STOP SCROLLING: These Incredible Differently-Abled Pups Live Life to the Max—And They'll Totally Make Your Da…

Need a lift? These pups with extra challenges squeeze every drop out of each day. Hit follow for grins, a boost of hope, and warm fuzzy vibes that'll light up your mood and show you what's possible!

Authored by Teoti Anderson, CPDT-KA, KPA-CTP

“My dog had extra training with the breeder,” my new client said, frustration thick in her voice. “We let them keep her longer—and paid extra—so she’d be housetrained and know her commands. But she doesn’t know anything!”

“That’s really disheartening,” I said. “Did they show you how to work with her?”

Murray the Weimaraner was pulled off a Puerto Rican beach after a rough start. He beat canine distemper—a virus that often turns deadly—and in spite of his one-of-a-kind face, landed a forever home in Massachusetts where his tail, they say, 'never stops wagging!' Swing by for a daily mood-lift that'll leave a smile on your face.

“Besides the video, what lessons did you actually get?” I asked.

“We didn’t get any lessons,” she said.

Meet what might just be the happiest dog on the planet! Scooty got hit by a car as a puppy in Mexico and lost all movement, but she's won some back and can now 'weeble wobble' her way around. Catch her beach zoomies from a wheelchair! That grin is straight-up contagious. Follow for a nudge to let nothing stand in your path.

My client sighed. “I wish I’d known that a few thousand dollars ago.”

“A board-and-train program doesn’t work unless YOU get trained right alongside your dog.”

'Blind but beautiful' is this wonder pup's mantra! Truth is, Maggie's fresh start is nothing short of a miracle. Saved from awful abuse in Lebanon, she now calls Brighton, England home and works as a therapy dog. Her new life radiates joy and is quickly building a big fanbase, pushing her followers to not let their pasts box them in and to spot the bright side daily.

When your car makes a scary noise, you drop it at the shop. They fix it, hand back the key, you drive off—done. Dogs aren’t cars. You can’t drop yours at a trainer for a ‘repair,’ then just clip the leash and head home. Board-and-train sounds dreamy: someone else does the grind, you collect a finished dog. If that’s the pitch, do ask whether a bridge is included in the deal.

Quality board-and-train programs DO exist. It’s on you to dig in and find a pro who delivers real results. And know this: with no participation from you, no program succeeds.

Not a thing slows this cute Chihuahua down! TurboRoo came into the world with no front legs—a condition called bilateral amelia. Named after the movie Turbo, about an underdog snail who beats the odds, he loves tearing around on his 3-D printed wheels and speaks up for other dogs with the same issue, a usual fallout of overbreeding. He's even launched his own hashtag, #nublove.

There are perfectly good reasons to bring in help. A big one: training dogs isn’t your craft. You might not be great at it, and that’s fine—you’re brilliant at plenty else. Real trainers study ethology, biology, and behavioural psychology, then rack up years of hands-on work. Training is genuinely specialised, demanding labour. A pro working directly with your dog can fast-track the basics efficiently; you just maintain them rather than teaching from zero.

Another reason owners pick board-and-train is age. Loving dogs doesn’t stop as we get older, but chasing a bouncy puppy is easier at 30 than at 60. A board-and-train to give a puppy a trained head start can be a practical call.

Board-and-train is not advisable for fear or aggression cases.

Who Board & Train Works For… and Who It Doesn’t

Board-and-train can suit puppies and dogs needing basic obedience and manners, and it shines for specialised work like service-dog training. It’s not recommended for fear and aggression. If your dog growls, snaps, or bites, shipping him off to ‘camp’ won’t teach you to manage him at home—and depending on the program, it can make things worse. Most aggression is fear-based; if a trainer punishes a scared dog with choke, prong, or shock collars, the fear only deepens. The symptoms—growling, snapping, lunging—may briefly fade, but the root remains. There’s no magic camp for aggressive dogs. Your best route is in-home lessons with a pro, and for severe cases, a veterinary behaviourist you team up with.

How to Choose a Quality Board & Train Program

Board-and-train usually costs more than private lessons. You’ll find them run by trainers, breeders, daycares, even groomers. Here’s the catch: the dog-training industry isn’t regulated. There’s no single ‘certification’ to hang on the wall. Anyone can call themselves a trainer. So the pet parent has to separate the qualified from the quacks.

What are the living conditions—a home or a kennel? How many hours a day is your dog out of the crate? How many other dogs share the space?

Vet the Training Facility: What to Watch For

Board-and-train isn’t for everyone, and a good one takes effort to find. Time spent researching saves you money and headaches. If you go the boarding-school route, choose with care.

First published in Modern Dog magazine. Get your subscription today!