SIRIUSSERVICE DOG BOARD & TRAIN
Sirius Service Dog Board & Train is Nitro K‑9’s most intensive and comprehensive Service Dog training program. Built for handlers looking for something beyond basic obedience with a Service Dog label attached.
Named After the Dog Who Started It
The program is named after Sirius, North’s Service Dog, and grew directly out of North’s experience training Sirius as her own Service Dog and, through that process, becoming a trainer for Nitro K-9. That experience helped shape what Sirius is today: a program built around the understanding that creating a reliable Service Dog takes time, consistency, real-world experience, thoughtful task training, and a strong working relationship between dog and handler.
Sirius is not built around a predetermined number of training weeks. It is a completion-based Board & Train program, designed to give each individual dog the time necessary to develop into the most capable, reliable, and appropriate Service Dog possible.
Following a full assessment of your dog and a detailed discussion of your individual needs, Nitro K-9 will determine whether your dog is an appropriate candidate for the Sirius Program. If accepted, we will establish a training start date after all enrollment requirements have been completed.
Your dog will then live and train with Nitro K-9 for approximately 3–6 months, depending on the individual dog, the required Service Dog tasking, training progress, health, maturity, home stays, and the individual needs of the handler.
The 3–6 month timeframe is an anticipated training window rather than a guaranteed completion date. Nitro K-9 makes the final professional determination regarding training progression, completion, graduation, and the dog’s appropriate final return date.
The flexibility in length allows us to progress naturally with your dog instead of rushing advanced training to meet an artificial deadline. Every dog learns differently, and advanced Service Dog work requires reliability, confidence, consistency, environmental stability, task proficiency, and extensive real-world experience.
Do the work correctly and thoroughly.
Sirius is not built around a predetermined number of training weeks. It is a completion-based Board & Train program, designed to give each individual dog the time necessary to develop into the most capable, reliable, and appropriate Service Dog possible.
- Assessment. Every prospective Sirius dog must complete a Nitro K-9 assessment before acceptance into the program.
- Candidacy decision. Nitro K‑9 determines whether your dog is an appropriate candidate for Sirius.
- Start date. If accepted, a training start date is set once all enrollment requirements are complete.
- Live-in training. Your dog lives and trains with Nitro K‑9 for approximately 3–6 months, depending on the individual dog, required tasking, training progress, health, maturity, home stays, and your needs as a handler.
- Graduation. Nitro K‑9 makes the final professional determination on training progression, completion, and graduation.
Program Terms
The 3–6 month timeframe is an anticipated training window rather than a guaranteed completion date. Nitro K‑9 makes the final professional determination regarding training progression, completion, and graduation. The flexibility in length allows us to progress naturally with your dog instead of rushing advanced training to meet an artificial deadline. Every dog learns differently, and advanced Service Dog work requires reliability, confidence, consistency, environmental stability, task proficiency, and extensive real-world experience.
Program Assessment
Every prospective Sirius dog must complete a Nitro K‑9 assessment before acceptance into the program. The assessment allows us to evaluate the dog’s temperament, behavior, confidence, environmental stability, physical suitability, previous training, and overall potential for Service Dog work. We will also discuss the handler’s individual needs and the Service Dog tasks they would like the dog to perform.
In-School Assessment
$100
Conducted at the Nitro K‑9 facility.
In-Home Assessment
$300
Conducted in your dog’s home environment.
Please Note
An assessment does not guarantee acceptance into Sirius.
The Sirius Program
The full $28,000 Program Fee is due in advance before a Sirius training slot, boarding space, start date, or program booking is reserved or confirmed.
Booking Terms
Discussion of potential dates, completion of an assessment, or preliminary acceptance into the program does not by itself reserve a training position. A Sirius booking is confirmed only after all required enrollment documents, health documentation, and full program payment have been completed and accepted by Nitro K‑9.
What Sirius Covers
Training is customized to the individual dog and handler and may include:
Foundations
- Advanced obedience
- Hand signal work
- Voice signal work
- Handler engagement & communication
Task Work
- Customized Service Dog task training
- Psychiatric Service Dog tasking
- Appropriate Mobility-related assistance tasks
- Other medical / disability-related tasks that can safely and appropriately be trained
Public Access & Real World
- Public-access preparation
- Real-world environmental exposure
- Socialization
- Neutrality around people and dogs
- Confidence building
- Working calmly around distractions
Real-world environments dogs may train in
- Stores
- Restaurants
- Businesses
- Crowds
- Vehicles
- Elevators
- Stairs
- Transportation environments
- Other environments appropriate to the individual dog
Not every dog requires every type of training listed above. The training plan is built around the needs of the individual dog and handler.
Service Dog Task Training
Tasking is customized around the handler’s disability-related needs and the physical, behavioral, and cognitive abilities of the individual dog. During your assessment, we will discuss:
- The tasks you would like your dog to perform
- What can realistically and reliably be trained
- Whether the requested task is physically appropriate for the dog
- Behavioral or environmental limitations
- Safety considerations
- Alternative tasks that may better meet the handler’s needs
Psychiatric Service Dog work may include:
- Deep Pressure Therapy
- Anxiety interruption
- Panic-response interruption
- Grounding behaviors
- Grounding touch
- Tactile stimulation
- Blocking
- Creating space
- Crowd buffering
- Guiding to an exit
- Room sweeps
- Other individually appropriate tasks
Please Note
Nitro K‑9 may modify, substitute, decline, or discontinue a requested task if it is not safe, practical, reliable, physically appropriate, or suitable for the individual dog.
Two Home Stays
up to 2 weeks each
A 3–6 month Board & Train does not necessarily mean your dog will be away from you continuously for the entire program. Sirius includes the opportunity for the client to request up to Two Separate Home Stays.
Each home stay may last up to Two Weeks. These visits allow your dog to spend meaningful time with you and your family while remaining enrolled in Sirius. They also provide an important opportunity to evaluate how your dog’s training transfers into the home environment.
Home stays help us identify:
- Handling inconsistencies
- Environmental challenges
- Training regression
- Household issues
- Areas requiring additional work
- Ways to strengthen the dog-and-handler relationship
Program Terms
Home-stay dates must be coordinated with Nitro K‑9 in advance. Nitro K-9 will make reasonable efforts to accommodate requested dates but retains final discretion regarding timing when it could materially interfere with the dog’s training, safety, health, or development. Authorized home stays do not constitute withdrawal from the program and do not reduce the Program Fee. Unused home stays have no cash value. Because extended time outside the training environment may affect progression, use of one or both home stays may affect the anticipated completion date.
Seven Private Handler Lessons
handler lessons
A Service Dog is ultimately a partnership. Training the dog is only part of the process. These lessons are designed to transfer the dog’s training to the handler and teach you how to work confidently and consistently with your dog.
Lessons may take place:
- During the Sirius Program
- During an authorized home stay
- In later stages of training
- Near graduation
- Following your dog’s final return
Lessons may include:
- Advanced obedience handling
- Hand & voice signals
- Service Dog task cues
- Appropriate use of trained tasks
- Public-access handling
- Distraction management
- Handler engagement
- Training equipment
- Maintaining behavioral standards
- Troubleshooting home & public-environment issues
- Maintaining training for your dog’s working life
Our goal is for you to understand not only what your dog has learned, but also how to communicate with your dog, maintain those skills, and preserve the working relationship long after the Board & Train is complete.
Continued Training Support
Graduating from Sirius does not mean your relationship with Nitro K‑9 ends.
Free Weekly Classes
Sirius graduates get access to Nitro K‑9’s regular weekly training classes at no additional training charge, for the working life of the dog.
2 Groups Per Month
Up to two Service Dog socialization and training groups per month at no additional training charge. These groups are designed to provide controlled socialization, training exposure, environmental work, distraction training, continued maintenance of advanced skills, and opportunities to work around other Service Dog teams.
Program Terms
Participation in weekly classes is subject to Nitro K‑9’s current class schedule, staff and trainer availability, appropriate dog and handler behavior, and Nitro continuing to offer an applicable weekly class program. Class days, times, trainers, locations, and formats may change over time. This benefit has no cash value and is not transferable to another dog or person.
Participation in monthly groups is subject to staff, trainer, schedule, facility, and group availability. Unused monthly groups do not accumulate, roll over, or have cash value.
Service Dog training should not disappear the day the dog comes home. Sirius is designed to give both the dog and handler opportunities for continued training and support after graduation.
Health Requirements
To protect your dog and the other dogs in our care, all Sirius dogs must satisfy Nitro K‑9’s health requirements before entering the program. Unless Nitro approves otherwise in writing, clients must provide proof of:
- Current Rabies vaccination
- Current DHPP/DAPP vaccination, or veterinarian-recognized equivalent
- Current Bordetella vaccination
- A negative Fecal Flotation Examination
- A negative Giardia test
Program Terms
Unless Nitro K-9 approves otherwise, the fecal float and Giardia testing must have been completed within 30 days before intake. Dogs showing symptoms of contagious illness or carrying parasites may have their intake delayed until appropriate treatment, testing, or veterinary clearance has been completed. Veterinary testing, treatment, medication, and repeat testing are the client’s responsibility. Nitro may also require additional testing following an authorized home stay when there has been illness, parasite exposure, boarding, daycare, significant unfamiliar-dog exposure, or another reasonable health concern.
Puppy & Adult Dog Selection
The right dog matters. If you have not yet selected your prospective Service Dog, Nitro K‑9 can assist with puppy or adult-dog selection.
Temperament, genetics, health, confidence, environmental stability, drive, physical structure, maturity, and overall suitability all play a major role in whether a dog is capable of successfully performing Service Dog work.
Whenever possible, we would rather help you select the right dog from the beginning than attempt to force a dog into a role he or she is not suited to perform.
No Shortcuts. No Rushed Timelines.
Sirius was created from firsthand experience with what it actually takes to develop a Service Dog. This program is designed for people looking for something beyond basic obedience with a Service Dog label attached to it.
We do not believe advanced Service Dog training should be rushed simply because a predetermined number of weeks has passed. Your dog remains in the Sirius Program until Nitro K‑9 determines the training is complete and the dog is ready to graduate.
Our mission is to develop a dog capable of:
- Functioning reliably in the real world
- Performing individually trained disability-related tasks
- Navigating public environments confidently
- Maintaining advanced obedience
- Remaining calm and neutral around distractions
- Communicating effectively with the handler
- Working as part of a genuine dog-and-handler team
Our goal is to build the strongest, most reliable Service Dog and handler partnership we reasonably can.
