Residential Board & Train — Your Dog Lives and Learns With the Trainer
Not a kennel. Not a facility. Your dog moves into my home in Melbourne's west for 3 to 4 weeks of full-time, real-world training alongside an NDTF-certified trainer.
Results built through daily life — not just training sessions. Programs from $3,000. One dog at a time. Limited spots.
What Your Dog Learns
Every dog that comes through this program works on the things that matter in real life — not just skills that shine in a yard.
Real-world obedience
Recall, loose-lead walking, place, and calm around distractions — behaviours that hold up outside a training yard.
Household manners
Settling on place, calm greetings, and using the crate as an off-switch — the foundations of a dog that's easy to live with.
Neutrality around dogs, people and everyday chaos
The skill most dogs are missing. Your dog learns to stay calm and regulated no matter what's happening around them.
Engagement first
Your dog learns to work with a handler because it wants to — not because it's forced to. That's what makes the results last.
Why Residential Beats Kennel-Based Programs
A dog can behave perfectly in a facility and fall apart at home. Living in a real household means your dog practises the exact situations you struggle with — the doorbell, the dinner table, the walk past other dogs — every single day. That's why the results transfer.
Kennel programs train in isolation. We train in life. The difference shows the moment your dog comes home.
Residential (ours)
- Lives inside the trainer's home
- Training woven through real daily life
- One dog at a time — full attention
- Results that transfer home immediately
Kennel-based programs
- Dog kennelled between sessions
- Artificial, controlled environments
- Training rarely mirrors real home life
- Results often disappear once home
How It Works
A simple, structured process — from the first call to the handover session at your door.
Discovery call (free)
We talk through your dog and whether residential training is the right fit. No pressure — just an honest conversation.
Assessment
I meet your dog in person, assess their temperament, energy, and current training level, and design the program around their specific needs.
3–4 weeks in residence
Your dog lives with me in Melbourne's west. Daily training, real environments, and regular photo and video updates so you know exactly how they're going.
Handover coaching
The most important step. I teach YOU to maintain everything your dog learned — because training only lasts if you can carry it forward at home.
Investment
Clear, straightforward pricing for every stage of training — from a single assessment through to full residential Board & Train. One dog accepted into Board & Train at a time, so spots book up weeks ahead.
Initial Assessment
$250one-time
Comprehensive in-person evaluation, temperament check, and customized training roadmap. Required prior to booking 1:1 sessions, packages, or Board & Train.
Book Assessment1:1 Private Training
$220/ session
Tailored private coaching for obedience, reactivity rehabilitation, or leash mechanics. Flexible pay-as-you-go scheduling.
Book 1:1 Session5-Session Training Package
1 x Initial Assessment + 4 x 1:1 Coaching Sessions
- 1 x Initial Assessment
- 4 x 1:1 Coaching Sessions
Pay upfront at assessment to save $130 total ($50 off initial assessment + $80 savings across the 4 sessions at $20 off/session). Total: $1,000 vs. $1,130 PAYG.
Get 5-Session PackageBoard & Train Program
$1,000 / week — full residential boarding & immersion at Matt's Altona Meadows home facility.
3-Week Option
$3,000
4-Week Option
$4,000
Initial assessment required prior to booking. Includes comprehensive owner transfer sessions and ongoing post-program trainer support.
Inquire for Board & TrainNot sure which option suits your dog? Call +61 47 873-5555 and we'll work it out together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the questions we hear most about assessments, packages, payment, and what happens once training is done. Got more? The free discovery call is the best place to get them answered.
Every dog in the program is worked on the same gear I recommend to owners — you can see the full list on my German Shepherd training equipment page.
Ready to get started?
Book a free discovery call and we'll talk through your dog, what you're dealing with, and whether residential board & train is the right move.
Ready to Transform Your Dog's Behavior? Book Your Discovery Call
Have a chat with Matt about what's actually going on with your German Shepherd and whether residential board & train is the right move. No pressure, no scripts — just an honest conversation about your dog and what training could look like.