We are a full-service boarding, training, and daycare and enrichment facility that welcomes all dogs, including those who have behavioral challenges. We are located in Blaine, Minnesota, just 10 minutes north of the Twin Cities and opened in 1998, making us one of the first pet care facilities in the area. We took what began as a bird dog training program and transitioned it into so much more—a behavioral training and boarding kennel whose mission is to improve the lives of owners and dogs alike.
We’re proud to offer a safe, clean, comfortable and calm environment for your pets—both inside and out. Our extensive soundproofing ensures peaceful surroundings, heated floors keep dogs cozy and our multiple indoor play areas ensure space to romp even on days with the worst of weather.
We developed our five-acre property to create the ideal experience for dogs. Bordered by beautiful wetlands, it features several separate outdoor yards, many with confidence-building challenges from a variety of agility-type equipment to hay bales to repurposed wooden wire reels. Our nature walks within a large fenced enclosure are what dogs’ dreams are made of: the scents of various local critters, and plenty of trees, bushes and grass to sniff and explore for hours.
Our staff have the best jobs on earth—helping people and their pets connect and train in a way that brings calm and structure to their everyday lives. When your dog comes to stay with us, whether it’s for a day, a week or a month, they’ll have a team of experienced trainers working with them. Though your dog might not always work with the same trainer, the approach and philosophy that is core to how we train is consistent from one day to the next and from one trainer to the next. Consistency is a core tenet of all we do, an approach that creates a foundation for your dog to always know what to expect as well as what is expected of them. This clarity is instrumental to everything we do because a confused dog is a chaotic dog and a clear-minded dog is a calm dog.
We value all humans and do not tolerate racism of any kind—this is non-negotiable.
I will send any and every dog owner I know to Blaine Kennels for behavioral training. They completely changed our relationship with our dog, who—at one point—we thought we might have to re-home. It was a Google review like this one that convinced us to give Blaine Kennels a try.
Dog Squad Training at Blaine Kennels was our Hail Mary pass; Blaine Kennels completely changed our relationship with our dog. With their initial work during his four-week overnight stay, we were set up for total success. We learned so much during our lesson visits and got to work with him around other dogs to practice real-life scenarios we’d encounter upon bringing him home (multiple staff members have seen me cry out of amazement as his progress). And with their follow-up support, we had a smooth transition back home.
Taking part in the DogSquad training at Blaine Kennels has been life changing for myself and my dog, Finley. After just four weeks, he learned how to properly leash walk, elevated his abilities and response time to basic commands and recall, learned how to be more calm around other people and dogs and so much more. I can now bring him in public spaces knowing he will be a well-behaved dog which has alleviated so much stress. They truly brought out the best version of himself and I am forever grateful! Thank you, Maddy, and team for everything!
I hesitate to even give this place a great review because I selfishly want to keep it a secret. But their care of our dogs and training (really, training us not the dogs) has been life changing. If you have a challenging pup, this is where you need to go. If you have a pup that isn’t challenging, this is where you still should go.
Daycare done differently! Our daily enrichment program’s mission is to send your dog home fulfilled and calm every day. Dropping your dog off with us is opening a new world for them where they learn a new way of life—how to be calm and part of a pack. More than that, our facility has just the right setting to allow dogs to play, walk, run and sniff. Be sure to read about our add-ons.
READ MOREWe take the boredom out of boarding. At Blaine Kennels, your dog doesn’t have to be sitting in a cage all day—they can be exercised, mentally stimulated, and engaged. Our structured environment provides a calm, peaceful energy that dogs immediately feel, helping them settle in to their temporary home away from home. Never a dull moment, we have plenty of activities to serve up plenty of fun. Be sure to read about our add-ons.
READ MOREAn evaluation is an essential part of getting to know you and your dog to help you meet your goals and learn what makes your dog unique. During your dog’s evaluation we develop a custom plan that will meet your specific needs. That information is then integrated into private lessons so to help you have the dynamic that you’ve always wanted with your pet.
READ MORENo level of training is too big or too small—we welcome dogs who have been deemed too difficult. Our Dog Squad program is a four to six week intensive doggy boot camp where your pet stays with us and is worked several times each day by different members of our training staff. The first step is an evaluation where we’ll get to know you and your dog and understand your goals and specifics of how we can help.
We’re happy to offer financing to make this an option for as many people as possible.
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