Training for the life you actually live together.

BALANCED DOG TRAINING IN MERCER, MAINE

Calmer walks. Better manners. More confidence. Clearer communication. More life together.

Maybe you want to take your dog camping, hiking, to a festival, or simply enjoy an easier walk around the neighborhood. Maybe you’re starting fresh with a new puppy. Maybe you’re working through something harder.

Wherever you’re starting, we’ll meet you there.

Training isn’t just about commands. It’s about building practical skills, clearer communication, and a better understanding of the dog on the other end of the leash.

Start where you are. Build from there.

LET’S TALK TRAINING
A German Shepherd puppy wearing a red, white, and blue bandana around its neck, sitting outdoors on green grass with trees and a blurred background.

Balanced training. Clear communication.

Dog training is an investment in your dog and in the life you get to enjoy together.

Understand the Dog

Good training starts with understanding how dogs communicate, what they need from us, and how clear expectations help them succeed.

Use the Right Tools

Our balanced approach allows us to choose tools and techniques based on the individual dog, the goals, and the situation.

Timing + Technique Matter

Food, leashes, long lines, slip leads, prong collars, e-collars, play, praise, and pressure can all have a place. A tool never replaces good training or good timing.

You’re Part of the Training

Training isn’t something we simply do to your dog. You’ll be learning too, so you can understand the communication and continue the work at home.

Have questions about our methods or tools? Ask us. We’re happy to explain what we use, why we use it, and how it applies to your dog.

Two smiling women standing outside on a sidewalk with two German Shepherd dogs; they are wearing matching black t-shirts that say 'Play & Stay Pet Retreat' and are next to a brick building with large glass windows.

Play & Stay’s training program is built on the experience and philosophy behind Pine State Shepherds Training, founded by Morgan Frost.

Morgan brings years of hands-on dog training experience, more than a decade of veterinary technician experience, and experience raising German and Belgian Shepherds into the way we approach training at Play & Stay.

Today, Morgan and Makinlee work with Play & Stay training clients through private training, group classes, Day School, Board & Train, and more.

Backed by years of hands-on experience.

A happy dog with a green bandana sitting on a street in front of a blurred group of people and a canopy tent at an outdoor event.
A happy dog with a green bandana sitting on a street in front of a blurred group of people and a canopy tent at an outdoor event.

Whether you’re looking for one-on-one help, a group setting, a focused training day, or a more immersive program, we’ll help you find the right place to start.

Private Training
One-on-one support tailored to your dog, your goals, and the challenges you’re working through.

Group Classes
Build skills, confidence, and neutrality while practicing around real-life distractions.

Day School | $85/day • daycare included
Focused training during the daycare. Dogs work on practical skills such as obedience, leash manners, neutrality, confidence, and impulse control.

AKC Programs
Work toward recognized AKC titles while building practical skills, confidence, and good everyday manners.
AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy | 6-week course • $250
AKC Canine Good Citizen | 4-week course + evaluation • $220

Board & Train
A more immersive option with dedicated hands-on training over two or four weeks.

Not sure which option fits? We can help.

Find the support that fits your dog.

A woman with glasses and a bun hairstyle wearing a black T-shirt with 'PLAY & STAY PET RETREAT' printed on it, denim shorts, and sandals, is standing on a paved area with a black and white dog lying at her feet. The dog has a turquoise collar and a tattoo of a sun on her thigh. The background includes a white and brick building, parked cars, and trees with green leaves.
A woman with glasses and a bun hairstyle wearing a black T-shirt with 'PLAY & STAY PET RETREAT' printed on it, denim shorts, and sandals, is standing on a paved area with a black and white dog lying at her feet. The dog has a turquoise collar and a tattoo of a sun on her thigh. The background includes a white and brick building, parked cars, and trees with green leaves.

Group Training Classes

Learn together. Practice around real life.

Knowing a skill at home is one thing. Practicing it around other dogs, people, movement, and distractions is another.

Group classes give you and your dog the opportunity to build skills together while practicing communication, confidence, and neutrality around real-life distractions.

Basics Class | $300

One-hour class held once per week.
Skills may include neutrality, leash manners, impulse control, place and duration stays, confidence, and everyday communication.

6-Week Puppy Group Class | $300

Build a strong foundation with communication, basic obedience, confidence, appropriate socialization, and practical everyday skills.

6-Week Advanced Class | $300

Build on your dog’s existing foundation with more challenging exercises, distractions, duration, and real-life application.

Additional AKC classes and specialty group offerings may also be available.

A woman in a black t-shirt and light-colored shorts sits on a chair, petting a large, brown and black dog with a green bandana, as another woman in a blue shirt smiles nearby at an outdoor market or fair with tents and other people in the background.
A woman in a black t-shirt and light-colored shorts sits on a chair, petting a large, brown and black dog with a green bandana, as another woman in a blue shirt smiles nearby at an outdoor market or fair with tents and other people in the background.

Private Training

Your dog. Your goals. One-on-one support.

Sometimes you don’t need a class. You need someone to look at your dog, your life, and what isn’t working.

Private sessions give us time to focus on the goals or challenges that matter most to you, whether that’s leash manners, household boundaries, confidence, neutrality, puppy foundations, behavior concerns, or simply making everyday life together easier.

At Play & Stay | $75/hour
One-hour private session by appointment at our facility.

In-home + real-world training | Starting at $120/hour

Sometimes the best place to work on a skill is where you actually need it. When appropriate, these sessions allow us to work together at home or in real-life environments where you and your dog are having difficulty.

A woman with curly hair tied up, wearing glasses, a black t-shirt, and denim shorts, holding a leash attached to a black and white dog, standing on a sidewalk next to a red brick building.
A woman with curly hair tied up, wearing glasses, a black t-shirt, and denim shorts, holding a leash attached to a black and white dog, standing on a sidewalk next to a red brick building.

Day School

Some days call for a little extra learning.

$85/day
Includes daycare before + after training.

Day School gives your dog focused learning during the day.

On select dates, dogs receive dedicated training from 10:00 AM–1:00 PM, with daycare before and after.

Depending on your dog and the day’s focus, training may include:

Basic obedience • Leash manners • Neutrality • Confidence • Impulse control • Structured play • And more

Afterward, we’ll update you on what your dog worked on and how their day went.

Day School is offered periodically with limited availability and advance registration required.

A woman sitting with a German Shepherd dog at an outdoor fair or market, surrounded by vendor stalls and other people in the background.
A woman sitting with a German Shepherd dog at an outdoor fair or market, surrounded by vendor stalls and other people in the background.

Board & Train

Looking for a more immersive option?

Board & Train gives your dog dedicated, consistent training while staying at Play & Stay.

2-Week Board & Train | $1,800
May include: Place • Sit • Duration stays • Leash manners • Impulse control • Confidence • Reactivity

4-Week Board & Train | $3,500
Builds on those skills with neutrality • recall • public-access manners • appropriate socialization and additional work based on your dog’s needs.

The work doesn’t end when they come home.

Both programs include a demonstration of your dog’s new skills and a private one-on-one follow-up session so you understand the communication, can practice the skills yourself, and know how to continue the work at home.

A Board & Train can build a strong foundation, but lasting progress requires consistency from you, too. The goal isn’t simply for your dog to listen to us. It’s for you and your dog to know how to move forward together.

Not sure where to start?

You don’t have to figure it out on your own.

Tell us about your dog, what’s going well, what’s been challenging, and what you’d love to be able to do together.

Maybe that means a puppy class. Maybe it’s a private session. Maybe you need more support than you originally thought.

We’ll listen, talk through your options, and help you find a good place to start.

LET’S TALK TRAINING