Give your dog the gift of professional, hands-on training with Aspire K9 Academy’s Board & Train programs in Montgomery County, MD. Choose from 2-, 3-, or 4-week programs, each combining daily training, socialization, and private lessons tailored to your dog’s needs.
EXCELLENTTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. My husband and I cannot say enough good things about Gary from Aspire K9 Academy. We brought our newly adopted pup, George, for life training skills and we all, not just George, benefitted greatly from our sessions with Gary. He is not only incredibly knowledgeable but also kind, patient, and funny! He took the time to understand our pup’s unique personality and tailored each session to what we needed. Our pup immediately warmed up to him and I could tell that he felt truly comfortable learning from Gary. His positive reinforcement methods were not only effective, but also built a trusting relationship between us and our pup. What really stood out to me was how much Gary genuinely cares and how his training method focuses on patience, kindness, and encouragement. Never once was George punished, intimidated, or hurt. What I also really liked is that Gary explains the reasoning behind his methods and what our pup is communicating to us through his behavior. He was teaching us as well as our pup, so cool! In addition, he followed up after sessions, provided suggestions for food/treat dispensers/toys (which were game changers), and he was always available for questions. It’s clear he is doing this work because of his love for dogs and their people — and it shows! It's rare to find someone who combines such expertise with such a genuine heart. We are so grateful for all of Gary’s help and we cannot recommend him and Aspire K9 Academy highly enough!Posted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We are super happy with Aspire K9! Gary is very knowledgeable and a great teacher. Highly recommend to anyone who needs a 1:1 dog trainer. Worth every penny!Posted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We found Aspire K9 Academy through an online search and it has been such a great experience for both my puppy and I. Gary focuses on the dog you have (they are all unique) and works on your specific goals for your puppy. It goes beyond a basic puppy class which tend to be a one size fits all approach and builds foundational skills. Gray is accessible and responsive outside of class time. He is invested in your dog’s progress and growth. We are looking forward to continuing training with Gary as our puppy grows.Posted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We’ve had many dogs over the years and we’re mostly “do it yourselfer” dog trainers. Needless to say, our results weren’t so good. But when we recently got a new puppy that might end up being closer to a small horse than a dog, we knew we needed to get serious about training. We didn’t want to end up in some viral TikTok where our dog drags us down the street. After some research, we located Aspire K9 and took our puppy in for lesson one. Long story short… Gary is an amazing trainer. We can walk with our pup and she doesn’t leave our side. Never pulls the leash. She literally flies to us when we call her special name. She’s worked out some anxiety issues. While we still have work to do, she’s on a great path. We were so thrilled with the results we even took our other dog to Gary and she’s a different dog already! Gary is patient and generous with his time. He may introduce some wild concepts (like getting rid of the dog bowl for certain breeds), but he’s also realistic and if you aren’t going to do something, he’ll work around it. I couldn’t recommend a trainer more highly. You simply have to go and experience it for yourself. You will not be disappointed.Posted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. The short story: The training is worth the drive & the cost. The long story: In October 2024, we attended a community festival where one of the local shelters had animals available for adoption. He’s a 2-year-old, 50 pound, Pitbull Staffordshire Mastiff mix. Our previous 2 dogs were half that size & didn’t strike fear into anyone. Having a larger dog, who is a Pit, was a totally different experience. Behaviors that aren’t a big deal for a small dog are devastating with a larger dog, let alone a Pit. I would cry when walking him because he pulled so hard. And I admit, I regretted getting him. He is a sweet, loving dog but his behaviors... I thought “what have I done?” I was able to get us into training at a chain pet supply company within 2 weeks of adoption. We had two 6-week sessions which did help but things were still not great. On Facebook, I remembered Aspire K-9 Academy highlighting the great results of training Kyoto, a rescue from my co-worker’s organization. I decided I couldn’t take it anymore & was desperate for help. It was the best decision I have ever made. I met with the owner, Gary Daydov, for our interview. I knew he wouldn’t sugar coat anything when he told me “Your walking is garbage.” I was like “Preach, brother!” His training aligned with our family’s. We didn’t believe in shock or pinch collars and he, likewise, avoids those noting there is a time and place but there has to be a long-term plan. He felt that 6 lessons would work well, so I immediately signed up. We met every 2 weeks, and in that time, Gary changed and improved our life 1000-fold. Gary really gave us an insight to the “dog’s mind.” He helped us understand what a dog needs & what makes him happy. He told us what kind of equipment to have & treats to use. With that said, as the pet owner you HAVE to put the time in; if only for a few minutes a day. And you'll be surprised how many opportunities there are to train just in your regular daily routine. All the work pays off. Everything Gary taught us made sense & worked. My husband and I would look at each other saying “he’s like a completely different dog. Look how happy he is!” In turn, the training has made us happy and has totally improved our relationship with our dog. Consider Aspire K-9. You won’t be disappointed. And you & your pet will be so happy.Posted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. This has been a great experience. My dog (Gus) and I have learned so much. Each lesson we go over what we have learned and new skills. I have been able to bring the whole family for lessons so we can all learn together. These lessons aren't just sit and stay but life skills to make Gus comfortable at home, at play and in the world. We will continue our journey with aspire K9 academy as Gus gets older to make sure he is happy, healthy and a good boy.Posted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. After extensive research and careful consideration of training options in our area, we chose to work with Aspire K9 Academy in Damascus—and we couldn’t be happier with our decision. We were looking for a highly skilled trainer who uses positive reinforcement in a structured and supportive environment, and Aspire K9 Academy not only met our criteria on paper, but has exceeded our expectations in every session. Our puppy is learning essential skills at an impressive pace—but, truthfully, it’s our entire family who’s been transformed. Gary Davydov, is the senior trainer at Aspire K9 Academy; his deep knowledge of canine development, his clear and practical instruction, and his thoughtful approach to training have been invaluable. He explains the “why” behind each method, demonstrates techniques, gives us ample time to practice, provides clear homework instructions, and outstanding support for success between sessions. We feel incredibly fortunate to have found Aspire K9 Academy. It’s clear that Gary is not only a gifted trainer, but also truly invested in helping dogs and their families thrive. We’re excited to continue this journey with Aspire K9 Academy as our puppy grows into the happy, smart, and well-adjusted dog he’s meant to be. Highly recommend!Posted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We couldn’t be happier with our experience at Aspire K9! Gary did an outstanding job with our dog, Kylo, for both boarding and training. From the start, we were impressed by the level of professionalism, communication, and genuine care he showed for our dog. Kylo came back more focused, well-behaved, and confident—and it’s clear he truly enjoyed his time there. Gary's knowledge, patience, and personalized approach made a huge difference, and we’re extremely pleased with the results. Thank you, Gary and the Aspire K9 team, for your excellent work. Highly recommended!Posted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Gary is very patient and knowledgeable! He did a great job helping us manage our cane corso!Posted onTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I brought my dog to Aspire K9 Academy because he was aggressive with other dogs. Gary, the owner, is extremely talented, serious, and patient with his teaching. My dog is on the older side so he has required repetition to change his ways. My dog has been very responsive to his commands. He has a number of maneuvers he would like the dog to follow as a prelude to exposing him to other dogs. He also has a holistic approach, including food intake. With his recommendations, my dog has lost some weight and his coat is shiny. He is calmer at home as well. I plan to continue my work with Aspire as I have seen great improvement. I cannot say enough about my experience.
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This program may be suitable for:
Pre-Requisites for all board & train programs
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This program may be suitable for:
Pre-Requisites for all board & train programs
Includes:
This program may be suitable for:
Pre-Requisites for all board & train programs
All of our Maryland board and train programs are fully customizable to your dog’s needs. You may notice that you don’t see a “list of commands” here that your dog is guaranteed to learn. We have trained this way in the past, but we ended up feeling that this approach relies on taking choices and options away from the dog, and adding more control. Over time, our mindset shifted to a more freedom-oriented approach to training. Management, as important as it is, eventually fails. We want the dog to be a good dog even without the leash on, without the treats, without the excessive crate time, without the training tools.
To accomplish this, we believe in integrating your dog fully into our daily activities. We have had lots of success with this method, because not only are we training the dog every day, but the dog is getting all the social learning from our personal dogs as well. We’ve seen countless board & train dogs make huge strides in reactivity, human aggression, general hyperactivity, resource guarding, and more using this method.
Our dogs are experts in welcoming new dogs into the group for a temporary stay, and they teach our board & train dogs an appropriate mix of fun/play, and calmness/respect.
Once the dog is settled into our farm and has started to accept their new home-away-from home, we begin training behaviors. This typically starts with an implied/automatic leave-it, a sit, a down, and a “go to xxxx”(bed, cot, mat, etc) cue. Shortly thereafter, we start working on these behaviors with the rest of the group as well. The dog learns things like waiting their turn for training, respect for other dogs’ spaces, ability to disengage from high-arousal triggers, name recognition and recall, impulse control, and so many more useful skills that can come from working in this environment.
Private lessons take place at our farm, unless otherwise arranged with your trainer. Nominal gas surcharge may apply.
As I’m sure you already imagined, there are numerous benefits to having a professional trainer work with your dog multiple times a day. We are able to quickly and easily implement new rules and behaviors in the most streamlined way possible. Most of our clients don’t have the time to do several training sessions with their dog per day. We are not miracle workers, but we do have the time and knowledge to be able to teach new behaviors much faster than the average family. Having your dog live with us for a period of time also allows us the opportunity to create our own relationship with your dog, which allows us to make more accurate recommendations for behavior problems.
Often, the best thing a dog can experience is a break from the monotony of his/her everyday home life. A dog who has an established routine at home is a dog who is subject to creating habits. Often, those habits are bad ones. When we remove the dog from his home environment, it helps immensely with undoing the bad habits that are connected to that environment. We bring the dog into a new place, and we establish a new routine that involves more rules and structure. It may be strange for the dog at first, but canids actually thrive quite well in a place of consistency and clarity. Your dog will quickly learn what works, what doesn’t work, and which behaviors will earn him the things he wants.
We take this time to deeply ingrain new behaviors and habits, and then we give you the tools necessary to ensure your home can operate in a similar fashion. When we drop your dog off at the end of the program, we may spend around 2 hours giving you instructions and teaching your dog that the same rules apply back in his home environment. In the weeks following a board & train, we provide follow-up private lessons and if you continue implementing our recommendations, you will see some really exciting behavioral progress!
We hear this a lot, but rest assured.. We don’t have the ability to completely change your dog’s personality, only influence the behaviors they display. A board & train simply expedites your dog’s training and drastically lessens the margin for error in the training process. Your dog will still be her happy-go-lucky self when she comes home.
We’re not going to lie to you, this concern is valid. This industry is unregulated, which unfortunately means that there are trainers out there who will take your money and mistreat your dog. We’ve seen it, we’ve experienced it ourselves, and our board & trains are run very differently. Our board & train dogs are integrated with other boarding dogs and our own dogs as quickly as possible, and the dog lives on our property with us. We keep a very clean living and boarding environment, for the safety of both dogs and humans. We keep meticulous records of the dogs coming and going from our property, and we always limit our numbers. We send pictures/video and updates upon request, and we never want you to feel like you can’t ask how your dog is doing. We allow visits with a 24-hour request, and we do not limit the number of visits. Visiting your dog during a board & train rarely sets back your dog’s training; the training your dog receives should not be so fragile that they cannot handle seeing you (some exceptions can be made for serious attachment disorders). We also welcome you to come check out the farm before boarding your dog with us. We always recommend personally touring the area your dog will be staying before leaving your dog with ANY third-party pet professional.
Sorry, we wish that could happen, but that’s not usually the case. Every dog learns at a different pace, just like people do, and we will not put unnecessary pressure on a dog just for the sake of adhering to timelines. Think back to your worst subject in college. Chemistry, maybe? Sending a dog to a board & train program could be compared to signing yourself up for Chemistry Camp. You’re going to Chemistry Camp because you need a lot of chemistry help, but you are fully aware that you’re not going to come back home as an Organic Chemistry MASTER. You’re probably hoping that you get home knowing a lot more than before, and you can go back to your Chemistry 101 class feeling more confident about concepts that were really difficult for you in the past. Now, back to dogs.. As an example, if your dog is struggling very badly with his socialization around other dogs, when he comes home, he will not be perfectly social. He’s likely never going to have a large network of dog friends. However, this is the real world, and lots of people have dogs. He will inevitably be exposed to other dogs throughout his lifetime, and he might not love it, but he will now have a toolbox of coping mechanisms that he can utilize anytime he is feeling overwhelmed.
This is probably the concern we hear the most, and it is completely understandable that folks would have this concern. If a board & train program is run poorly, this can absolutely happen. However, there are preventative measures that can be taken to prevent this from becoming a reality. First, we have multiple dog training professionals work with your dog during their stay. This helps them learn that the rules apply to all humans, not just the one trainer. Second, we do a lengthy private lesson with you at the end of the board & train. We give you a packet during this lesson, and we go through it together. This will have detailed instructions for all of the recommendations and protocols that we need you to begin implementing in your home. Then, we have you practice with your dog, and we don’t leave until your dog is working well for you, and you tell us that you understand all the information you’ve been given. We’re not going to leave you hanging, that’s just not our style.
The board & train dogs have a variable schedule from day-to-day. However, here is a pretty average example of what your dog will experience during a typical board & train day.
8:00am – wake up, first potty break of the day
9:00am – into the kennels for water and half breakfast
9:30am – play & socialization group time
10:30am – training sessions
11:30am – naptime
1:30pm – play group, exercise, group training
3:00pm – training sessions
4:30pm – rest & naps
6:30pm – field trip (training @ Lowe’s, Home Depot, parks, etc)
8:00pm – rest time. Settling on dog beds in a communal area with chew toys, treat puzzles or Kongs.
9:00pm – dinner in crates, nap time
10:00pm – potty break, water, more relaxation time
11:00pm – last potty break, put dogs in kennels for the night
Book a Board & Train, Private Lesson, or Group Class today and see the difference expert, compassionate training can make for your dog!
