Our Structured Programs

Our comprehensive 4-Week Stay & Train program is designed to build a strong, lasting foundation for your dog's behaviour, confidence, and overall wellbeing. Using a thoughtful blend of balanced training techniques and positive reinforcement, we focus on creating clarity, structure, and understanding while helping dogs learn how to navigate the world more successfully.

This program is ideal for dogs who need support with obedience, impulse control, confidence building, engagement, emotional regulation, and everyday life skills. Every training plan is tailored to the individual dog in front of us, allowing us to meet their needs while creating meaningful, long-term results.

What We Work On (but not limited too)

  • Building confidence and resilience in new environments

  • Improving emotional regulation and impulse control

  • Creating loose-leash walking skills and calm engagement

  • Developing reliable recall and responsiveness

  • Increasing focus around distractions

  • Strengthening neutrality around dogs, people, and environmental triggers

  • Creating clear communication between dog and handler

  • Building practical skills that transfer into everyday life

Throughout the program, your dog will receive structured training, guided social exposure, enrichment, and opportunities to practice their skills in real-world settings. Our goal is not simply to teach behaviours, but to help dogs develop the confidence, understanding, and emotional stability needed to succeed long after they leave our care.

The program concludes with a comprehensive go-home session, personalized homework, and ongoing support to help ensure a smooth transition and continued success at home.

*Not accepting aggression cases*

Stay & Train

To ensure we're the right fit for your dog’s needs, all new overnight care clients are required to complete a 36-hour Structured Stay Trial before booking a full stay. This trial allows us to spend a full day and night with your dog, giving them time to adjust to our environment and routines, and allowing us to assess their comfort, behaviour, and overall fit.

This helps set both your dog — and our team — up for success during future stays.

Note: A Structured Stay Trial may also be required for some Stay & Train clients, depending on your dog’s behaviour, needs, or training history.

Structured Stay Trial

Structured Daycare + Train

Daycare, reimagined at Penny’s Pals, our Structured Daycare + Train program is designed for dogs who need more than what typical daycare environments can offer especially reactive, anxious, or high-drive dogs.

This isn’t a free-for-all playgroup. Instead, our structured days provide calm, purposeful activity and individualized care that helps your dog succeed.

We use the word “training,” but our focus is deeper than that it’s about enrichment, building confidence, and helping dogs regulate, decompress, and thrive.

What Your Dog’s Day will Include:

  • Small-group pack hikes (based on temperament and recall) - Currently taking a wait list

  • Enrichment Activities (see drop down menu for all we offer)

  • Crate rotations for structured rest and decompression

  • Place work and calm engagement activities

  • Supervised downtime in a calm environment

  • Passive socialization

  • Handler engagement

  • Confidence building

    And more!

Training Session with a team member: As per clients goals.
(Focus areas include recall, leash manners, reactivity support, impulse control, and more)

Please note we are appointment based only, for handler and canine safety, we do not allow any walk-ins. Thank you for understanding.

Structured Stays

We offer a different kind of overnight care for dogs who need more than what typical kennels or facilities provide. At Penny's Pals, we recognize that some dogs thrive with added structure, consistency, and personal attention — which is exactly what our overnight care program is designed to deliver.

Our calm, home-style setting allows us to offer a higher level of care that supports both the physical and emotional well-being of each dog. Whether your pup needs extra exercise, behaviour support, or just a little extra love, you can trust Penny’s Pals to provide an experience tailored to their unique needs.

Finding someone you truly trust with your dog can be challenging — especially when your dog has specific needs, quirks, or training you've worked hard to build. We’ve been there.

As dog owners ourselves, we created Penny’s Pals out of a real need for something better. With three very different dogs (including Penny, who’s selective with dogs and fearful of new people), we quickly realized there weren’t many care options that truly respected individual needs or followed training instructions properly.

That’s why our program is different.

At Penny’s Pals, we provide a safe, structured, and understanding environment where:

  • Your dog’s training is respected and reinforced

  • Instructions are followed carefully and consistently

  • Dogs with reactivity, fear, or special needs are supported

  • Structure, routine, and calm energy help dogs thrive

Our goal is to maintain your dog’s progress — not undo it — so that when it’s time to head home, the transition is smooth and stress-free for both of you.

No one else on the island offers a program like this — because your dog deserves more than just a place to stay. They deserve care with intention.

What makes our program different?

Don’t take our word for it…

Mochi

mochi penny's pals testimonial photo and review of penny's pals boarding and training  program

“When our dog Mochi started to show her negative behaviour, we tried everything we could think of but things didn’t go as well as we were hoping and as we were starting to think about rehoming her, when one of her trainers (we had two professionals help already) recommended Taylor’s board and training program to us. Taylor was our last resort and she saved our family!..”

Mac

Mac revew of penny's pals

“Since completing Taylor's board and train program, our boy Mac has been noticeably calmer and happier. Taylor has given us the tools and information to be able to understand and communicate with him so much more effectively - it's hard to put into words how amazing it's been to see such a positive change in his energy. Taylor is super knowledgeable and supportive and we are grateful to have her on team Mac because having a reactive dog can feel really isolating. We would absolutely recommend her board and train program to anyone who is struggling with their dog's behaviour. ”

Gypsy

gypsy photo and review of penny's pals boarding and training program in victoria bc

“Hands down the best! Taylor has taken in my reactive girl Gypsy for board and training and I couldn’t be happier with the results! She updated me with videos and pictures throughout Gypsy’s stay, and to be honest,  I cried a few times with how well behaved she was being. Taylor treated Gypsy like her own, and now I can take my girl to the beach or for a walk and not have to worry about anything because she listens so well…”

About our space:

We are proud to provide a safe & secure space for all dogs in our home. While we specialize in balanced training we welcome other methods as well, such as positive reinforcement.

Your dog will enjoy leashed walks, yard time/play time, socialization with other dogs if they enjoy that, and if there are no issues with recall, they can join us on our off-leash pack hikes on private property.

Give your furry friend their own vacation! Find us in beautiful Victoria, B.C., where we make the most of the stunning west coast for outdoor training and pack adventures.