The $250 explained
What is the reservation deposit for?
Families ask this because a deposit can feel like a fee on top of the price. It is not. It is the first $250 of the program, paid early to lock a date that other families in Katy, Spring and The Woodlands are also asking for.
Last reviewed September 11, 2026 · by the Best Dog University Team
The short version
It reserves a specific start date, and it is credited to the program.
When you reserve, our team writes your dog's name against a drop-off day and a go-home day. That is what the $250 buys: the certainty that the crate, the trainer's time and the field trip schedule for those weeks belong to your dog. When you pay the balance, the deposit is already part of it, so a Gold stay is still $2,500 in total and a Platinum stay is still $3,750.
Nothing about the deposit changes what the program includes. Gold at two weeks covers sit, place, loose leash walking, door boundaries and impulse control, with a go-home session, an extra lesson and lifelong support. Platinum at three weeks adds behavior modification, field trips and unlimited private lessons afterward. The deposit simply moves the start of that program from a conversation to a date.
- $250, paid once, credited to the price
- Holds a named drop-off and go-home date
- Paid through the Reserve Your Spot link
- Comes after the free phone consultation, not before
Why a deposit at all
A home with a handful of dogs cannot overbook the way a kennel can.
Your dog stays in our trainer's own house, not a row of runs. That is the reason the training works and also the reason spots are scarce: only so many dogs fit into one household with enough individual attention to make three weeks count. When a family reserves a date and then vanishes, that slot sits empty, and another dog in Bridgeland or Cinco Ranch who needed it waited for nothing.
The deposit is the small commitment that keeps the calendar honest in both directions. You know your dates are held. We know a dog is really coming, so we can plan the mix of dogs in the house, turn down a conflicting booking and schedule the go-home session on a day that works for you.
How it works
Reserve after the call, not before it.
The order matters. First comes the free phone consultation, a direct conversation with our team about your dog, his history and what you want changed. On that call we tell you which program fits, or whether a private lesson at $160 would do the job instead. Only when both sides agree does the Reserve Your Spot link make sense.
Payment runs through GoDaddy Payments, the same checkout Best Dog University has used for years. You get a receipt, our team gets a notification, and the dates go into the book. From there, expect a reminder about what to pack and a message the week before drop-off to confirm timing, especially in summer when we schedule early to beat the heat.
Book the free phone consultation and describe your dog honestly.
Agree on a program and a tentative start date with our team.
Pay the $250 through the Reserve Your Spot link.
Get your vet records and food organized in the weeks before.
Drop off at the Cypress training home, or book the $250 transport service for pickup.
Pay the remaining balance and watch for the Monday, Wednesday and Friday updates.
Timing in Houston
Reserve earlier for summer, holidays and the weeks before a baby or a move.
Demand is not flat across the year. The weeks before Thanksgiving and Christmas fill first, because families want a calm dog before guests arrive and before the New Year fireworks. Late spring is busy with graduations and moves. If your plan is tied to a date, a baby due in Fairfield, a relocation from the Heights to the suburbs, reserve as soon as the date is known.
Summer has its own logic. From May through September our trainers move outdoor work to early morning and evening and fill midday with store aisles and indoor obedience, so summer stays still deliver. Hurricane season overlaps, running June 1 to November 30; if a storm affects a start date, our team works with you on a new one rather than leaving you to guess.
- Holiday weeks: reserve well ahead
- Summer: early sessions, indoor midday work
- Storm season: dates can be moved by agreement
- Life events: book when the date is known
What it means for you
Treat the deposit as the first step of the program, because that is what it is.
Once you reserve, the stay is real for the dog too. Use the lead time. Get him used to a crate at home if he is not already, start feeding him at set times, and take a few short walks past distractions so you know what to describe on drop-off day. Our prepare-for-board-and-train guide walks through it.
For families choosing VIP at $10,000, the deposit works the same way; transport home and the in-home handover are simply built into that program. For anyone unsure, hold off on paying anything until the call has happened. We would rather talk first than take a deposit from a family whose dog needs something else.
The programs
The programs a deposit reserves.
One deposit, one start date, and the same price you were quoted on the call.
Asked and answered
Questions people ask about this.
Is the reservation deposit an extra charge on top of the price?
No. The $250 is part of the program price, paid early. A Gold stay quoted at $2,500 costs $2,500 in total: $250 to reserve, then the balance. The deposit's only job is to hold your dates in a home that takes a limited number of dogs at a time.
When do I pay the rest of the program fee?
Our team confirms the balance timing with you after the call, and it is settled around the start of the stay. Because the deposit is credited, the balance is simply the program price minus $250. Ask on the phone if you want to split it differently and we will tell you what is possible.
Do I pay the deposit before the free phone consultation?
No, and we would rather you did not. The call comes first so our team can hear about your dog and recommend the right program, or a private lesson if that fits better. Reserve Your Spot is the step after that conversation, when a program and a date have been agreed.
Does the transport service need its own deposit?
The $250 door-to-door service is added to your program and confirmed with our team when you book; it includes the first lesson in your home. It is not the same $250 as the reservation deposit. VIP families do not pay it at all, since transport home and an in-home handover are part of that program.
Can I move my dates after I have paid the deposit?
Life happens, and our team will work with you to find a new start date when one is needed. Tell us as early as you can, since a slot released late is hard to refill. Storm weeks, illness and work travel are all things we can reschedule around with enough notice.
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Ready to hold a date, or still deciding?
Start with the free phone consultation. If the program fits, the $250 deposit holds your dates and is credited to the price.