# EZ Pups > Board and train stays run for 4, 6 or 11 weeks in the San Diego County hills. Dogs train every day, whether that's fixing bad habits or starting off right. > > Each dog has their own 5x12 room. Four trainers live on-site, about 15 feet away. > > Kritter Kamp, the emergency and general vet, is next door. > > Rewards come first for every dog and every new skill. Leash corrections or an e-collar are used only with the owner's OK and when they suit the dog. Never on a scared or anxious dog, a young puppy, or a dog that has not learned what is being asked. Reward-only training is available on request, with no minimum. > > Never: hit or kick; yell or intimidate; pin a dog down (alpha rolls); hang a dog by the leash. EZ Pups does not put prong collars on dogs. > > Slip leads are for moving dogs and practicing on-leash to off-leash, never to choke a dog. > > Read the methods and consent process: [How we train](https://ezpups.co/how-we-train). > > Read the Local Umbrella feature about Davin and Declan: [How one rescue dog started EZ Pups](https://ezpups.co/local-umbrella-feature). > > Every stay includes a 1-hour pickup handoff lesson and 2, 3 or 5 follow-ups that never expire. > > More than half of families come from Orange County and Los Angeles; neither is a facility location. > > Payment plans are available on every program, subject to approval. Ask about them on the consultation call. - [Board and Train](https://ezpups.co/board-and-train) - [Other Programs](https://ezpups.co/programs) - [Prices](https://ezpups.co/board-and-train#programs) - [Our Crew](https://ezpups.co/trainers) - [Reviews](https://ezpups.co/results) - [Free consultation](https://ezpups.co/contact) ## Programs and pricing - [4-Week Foundations](https://ezpups.co/board-and-train): 4 weeks, 1-hour pickup handoff lesson, 2 follow-up sessions, $3,950 - [6-Week Freedom Builder](https://ezpups.co/board-and-train): 6 weeks, 1-hour pickup handoff lesson, 3 follow-up sessions, $5,900 - [11-Week Adventure-Ready](https://ezpups.co/board-and-train): 11 weeks, 1-hour pickup handoff lesson, 5 follow-up sessions, $10,650 ## Locations and service area - Alpine, CA - Ramona, CA ## Common questions ### Will my dog listen to me when they come home? That's what pickup day is for. You'll spend an hour running your dog through everything while we coach you. After that, 5 to 10 minutes of practice a day keeps it going, and your follow-ups never expire, so they're there whenever you want a tune-up. ### My dog is reactive, or has bitten. Can you help? Lots of our board and train dogs start out reactive. Jaidyn's and Dominick's stories on our Board and Train page are two of them. They still practice around other dogs, mostly our own, in small steps: far enough away that they stay calm, and closer only as they're ready, so they never get to the barking-and-lunging point. Tell us everything on the call, including any bites, and we'll tell you honestly whether board and train is the right fit. ### Will my dog be around aggressive dogs? Never up close. We get this question a lot, and it's a good one. Dogs with aggression live in their own separate area, and dogs never play off-leash together. When they're learning to be around other dogs, they mostly practice with our own. If they ever work near yours, it's from a distance with a fence between them, and we'd never put your dog anywhere they could get scared. We'd rather be overly careful than sorry. ### Why does board and train cost more than lessons? With lessons, you get an hour a week with a trainer and do the rest on your own. With board and train, your dog lives here and works with our crew every day for weeks, and then we teach you how to keep it going. More of the work is ours, so it costs more. ### Do you guarantee results? No, and be wary of anyone who does. Dogs aren't machines, and every dog moves at their own pace, so not every dog reaches every goal by the end of their stay. We do as much as we can with the time we have and the dog in front of us. What you can count on: training every day, updates you can see, a handoff lesson where you learn it all, and follow-ups to keep it going. ### What if my dog gets sick or hurt? We call or message you right away, every time. Our next-door neighbor is Kritter Kamp, an emergency and general vet we work with regularly, so care is never far. In an emergency, your dog gets care first (you authorize that when you enroll). If it isn't urgent, we ask what you'd like before anything is done. In the middle of the night, we use a 24-hour emergency hospital. Vet bills go to you, at the vet's normal rates. ### What do I need to bring? Enough of their food to last the whole stay, plus any medication, and a muzzle if they wear one. Their bed is welcome too, but some dogs treat beds as chew toys, so bring one you won't miss. ### How old does my dog need to be? Usually at least 16 weeks. Younger pups are welcome once they've had their shots. Puppy training works a little differently from adult training, and we'll explain how on the call. Seniors are welcome too. ### Where are you located? Our home base is in the San Diego County hills. Most of our families drive in from Orange County and LA. Board and train takes two trips, drop-off and pickup, and your follow-ups fit in whenever you're down this way. We'll go over everything on your free call. ### Can you just board my dog, without training? Yes. Boarding on its own has a 3-day minimum for new clients. Just mention it when you reach out. ### Do you use e-collars? Sometimes, and only when two things are true: you've said yes after a full walkthrough, and your dog is a good fit. We won't put one on a scared or anxious dog, a young puppy, or a dog that hasn't learned what we're asking yet, even if you ask us to. And if you'd rather we didn't use one, we won't. ### Are you force-free or positive-only? Your dog's training can be. Reward-only, with no leash corrections and no e-collar, is always an option: just ask, and there's no minimum. Some dogs get it no matter what, like a scared or anxious dog or a young puppy, because corrections wouldn't help them. For other dogs, and only with your OK, we may also use leash corrections or an e-collar. Either way, you'll know exactly what we use before day one. ### Can I ask for reward-only training? Yes. There's no minimum. Tell us on your call and that's how your dog is trained from day one. We'll be straight with you about what to expect for your dog. ### Will my dog come home with an e-collar? Only if it's part of their training and you've said yes. On 6- and 11-week programs, we provide the collar and hand it over at pickup. On 4-week programs, we train on our own collars and show you how it works during your sessions, then send you a link to the exact collar we use so you can get the same one. Either way, an e-collar only goes home when it's right for your dog and your family. ### Do you use prong collars or slip leads? Prong collars, no. We don't put them on dogs: we find them harsher than they need to be, and we get the same results more safely and gently without them. If your dog already wears one, they're still welcome. Slip leads, yes, for two things: moving a dog from spot to spot, and practicing the switch from on-leash to off-leash (your dog sees the familiar leash, then does the same exercise with it off). Never to choke a dog. ### Can I see how my dog is being trained? Yes. Your weekly update videos show your dog in training, and you can text or call any time. You can also visit once during a 4- or 6-week stay and twice during 11 weeks. It's a visit, not a lesson: training together mid-stay slows your dog's progress. ### My dog is reactive, or has bitten. How would you train them? Lots of our dogs start out reactive. If other dogs set yours off, they still practice around other dogs, mostly our own, in small steps: far enough away that they stay calm, and closer only as they're ready. Whether anything beyond rewards comes in depends on your dog and your OK, same as every dog. Tell us everything on the call, including any bites, and we'll tell you honestly whether we're the right fit and exactly how we'd approach your dog. ### Will my dog still be my dog? Yes. Training should make your dog easier to live with, not less themselves. Same goofball, better manners. ## Policies - [Privacy Policy](https://ezpups.co/privacy) ## Contact - Ramona: (760) 400-6704 - Alpine: (760) 429-1419 - Ramona, CA: 25265 E Old Julian Hwy, Ramona, CA 92065 - Alpine, CA: 2823 Polk Rd, Alpine, CA 91901 - [Ask about training](https://ezpups.co/contact) Tell us what's going on. Someone from our crew will get back to you the way you pick: call, text or email. During the day, we reply within the hour. Early morning or late at night? You'll hear from us first thing. We hear what's going on, tell you which program fits your dog (or if something else would work better), walk you through how we'd train, and give you the price. No hard sell. Take your time and ask every "what if." If board and train fits, there's no waitlist, so you pick the start date. By appointment only. Please call or text before you head over. When you book a visit or a start date, we'll tell you exactly where to meet.