Bringing home a trained dog, whether it’s from a Board & Train program or a service dog placement, is exciting, but it’s important to have realistic expectations.
Even though your dog has been trained, they are still adjusting to a completely new environment, routine, and person, so it’s normal to see some inconsistencies in behavior during the first couple of weeks. This doesn’t mean the training didn’t work; it just means your dog is learning how to apply those skills in a new setting.
Consistency is key during this transition, and sticking to the structure, commands, and expectations that your dog was trained with will help them settle in faster and perform more reliably.
Clear communication and follow-through make a big difference.
It’s also important to remember that training doesn’t stop when your dog goes home. It’s a continuation rather than a finished product, and the more you reinforce what your dog has learned, the stronger and more dependable those behaviors will become over time.
