the common issues listed below:

PUPPIES & OBEDIENCE

  • Playful Nipping / Jumping
  • Mouthing / Chewing
  • Housebreaking / Crate Training
  • Obedience
  • On Leash / Off Leash Training
  • Excessive Barking / Howling
  • Hyperactivity / Overly Playful
  • Already trained, but doesn't listen

REACTIVITY & AGGRESSION

  • Leash Reactivity
  • Food Aggression
  • Possessive Aggression
  • Territorial Aggression
  • On Leash Aggression
  • Dog Aggression
  • People Aggression
  • Starting to show signs of aggression

FEAR & ANXIETY

  • Fearful / Withdrawn
  • Restless / Anxious
  • Skittish / Avoidant
  • Separation Anxiety
  • Fear Aggression
  • Fear Reactivity
Steve Hong and the K9KEY dogs, two German Shepherds and Butkus the pug, socializing Shea, a client dog, during in-home board and train

BOARD & TRAIN

We offer a 5 week board & train program in which your dog stays with us, at our home, to learn and develop themselves into becoming a better member of your family.

TRAINING CAN LAST MORE THAN 5 WEEKS

We want your dog to be well trained. We stand behind our work, therefore, for more difficult dogs such as those with severe behavioral or aggression issues, training may be extended by an additional 1-2 weeks. You will not be charged for the additional time.

TRAINING REGIMEN

Your dog will be trained daily, under real life situations, in addition to formal training sessions.

SOCIALIZATION

During their stay, depending on your dog, they will be able to spend time with our personal dogs who are fully trained to be in various real-life situations.

GRADUATION

Following the training, we will provide you with a private lesson so that you can learn how to work with your dog’s training and become a confident handler.

CONTINUING EDUCATION

We offer free group sessions for alumni every Saturday morning at St. Martin’s School in Uniondale, NY (1 hour from NYC) so that your dog stays trained and you can improve your abilities to handle them in different situations.

A K9KEY handler moving the resident dogs through a controlled walk during in-home board and trainDogs holding a group sit-stay during in-home board and train at K9KEY

GROUP SESSIONS

Our Group Sessions are only open to clients who have graduated from our board & train course. These sessions are held at St. Martin’s School in Uniondale, NY every Saturday Morning 11am depending on the weather.

GRADUATES ONLY

Group sessions are strictly for graduates and are free of charge.

IT'S IMPORTANT

Although you may not feel the need to come to group sessions once your dog graduates from our program, if training is not reinforced, your dog may start to revert back to their old behavior.

PARENTS NEED TO LEARN TOO

Training is geared toward helping dog owners and families become better handlers of their dog.

K9KEY graduate group training session on a Long Island fieldA handler practicing heel work with a dog during a K9KEY graduate group session on Long Island

GETTING STARTED

Give us a call or send us an email to schedule an evaluation.

EVALUATION

Similar to a private session, during this 1 hour evaluation, you and your dog will meet with Steve. Evaluations will take place at our evaluation office in Hewlett, NY or the main field at St. Martin’s School in Uniondale, NY

START DATE

We accept 4-5 dogs per month into our board and train program, therefore we usually schedule a start date 2-5 weeks after the evaluation. If you have a hard start date due to travel plans, please contact us for availability.

Ki Hong teaching focus to three German Shepherd puppies bred from K9KEY's own litter

FAQs

DO YOU OFFER SHORTER PROGRAMS?

We do not offer shorter programs such as 2 week or 3 week courses. Dogs need time to acclimate to their new setting and trust us as they trust their owners. Our objective is to train your dog well. We want the training to be long lived rather than help them cram for a test.

WHAT METHODS DO YOU USE?

We use a balanced method of both reinforcement and punishment. For puppies that do not know right from wrong, punishment is not applicable. However, if your dog understands the difference between right and wrong a balanced approach is necessary. There are 3 key factors when training a dog; PATIENCE, CONDITIONING, and most importantly TIMING. It is EQUALLY important to know when to PRAISE your dog, as it is to know when to CORRECT them. For example, when a dog is given a treat to distract them from their bad behavior, they will be given mixed signals. Therefore their interpretations won’t be aligned with your intentions.

DO YOU USE E-COLLARS?

Yes and No. E-collars have become very popular as they are easy to use for many owners and trainers. However, e-collars may not be right for your dog. During the evaluation, Steve would be able to pinpoint the best method for your dog. Please note that the methods will always be discussed with you first. You, as the handler must also be trained on how and when to make the proper correction. Please do not use an e-collar on your dog without consulting us first and learning how to use one. When used incorrectly, an e-collar can harm your dog not only physically, but mentally as well. We have even received dogs that have developed an aggression towards e-collars due to it being used incorrectly.

CAN MY AGGRESSIVE DOG BE REHABILITATED?

If by “rehabilitated,” you mean aggression free, most often times the answer is no. Similar to people, dogs have different personalities. Personalities don’t change; if your dog has an aggressive personality, we are looking for them to reduce and control their aggression. Although there have been cases where aggressive dogs have completely turned around, in most cases aggression is reduced, not eradicated.

WILL MY DOG REMEMBER ME AFTER THE 5 WEEKS?

Yes. Think of a soldier coming home after being away for several years to be greeted by their dog, happy to see their owner come home.

WILL MY DOG FEEL ABANDONED?

Likely not in the way we dwell. Dogs are very present, unlike us. Although your dog may take a few days to acclimate to their new setting, they will soon settle in from their home away from home and begin to bond with us throughout the program.

Two German Shepherds and a Jack Russell in front of K9KEY's competition trophy wall

ABOUT US

LEARN MORE
Two puppies on a mini A-frame, building confidence during K9KEY's board and train program

BOARD & TRAIN

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Chester, a border collie puppy, during puppy and obedience training at K9KEY

PUPPY & OBEDIENCE
TESTIMONIALS

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Chester, a border collie, during a board and train session with a German Shepherd at K9KEY

AGGRESSION & REACTIVITY
TESTIMONIALS

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Chester, a border collie, during a board and train training session at K9KEY

FEAR & ANXIETY
TESTIMONIALS

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CONTACT US

Send us a message or give us a call to schedule an evaluation.

German Shepherd dog wearing a gold crown sitting on grass(917) 714-5807
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Where good dogs become great.
01
ABOUT
02
BOARD & TRAIN
03
TESTIMONIALS
PUPPY & OBEDIENCE
AGGRESSION & REACTIVITY
FEAR & ANXIETY
04
CONTACT