A dog is a man’s — and woman’s — best friend.
But that doesn’t always mean the animals can’t benefit from a little professional training.
From training a dog to be a general good citizen to an actual working dog that can help the pet parents live a better life, a Grafton group is helping pet parents and dogs to be their best selves.
At MBR Farm Dog Boarding and Training, 37305 Royalton Road in Grafton, owner and American Kennel Club-certified trainer Amy Hunt started the business when she and her husband moved to Grafton in 2019.
The couple purchased 50 acres of land, where they built a dog kennel, training facility, separate rescue operation and, of course, their home.
The group can provide training for about 30 dogs at a time, but the number depends upon the exact nature of the training required.
Hunt works with clients in individual and group settings and does what she terms a “Stay and Train” program where the dog actually stays with her during the training period for up to a month.
And the training can last from single sessions to a lifetime of learning, depending upon the goals the owner has for their beloved canine.
Hunt also is a member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, a member of The Association of Professional Dog Trainers and a member of International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP).
“I can do AKC-star puppy basic obedience, canine good citizen which is through AKC, so those are some options,” she said. “I do therapy dog training, basic obedience training and fear aggression modification.
“What the owners need determines what they would get. Every training session is individualized. I can do whatever the owner wants.
“When it comes to therapy-dog training, it’s a combination of dog and handler, so that isn’t something I can’t take your dog and make it a therapy dog. What I can do is get it ready so that the two of you can become a therapy dog team.
“I’ve been working with dogs my whole life and training them, but never really for hire, so it all stemmed from when I got involved with rescue taking in the fighting dogs the scared dogs the shutdown dogs and getting them to be normal dogs again.
“It just morphed into people saying, ‘Hey, can you help me with this, help me with that,’ and it just kind of grew into now my profession.”
The fees
The costs for training vary depending upon which program an owner selects.
Group programs can start at $250 and go up, while individual sessions are $80 per hour.
Those interested in the “Stay and Train” program will invest approximately $2,000, but the figure could be higher depending upon the exact programming and length.
“Most people who own dogs want to do what’s best for their dogs, (but) some may not be educated in how to do it the right way,” Hunt said.
She said she does not use shock collars or intimidation tactics but rather relies upon positive-reinforcement techniques.
That’s not to say her work isn’t without challenges at times, noting one current client’s dog seems to think her hand is meat.
“I have a biter right now, so my hands look like a hamburger,” Hunt said. “She has learned that biting makes it so that you won’t make her do something she doesn’t want to.
“She’s only 10 months old, but she’s learned that if you take her collar and want to lead her from point A to point B and she doesn’t want to go to point B, if she bites you, you let go and you won’t make her,” she continued. “She gets mad. It’s like throwing a temper tantrum kind of but with teeth.
“I have a really good (example) of a before-and-after: (A) dog that was going to be put down if we couldn’t get her turned around. And so, within 30 days, she went from literally trying to kill a fake hand that was petting her to being off leash in my yard with two little kids she just met — doing great.
“She did a complete 180.”
Rescuing dogs
While MBR Farms is a boarding and training facility, Hunt also works to rescue dogs as part of her Multiple Breed Rescue operation, which she founded nearly 20 years ago.
She is registered in Ohio to provide rescue for any domestic animal. However, she said that continues to be mostly dogs that have one of two options — death or coming to her rescue facility.
The rescue works with humane officers, veterinarians and shelters in Ohio to help dogs that are being mistreated, abused, neglected or have medical needs.
Hunt also takes in dogs from high-kill shelters, local county-run pounds and in-state rescues to allow them to make room for new in-takes to their facility.
Occasionally, in extreme circumstances, the farm will assist with owner surrenders.
“Once in our care, all of our animals are given proper and necessary vetting to ensure their well-being,” Hunt said, adding that they do not have a public shelter and that the majority of these dogs go to foster homes.
From 2006 through 2024, Multiple Breed Rescue has rescued more than 3,500 animals, Hunt said.
“I got a call last night of a dog who was hit by a car and has a broken pelvis. The owners could not afford the $6,000 surgery, so they either had to put the dog down or surrender it,” she said. “So they surrendered it over, and now I’m taking care of the dog from there.”
Hunt said her rescue group is funded entirely through public donations and receives no government assistance.
Dollars earned from the boarding and training facility also are used to help fund the rescue mission, she said.
The rescue is 100 percent volunteer-based, and folks can go to MBROhio.com to learn how they can help. The website has information on how people can get involved, a list of potential pets to adopt and even information and applications to become a foster pet parent.
For more information, call 440-315-5882.
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