Georgetown, MA board and train

What to expect from each program

The one-week Foundation program teaches sit, down, leash skills, place, stay, recall, impulse control and household manners, and ends with one go-home lesson. It suits puppies and young dogs.

The two-week Advanced program includes all of that, then proofs it with distraction, outings, neutrality, confidence building and structured socialization, and gives you two go-home lessons. It suits adolescents and dogs who forget everything outdoors. Gabby, Dogtown’s Director of Training & Canine Behaviorist, recommends one at the assessment, and steers dogs with real fear, guarding or a bite history toward Dogtown’s six- to ten-week behavior-modification program when that fits better.

The rhythm of a stay

Your dog lives at Dogtown for the program, sleeping in an overnight suite with comfortable bedding and 24/7 monitoring. Days combine short training sessions, rest, enrichment in a 10,000 sq. ft. facility and, once the evaluation shows your dog is ready, a small playgroup of 7 to 10 dogs matched by size and temperament.

You receive a daily update, in a format confirmed at booking. The training itself is relationship-based and fear- and force-free, and it focuses on the reason behind a behavior, not just the behavior.

First month home in Georgetown

The first fortnight is for consistency, not adventure. Keep the cues, the marker word and the rewards exactly as your dog learned them, and practise at home and on your street. Then add the forest on a quiet weekday, on a long line, and work up to busier times and more distraction.

Regression is normal when a dog moves back home, and it usually passes with consistency. Our guide to the first week home explains what to expect and how to respond.

• Days 1–14: house, yard and street, same cues and rewards
• Days 15–21: the state forest on a long line, quiet times
• Days 22–30: busier trail times, calm passing practice
• Fall: blaze orange, leash on, shorter walks in hunting season

License, vaccines and the quote

Georgetown licenses dogs through the Town Clerk; a license is required from six months of age and expires on December 31 each year. Bring it to the evaluation along with Rabies, DHPP and Bordetella records. The town code includes rules on restraint and leashing, so check the current wording with the clerk.

Pack your dog’s food in daily portions, label any medication and add one comfort item. The stay is quoted after the assessment; our cost guide explains what goes into it.