Your dog lives with the trainer — not in a kennel run.
Board & train is the fastest way to change a dog's default behavior, because the reps happen every day instead of once a week. Your dog stays with us at our home-based setup in Chattanooga, works through structured daily sessions in real environments, and comes home to a handoff session that teaches you how to keep it.
Free 30-minute consult · No sales script · Mon–Fri 8a–6p, Sat 8a–12p
There is no "we'll take good care of them" hand-waving here. A day in program has a shape, and it repeats — which is exactly why the behavior changes.
We cap the program at four dogs at a time. That's not a marketing line — it's the constraint that makes the schedule above possible. A facility running twenty dogs cannot give any of them this.
K9 Ambitions started in 2020 specifically because of what large commercial kennels do to dogs. Concrete runs, constant barking, rotating staff — a lot of dogs leave those environments more reactive than they arrived, and the training that happened between feedings never transfers.
Home-based means your dog trains and lives in the kind of environment it's going back to: a house with doorbells, furniture, floors, a family rhythm, and a trainer who is actually there. When we teach "place" while the TV is on, the dog is learning the real version of that skill, not a version that falls apart the moment the environment changes.
A dog that behaves for a trainer and falls apart for its owner is a failed program, no matter how good the before-and-after video looks. Every board & train ends with a go-home session where we train you: leash mechanics, marker timing, how to enforce a command without escalating, and what to do the first time your dog tests the new rules at home. Because it will.
You leave with written homework, a 90-day plan, and direct trainer access. Graduates of the 5-week program keep lifetime support and monthly group class access.
We'd rather tell you this before you pay than after:
Every package includes the training sessions, a plan built around your dog, the owner handoff, homework, and trainer availability during your program. Payment plans available on all packages.
A clean starting point for foundation skills, routines, and daily structure.
The midpoint for dogs that need more structure, distraction work, and targeted behavior support.
On & off leash reliability — the only tier that verifies both. Includes the e-collar.
Not sure which tier? Call (423) 321-4207 — we'll point you to the smallest package that actually solves your problem. Compare every option on the full pricing page.
We sent our pup to Elizabeth for the 3-week board and train and we could not be happier with how well he has done. Not only did he come back with a strong foundation of all the essential basics, but Elizabeth takes the time to make sure you as the owner are also up to speed.
We are very happy with the training our golden doodle, Smokeybear, received at K9 Ambitions. Elizabeth did a fantastic job. We could tell she loves dogs and is very capable of training them. I am now comfortable with taking Smokeybear on walks.
Our retriever was having some issues jumping on guests and pulling really hard for my daughter and K9 Ambitions gave us a game plan and put us on track. We bought private lessons at first but ended up also doing a board and train.
Free 30-minute consult. We'll hear your dog's story, tell you honestly which program fits — even if it's the cheapest one — and give you a realistic timeline. No sales script, no pressure.