FAQ

Nope. No group classes, no in-house private lessons. All our lessons and consults happen in your home, where the real work gets done. We come to you in CT, or out to New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.

An in-home consult. I sit down with you and your dog, assess what's really going on, and give you homework and feedback on the spot. Then I build a program around what I actually saw, not a one-size-fits-all package. Consults are $500 in CT, $600 out of state, and that fee gets credited toward any training program you book within six months.

Because with reactivity or fear, anyone who quotes you a program over the phone is guessing. Ivan comes to your home, sees your dog in person, and gives you homework that day. The full fee comes off whatever program you choose, and the credit lasts six months.

Yes. Every dog coming in for daycare or boarding needs a meet and greet first, and it's a free day of daycare. It gives your dog a chance to integrate with the pack, explore the facility, and get comfortable, and it gives us a chance to see how they actually do here before committing to a longer stay. If a dog shows anxiety or has a hard time, we'll build a plan to ease them in gradually. If that's not the right fit, we'll point you toward options that will work better.

Our facility is at 278 Oakwood Drive in Glastonbury. In-home lessons cover Connecticut, plus New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. Travel is built into the out-of-state price, and those lessons usually run every other week.

No. We're a positive-reinforcement facility. We reward the behaviors we want, which is what leading veterinary and behavior organizations recommend. It works, and it protects your dog's confidence and your bond.

Board & train is best when you want us to do the heavy lifting. Lessons are best if you want to be hands-on and can practice daily. Plenty of families do both. We'll help you pick on the call.

Our signature puppy program. It's split into two blocks: an initial 3-week stay, then a second 2-week stay a couple of months later, right when adolescence tends to unravel the training we just built. Most puppies start between 3 and 6 months old and finish by 14 months. Two touchpoints beat one long stay that fades by the time your dog grows up. ($5,000. See the full Jumpstart program.)

That's exactly what the take-home system is for: video Pupdates of Ivan working your dog through each exercise, a written homework guide of everything they learned, and handover lessons in your own home. We teach you where the training actually has to work.

No honest trainer can promise a magic fix. What we promise is a structured, science-backed plan, real progress you can see, and the tools for your family to keep it going.

In-home consult: $500 CT / $600 out of state (credited toward any program within 6 months).

• 3 Week Custom Board & Train: $4,500
• Jumpstart Board & Train (5-week split): $5,000
• Private lessons (in-home): starting at $250/session, with 4/8/12-session packages available
• Day training: starting at $550 for 4 sessions
• Daycare: $45/day, with 5/10/20-day packs available
• Boarding: $70/night for Connecticut families, $80/night out of state

Full pricing and package details are on each program's page.

Some of the cheaper options get there with shock or prong collars. What you're comparing is a reward-based program with twice-weekly video Pupdates, handover lessons in your home, and a plan built for your dog. Ask any trainer what happens after pickup. That's usually where the difference shows.

Start smaller. A single in-home lesson, a day of day training, or a daycare day gets your dog in the building and gets you a feel for how we work. Lessons and day training move you in the same direction, at your pace.

We work with fear-based reactivity and general reactivity: barking, lunging, and losing it on leash or at the window. We don't take people aggression or dog aggression cases. If that's what you're dealing with, or your dog's needs are beyond what we handle, we'll be straight with you and refer you to a trusted specialist so your dog gets the right kind of help. For reactivity, see our Reactive Dog Rehab page.

Monday to Friday. We're open 7 AM to 7 PM, and you can drop off or pick up any time in that window. The best times are 8 to 10 AM for drop-off and 3 to 6 PM for pick-up, when the team is set up for arrivals and departures. When you book in My ETC, those best times are listed first. We don't run public daycare on weekends. More on our dog daycare page.

Boarding is $70 per night, per dog, for Connecticut families and $80 per night for families in New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. Pickup and drop-off service is $50 each way in Connecticut and $100 each way out of state. Details on our dog boarding page.

Monday to Friday, any time we're open, 7 AM to 7 PM; the best times are 8 to 10 AM for drop-off and 3 to 6 PM for pick-up. Saturday and Sunday, 7 to 11 AM or 3 to 7 PM. Before 7 AM or after 7 PM on any day, arrange it with us first; it's $10 for every 20 minutes. Holiday stays are a three-night minimum. If we're full for those nights, you can join the wait list and we'll text you if a spot opens.

Not on purpose. Dogs don't settle when a person is awake in the building all night, and they end up cranky and needing extra breaks the next day. The building is monitored with temperature, smoke, carbon monoxide, water, and security alarms, and senior dogs and young puppies still house training get a late potty break around 9:30 to 10 PM.

Yes. Schedule it with us and Abbie of Groom Garden Dog Spa takes it from there. She'll pick your dog up and bring them back, or you can pick up from her salon when they're done. Abbie runs her own business, so the groom itself is done by her. See grooming with Abbie.

Dogs six months and younger can come as they are. Once your dog is over six months, they'll need to be spayed or neutered before they come back.

A leash for drop-off and pick-up (required), a collar with a name tag, a blanket or crate mat, and any meals your dog would normally eat while they're with us, pre-portioned and labeled. If your dog takes medications or supplements, send those in the original bottle with clear instructions. A favorite toy or chew is fine too, as long as it's not stuffed, doesn't squeak, and isn't a rawhide.

Crates or playpens, food bowls, potty pads, full-sized blankets, rawhide of any type, stuffed toys, or anything with a squeaker.

A little more than the program length, to cover any extra days: for board & train, that's 17 days of food for a 2-week stay, 24 days for 3 weeks, 31 days for 4 weeks. For overnight boarding, send 10 days of food per week booked, per dog. We can store or prepare raw/uncooked food for an additional fee.

Yes. Dogs coming in need current distemper, Bordetella, and rabies vaccines, and must be registered in the town where they live. Puppies need their full series of three distemper shots along with rabies and Bordetella before they can join us. Upload a photo of the records in My ETC; we check them and remind you before anything runs out. No current records, no group play. It keeps every dog in the building safe, including yours.

Park in the front lot. Our entrance is around back, so just call or text our pickup/drop-off line at 860-748-4712 when you arrive, or tap "I'm here" in My ETC, and we'll come meet you.

A one-time founding membership round to help us open a bigger facility: more room, more play, more of what your dog already loves. It's capped at 30 families. You pay once up front, and after year one you pay a locked yearly rate for your dog's lifetime. That rate never goes up.

• Founding Daycare (15 spots): $5,000, then $650/yr. Unlimited daycare, every day, for the life of your dog.
• Founding Daycare + Training (10 spots): $6,000, then $850/yr. Unlimited daycare plus 5 day trainings a month.
• Founding Boarding + Daycare (5 spots): $7,500, then $1,100/yr. Unlimited boarding plus unlimited daycare, with first priority on boarding reservations.

For perspective, a daycare regular pays $3,700+ a year at our normal pack rates. This isn't a permanent offer or a yearly sale. Once the 30 spots are gone, this rate is gone with them.

Each membership covers one enrolled dog for that dog's lifetime. When your dog passes, the membership ends. If your dog is rehomed, the membership can be transferred to the new family one time. Founding Boarding + Daycare members get first priority on boarding reservations.

Spots are first come, first served. Fill out the contact form and pick the Founding Pack tier you want: Founding Daycare, Founding Daycare + Training, or Founding Boarding + Daycare. Or call 860-579-6441 and ask about the Founding Pack.

Yes, and it holds your spot: a 50% deposit at booking, balance due at drop-off. If training hasn't started yet, programs are refundable. Board & train cancellations need one week's notice or there's a $250 fee so we can fill the spot.

Fully refundable as long as training hasn't started yet and you give us one week's notice. A lesson cancelled or moved with less than 24 hours' notice counts as used.

Daycare and day training: cancel any time before the day, no charge. Boarding: free with 24 hours' notice; with less notice, or a no-show, we charge one night per dog. Holiday stays: free with 48 hours' notice; inside that, 50% of the stay. You can cancel or move any visit yourself in My ETC and it shows you any fee before you confirm.

Yes. 10% off the second dog and each additional dog after that.

In My ETC, our client portal at elitetrainingcenters.net/my-etc. Create your account, add your dog and records, and request any visit; we confirm by text and email, usually the same day. Prefer to talk? Call or email, 860-579-6441 or Enrollment@EliteTrainingCenters.Net, and we'll set it up for you. That's also our main line if you need to reach anyone on the team; just use the dial-by-name directory to get to the right person.