Santa Monica Paws

HOLIDAY HOURS differ from Regular Hours listed. We observe the following Holidays: Independence Day (July 4th), Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Years Day.

Santa Monica Paws

Playa Vista, Marina Del Rey, Mar Vista, Westchester, Venice, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, West Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Torrance, Palos Verdes, Malibu, California 90094, United States

(424) 272-1036

Hours of Operation

Mon	09:00 am – 06:00 pm
Tue	09:00 am – 06:00 pm
Wed	09:00 am – 06:00 pm
Thu	09:00 am – 06:00 pm
Fri	09:00 am – 06:00 pm
Sat	By Appointment
Sun	By Appointment

How we customize Board & Train Stays

Traditional Board and Train

Your dog will come and live in our cozy home and receive short training lessons throughout the day. They will be trained inside, outside, around other dogs, at the park, etc. Between sessions, your dog will receive exercise and socialization.

All dogs must be on leash at all times, no exception. Safety is our #1 concern, and although we've never encountered any unsafe situations, we do not expect to, because we adhere to strict safety protocols at all times. If your dog is at our home, they will be trained with a leash a majority of the time. They may need to be trained in a confined enclosure, including a playpen and crate set up. Tethering the leash is also another training method we frequently use to teach dogs to have superb impulse control, so they will have the ability to Settle on Cue. This is the most challenging skill for all dogs to learn, but the easiest one for us to manage.

We excel in the area of training dogs to understand how to be calm, patient, and respectful of human's beings.

NOTE: Puppy Training is a 24 hour process. All young puppies need potty training attention at all hours of the day, including between 12am-8am and this time of day is included in our training fee. No exceptions! You are being charged the fees we establish for 24 hour training! Puppy Training is not considered an "only during Business Hours" process. Training does NOT stop or start when our "Business Hours" begin at 9am and end at 6PM.

VACCINATIONS REQUIREMENTS: if your dog has had 3 rounds of vaccinations, he will be allowed to participate in more Cultural Socialization Training outside the home environment. We do not accept dogs with less than 3 rounds of vaccinations. You will be required to show proof of all vaccinations via email, and on our online Training Agreement. No exceptions! Since all Board & Train dogs are required to be on leash and are always being supervised, we do not require your dog to have their Rabies shot, due to the minimal risk of getting rabies during their stay. Exception to the Rule: If you request Full Service Grooming from us, your dog must have had their Rabies Vaccine, and you must show us proof of vaccination.

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Reverse Board and Train

Traditional Board and Train

Dogs are what we refer to as “contextual learners,” they learn best in relation to their own environment. With our Reverse Board & Train program, your dog is learning in the environment where most of their "bad behavior" happens. As a result, the learning curve is shorter, results happen faster and your dog associates the pleasure of learning and growing to their natural environment, their own home.

We offer different lengths of programs where we've assisted dogs who show us measurable results with their training progress. See our Programs

To make sure you agree with our Terms & Conditions, please review our Cancellation Policy and Refund Policy before you make the decision to board your dog with us!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Please reach us at pets@santamonicapaws.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.

Which program is better for my dog?

Both programs are designed so that your dog's receives the best education we can offer with the goal of responding to YOU when the training is completed. Although our B & T programs are usually two, three or four week programs, our customers prefer our Reverse B & T programs that are usually 14 to 21 days, they can be customized to meet your individual scheduling needs so that if you are going on vacation or in the middle of moving we can try our best to accommodate you. If you need more days added to your board & Train, it's easy, we will accommodate that. The cost of extra days, will amount to our daily fee. See Current Pricing above.

We cannot guarantee your dog will get trained if you withdraw your dog from our program early, before the program has expired. We do not offer a 1 Week Board & Train Program, because most dogs will not realistically be fully trained in such a short amount of time. It usually takes up to a week (7 days) for a dog to become accustomed to transitioning in a new environment with different patterns: (rules, boundaries, limitations) before they start really trusting the handlers, and learning new skills.

In addition, both programs are followed by FREE private in home sessions as well as unlimited FREE phone, email, and text support for the lifetime of your pet.

If you are unsure which length of time will be best for your, we also offer a FREE 30-minute FaceTime, Skype, Google Message, or Private Phone call session to see which program is best for you. Feel free to reach us anytime during regular business hours.

What exactly will my dog learn?

At the end of 3 weeks of traditional boarding and training or 10 days of reverse boarding and training, most dogs will have the level of education equivalent to dogs who graduate from a 7-week Basic Obedience Level 1 class. Specifically, your dog will be taught what we call the 7 Steps to Success: "watch me", "stay", "come", "down", "loose leash walking", "leave it" and "go to your bed".

After the Board & Train training period has been completed, you too will also learn the 7 Requests for Success and how to integrate them into your dog's routine.

Basic household 'Manners", including potty training, jumping and teaching your dog to chew on appropriate bones and chew toys can also be addressed if agreed to at the free phone consultation. The free consultation is where we determine what's achievable and what's not - given your dog's history, previous training and the length of time we have your dog.

The most important thing to keep in mind when considering a board and train program is knowing in advance that your dog will NOT come home with improved behavior until you, the pet parent, get educated as well. The truth of the matter is that clients who expect to see real improvement with their dogs behavior must be 100% committed to follow through on what we teach them after the board and train program is complete. This is not by accident. It's because dogs are "contextual" learners. Just because our trainer can get a result from your dog, that does NOT guarantee in any way that you too will also be able to elicit the new behaviors from your dog.

Simply put, your participation and involvement after the training is complete is absolutely critical for the short-term as well as long-term success of any board and train program. This includes integrating in ALL of the follow up instructions we give you which is absolutely necessary to keep the positive momentum of training going.

In addition, taking part in all of the free private training sessions, including the unlimited lifetime guarantee of phone, email, and text support that come with each board and train program is absolutely essential. Without your participation, there will be no measurable results for you to enjoy - regardless of how long we have your dog for and regardless of much money you spend.

two, three or four weeks?

The dogs that are trained longer are almost always superior in their skills than dogs that are being trained for just 2 weeks. Of course, two weeks with us is better than no time at all.

But, if you are contemplating whether one, two, three or four or more weeks would be best, in most cases we will ONLY recommend the longer stay if you believe your dog can 100% handle the separation from you.

This is a huge consideration when choosing the right program for you and your dog. You must feel confident that your dog can easily handle the time away from you. *If your dog suffers from any kind of Separation Anxiety while being away from you, the traditional board and train program is NOT the right fit for your dog. With our "Reverse Board and Train" program, this is not an issue as your dog is being trained on their own home tu

Our "Board and Train" program will help your dog begin a path of learning and to link pleasure to learning. However, if your dog goes home to the same exact environment he or she came from, you will not see any measurable results from the training.

That's why the key to any success with our "Board and Train" programs is the family's willingness to learn to support the new behaviors and become the best pet parents possible. If the family is not 100% on board with being educated themselves, and investing the time necessary to implement the new strategies, guidelines and rituals, then your dog will revert right back to his or her original behaviors. There is no way around this simple fact.

That's precisely the reason why we offer FREE in-home follow up training sessions and FREE unlimited lifetime email, phone, and text support, after the board and train program is completed.

Choosing our "Board and Train" program MUST come with the commitment from the family to practice what we teach you after the training is complete. The most critical time will be the first week after your dog returns home. That is when we schedule the 1st private in home lesson with you.

Not only that, during the program, you will also be required to set up your account online to have access to the SMP Dog Training Resources Center. It's here where you can download many of the SMP Dog course materials that will help support our teachings. This is a VERY important part of the process. It is during this initial time frame that we ask you to commit fully to learning everything you can from us including reviewing all of our course materials.

Do you have a Board & Train Program for more than 28 days?

You might be asking, what if I need my dog to train longer than 28 days?

This is true, that not all dogs are the same, and some require longer amounts of time to learn and acquire skills.

If this sounds like you, than let us know, so that we can develop a longer time frame for your dog to be trained.

*NOTE: Additional days of training will incur extra cost added to your existing program. We take full payment each month. If you need only a few extra days of training, you will be charged a daily fee for each day that is added onto your current program. We do offer 30 day, 60 day, and 90 day Training Programs for more severe behavioral cases and very young puppies (8-10 weeks old) who are just getting started with Potty Training, etc. *Breed & Size exceptions apply. *

Do you accept dogs without all their vaccinations?

No we do not accept any puppies or Adult Dogs without all their required vaccinations. We may make an exception for the Rabies Vaccine and Canine Influenza. We do not advise this, due to safety issues. Puppies are susceptible to all kinds of parasites and diseases. At an early age of 8-16 weeks, many puppies acquire giardia, parvo, and Kennel Cough, because they have not been vaccinated yet, have been exposed to the disease in your community, or they came from the breeder already exposed to the disease. When your dog has a parasite, it will require your dog to be isolated from our dogs, to take many trips to your vet, and not to mention, incurring a lot of medical costs. We do not pay for any of your dog's medical fees, nor travel to and from the vet.

Do you accept dogs with Car Sickness?

The answer is NO! You must ask your vet for the best form of treatment as it relates to your dog becoming anxious or ill during car rides. We cannot accept the responsibility to provide Medical Care for car sickness, and we do not have enough staff to spend hours cleaning up your dog every time they vomit in our Pet Taxi. We simply do not have the time and resources every day to be bathing your dog every time this occurs during our daily car rides.

Do you accept dogs who are not spayed or neutered?

Yes we do accept dogs even if they are not spayed or neutered. We are professionally trained and experienced in reading body language in animals; especially in cats and dogs. We can differentiate between harmful rough play, mating rituals, and innocent friendly contact with other dogs. Furthermore, we take precautions at all times when supervising your dog. We know when a puppy must stay apart from another puppy and when two or more dogs will need to be interrupted and removed for initiating inappropriate or undesirable behavior.

Dog Board & Train Programs - Santa Monica, West LA

3 Week Board & Train

3 Week Board & Train Program

ON & OFF LEASH

3 Week Board & Train Program

ON & OFF LEASH

Three-week all-inclusive puppy training. Ideal for puppies that have completed their final round of vaccinations but is younger than 5 months of age. Our training consists of obedience and behavior problem solving & prevention. While our training uses many methods, we usually begin with positive motivational, positive reinforcement techniques (a form of "clicker training" or "positive behavior shaping") which sets the dog up to succeed. This makes training simple and fun for your puppy.

Our 3 Week Board & Train Program is provided in Venice, Marina Del Rey, Playa Vista, & Playa Del Rey, and provided throughout the Greater Los Angeles area.

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2 Week Board & Train

3 Week Board & Train

2 Week Board & Train Program

ON & OFF LEASH

This 2-week program is a program which focuses on practical, everyday obedience that is completed with a high level of precision, inside & outside, on and off-leash, with distractions. Ideal for adolescent puppies 6-12 months of age. This program provides a little bit of everything, including pla

2 Week Board & Train Program

ON & OFF LEASH

Our 2 Week Board & Train Program is provided in Venice, Marina Del Rey, Playa Vista, & Playa Del Rey, and provided throughout the Greater Los Angeles area.

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28 Day Puppy Board & Train Program

Dog Boarding
Board & Train
beagle puppy
puppy trainer near me
puppy trainer
puppy training

28 Day Puppy Board & Train Program (On & Off Leash)

Our 28 Day program is our highest level of training where dogs succeed the most. This program focuses on practical, everyday obedience that is completed with our highest level of precision, inside and outside, on & off-leash, with minimal to high level of distractions. The program provides full training of everything, including Potty Training, House Training, Crate Training, Cultural Socialization (society, dogs and people), as well as manners (polite greetings, preventing door dashing & jumping, and good car etiquette). Separation Anxiety will be addressed on a case-by-case basis. All off leash obedience behaviors are taught with high-levels of distraction at close range proofing.

Our 28 Day Board & Train Program is provided in various locations in Southern California including Venice, Marina Del Rey, Playa Vista, and Playa Del Rey

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Our Board & Train Program Curriculum

Your dog will be learning the following during their Board & Train Program

This curriculum is made for puppies age 4 months and up

Counterconditioning
behavior modification
dog training
puppy trainer
board and train
Puppy Trainer

Basic Manners and House Breaking

To Greet People Politely
To stop jumping (on humans)
To stop counter-surfing
To stop door dashing
To stop Barking & Whining
To stop Puppy Biting
To love going in their crate
To have good impulse control
Consistent Potty Training Skills
To respect Rules, Boundaries, and Limitations
To play with others appropriately
To remain Calm when necessary
To be comfortable with Cultural Socialization (Outside stimuli)
To go to Place/Bed/Crate when instructed
To Wait at doorways, sidewalks, etc..

Basic Manners & House Breaking
Dog Training
Basic Commands

OBEDIENCE CUES

Commands you give your dog to do throughout the day

The 7 Common Commands:

Sit
Down
Stay
Come
Off
Heel
No

Counterconditioning
behavior modification
dog training
puppy trainer
board and train

Behavior Modification Counterconditioning Desensitization

To be comfortable being alone without people or dogs present (Separation Anxiety/Distress)
To be comfortable in confined spaces like a playpen or crate
To stop Resource Guarding towards food, dogs, toys, and people
To voluntarily modify Fear-Reactive Behavior to Neutral Behavior when it occurs
To Stop Pulling, Barking, and/or Lunging on Walks

All Programs are subject to change and will be customized to suit the needs of your dog

Dog Training, Daycare, Pet Sitting

Request a Free Phone Consultation

Santa Monica Paws

Hours of Operation

How we customize Board & Train Stays

Traditional Board and Train

Traditional Board and Train

Traditional Board and Train

Reverse Board and Train

Traditional Board and Train

Traditional Board and Train

Frequently Asked Questions

Dog Board & Train Programs - Santa Monica, West LA

3 Week Board & Train

3 Week Board & Train

3 Week Board & Train

2 Week Board & Train

3 Week Board & Train

3 Week Board & Train

28 Day Puppy Board & Train Program

28 Day Puppy Board & Train Program (On & Off Leash)

Our Board & Train Program Curriculum

Your dog will be learning the following during their Board & Train Program

Basic Manners and House Breaking

OBEDIENCE CUES

Behavior Modification Counterconditioning Desensitization

Dog Training, Daycare, Pet Sitting

Request a Free Phone Consultation

Santa Monica Paws

Hours of Operation

How we customize Board & Train Stays

Traditional Board and Train

Traditional Board and Train

Traditional Board and Train

Reverse Board and Train

Traditional Board and Train

Traditional Board and Train

Frequently Asked Questions

Dog Board & Train Programs - Santa Monica, West LA

3 Week Board & Train

3 Week Board & Train

3 Week Board & Train

2 Week Board & Train

3 Week Board & Train

3 Week Board & Train

28 Day Puppy Board & Train Program

28 Day Puppy Board & Train Program (On & Off Leash)

Our Board & Train Program Curriculum

Your dog will be learning the following during their Board & Train Program

Basic Manners and House Breaking

OBEDIENCE CUES

Behavior Modification Counterconditioning Desensitization

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