Teaching a dog to obey basic commands - sit, stay and come - is an important responsibility of pet ownership. Dogs who know and follow those commands are safer and happier.

However, reinforcing desired behaviors requires lots of repetition in the early stages, and many pet owners don't have the time to provide a consistent training regimen. A growing number are turning to Board-and-Train programs to provide a solution to their training dilemma.

Board-and-Train is a bit like boarding school for pets. Dogs participate in daily obedience training sessions with a professional trainer during a stay at the boarding kennel while their owners travel on business or vacation. Programs vary but generally include at least one private lesson with the trainer each day, focusing on the skills that the dog needs to learn. Any quality Board-and-Train program will also include a one-on-one session with the owner at the end of the dog's stay.

Trainers recommend the following guidelines to help your dog get the most from a board-and-train program:

Meet with the trainer in advance. "It's a good idea to schedule an appointment with the trainer a week before your dog's boarding stay," says John Smith, trainer at Best Friends Duluth, GA Pet Resort. "This gives the trainer a chance to evaluate your dog and to talk with you about your dog's specific training needs - like aggression or other problems that need to be addressed. It's also a chance for your dog to get to know the trainer." This evaluation session ought to be included in the Board-and-Train package.

Have realistic expectations. Don't expect an untrained dog to come home ready for national competition, says trainer Patrick Walsh, of the Best Friends Pet Resort in Tyngsboro, MA. "What can be accomplished during the boarding stay will depend upon the dog's personality and prior experience with training. Most dogs will be able to understand and perform most of the basic commands and will go home ready to progress further with consistent follow-up."

Reinforce your pet's training. The biggest training problem for most dogs is lack of consistency on the part of his owner. "Most dogs do very well during their Board-and-Train, but if the owner doesn't follow-through and practice at home, the dog won't retain what he has learned, " adds Smith. A quality program should include a private go-home session during which the trainer teaches the owner the commands the dog has learned during his stay and appropriate techniques for working with and correcting him.

Take training classes with your pet. One good way to reinforce that training is to take a group obedience class with your pet, suggests Walsh. "Knowing you have that class to go to each week will encourage the owner to keep up the practice sessions at home, which further reinforces what your dog has learned."

Best Friends offers Board-and-Train programs at many of its Pet Resorts across the U.S. For additional information, go to the Our Locations section of the website.