Yes, we welcome ALL vaccinated dogs.
UNDERSTANDING TEMPERAMENT & BOARDING
Your dog may love you and still want nothing to do with unfamiliar people or dogs. That does not make them less deserving of a comfortable stay. Traction K9 Kennels welcomes aggressive, reactive, fearful, selective, and working dogs without making friendliness the price of admission.
Here is why conventional boarding can be difficult for those dogs, and how contact-free care changes the practical requirements.
Direct handling. Staff often need to enter a dog’s space, attach a lead, and move them through shared areas. Daycare-based boarding may also require joining unfamiliar dog groups.
Different people, different shifts. Being comfortable with one handler does not mean a dog will accept the next employee. A different voice, approach, or person can change their response.
Ask the practical question: What happens if my dog refuses a lead, growls, retreats, or will not accept a replacement staff member?
See published onboarding requirements from Camp Bow Wow Austin and Dogtopia South Austin.
A dog may enjoy other dogs but be unsafe for unfamiliar people to handle. Another may adore people and dislike dog groups. Those needs should be considered separately rather than compressed into a single “friendly” label.
Some dogs are naturally selective or cautious. Others have learned to protect their space or find unfamiliar situations difficult. Needing distance does not mean a dog should be pushed into greetings, touched until they give in, or expected to tolerate unwanted interaction.
Your dog does not have to be a social butterfly to belong here.
We enjoy working with these dogs. We will not tell you something is wrong with your dog simply because they are not sociable with strangers. We choose a care setup that respects their boundaries.
You personally take your dog to their private suite at check-in and collect them at checkout. A dog who should not be handled does not need to accept an unfamiliar staff member as part of that handover.
The indoor suite connects to a private outdoor patio. A dog can remain on the patio while the indoor suite is cleaned, and vice versa. Physical separation allows care without requiring direct contact.
Solid dividers separate neighboring dogs. We do not facilitate or recommend group play during boarding. Dogs are not required to meet, play with, or tolerate unfamiliar boarding guests.
Select “Do not enter – aggressive” when staff should not enter or interact. The care approach does not depend on the dog becoming comfortable with every employee who works that week.
Designed by professional trainers. Traction Dog Training Club designed and manages our kennel. Our work includes family companions, protection dogs, and dogs with serious aggression concerns.
Informed by zoo keeping. Mara’s experience with mountain lions, bears, and voluntary veterinary procedures helped shape our approach: plan access and separation before care begins. Kayla brings veterinary hospital management and behavior-management experience.
Individual care is built in. Dogs who enjoy people can receive individual interaction. Dogs who need distance can keep it.
Choose the option when creating your dog’s profile in the booking portal. You do not need to call, email, or send a separate explanation of triggers or bite history to book boarding. No temperament evaluation or trial stay is required.
Yes. We welcome dogs with human-aggression concerns. Choose Do not enter – aggressive in the booking profile when staff should not enter or interact. No temperament evaluation or separate behavior explanation is required to book.
Each suite connects to its own outdoor patio. Externally controlled access lets staff separate the dog from the area being serviced. The layout supports feeding and cleaning without requiring direct handling or entry into the dog’s occupied space.
The profile describes interaction with humans. Select Friendly only when there are zero human-aggression concerns, or the caution option when interaction needs care. Unfamiliar boarding dogs stay separated regardless of that choice.
No. We do not facilitate or recommend group play during boarding. Contact-free guests do not need to become comfortable with unfamiliar handlers to receive care. Staff follow the human-interaction option selected in the profile.
Most figure it out right away. If yours does not, we prop it open so they can use their indoor suite and private patio.
Yes. Our trainers offer customized behavior modification and free phone consultations. Explore Austin aggression training or book a consultation. Boarding itself does not require enrollment in training.
Helping dogs with aggression is a major part of our work at Traction Dog Training Club. We offer customized behavior modification for:
Worried about your dog’s aggressive behavior? Start with a free phone consultation. We will talk through your concerns and explain the training options.
Explore aggression training in Austin · Our approach to aggression
