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Cost and pricing
Board and train cost on the North Shore
What board and train costs in Massachusetts in 2026: published local prices, what a fair quote includes, and how 1 and 2 week stays in Gloucester are priced.
What do Massachusetts board-and-train programs charge?
Very few Massachusetts trainers publish a price, and the ones that do sit far apart. In October 2026 we found three programs with public figures, all with different lengths, inclusions and methods. The table below lists exactly what each page said on the day we checked, with a link so you can confirm the current number yourself.
National cost guides from training franchises land in the same broad band. Sit Means Sit’s cost guide puts a typical basic program around $2,000 and complex rehabilitation at $6,000 or more. Treat any national average with care: city, length and method move the number more than anything else.
| Program (checked Oct 2026) | Length | Published price | Fine print |
|---|---|---|---|
| Board and Train Boston | 2, 3 or 4 weeks | $999 / $1,499 / $2,499 | Training method not named on the page |
| She’s a Keeper, Stow | 3-week minimum | $4,888 | $750 non-refundable deposit; dogs 6 months and up; remote collar included |
| Follow My Lead, Brockton | 2 weeks; 4–7 week behavioral | Base price not listed | $800 per extra week; e-collar $199–$329 extra |
| Dogtown, Gloucester | 1 or 2 weeks | Quoted after the assessment | Free evaluation; fear- and force-free |
Why the price of a stay varies so much
The headline number is mostly a function of nights, trainer time and what the program bundles. A two-week stay is roughly double the boarding of a one-week stay before any training is counted. Behavior cases cost more everywhere because they need more one-to-one time and a longer runway.
Method changes the bill too. Several local programs that use remote or prong collars list the collar as a separate purchase or fold it into the price, and you take that equipment home. A reward-based program has no collar line, but it does lean harder on teaching you, which is why follow-up lessons matter when you compare quotes.
- Length: nights of boarding plus days of training
- Dog: a puppy learning manners is a different job from an adolescent who lunges at other dogs
- Owner coaching: how many hand-over lessons are included, and whether they are scheduled or extra
- Extras: transport, equipment, grooming, follow-up sessions, peak-date surcharges
What is included in a Dogtown stay
Whatever your quote says, these items are part of every stay, so you can line them up against any other program’s inclusions. Nothing on this list is an add-on.
The one thing that differs between the two programs is the hand-over. Foundation ends with one go-home lesson; Advanced includes two scheduled coaching lessons, the second after you have had time to practice. If you are weighing the two, our 1 week vs 2 week comparison walks through the difference.
| Included | Foundation (1 week) | Advanced (2 weeks) |
|---|---|---|
| Overnight suite with bedding and 24/7 monitoring | Yes | Yes |
| Training every day of the stay | Yes | Yes |
| Matched playgroup of 7–10 dogs, once ready | Yes | Yes |
| Enrichment in a 10,000 sq. ft. facility | Yes | Yes |
| A daily update | Yes | Yes |
| Distraction proofing and real-world outings | No | Yes |
| Go-home coaching | One lesson | Two scheduled lessons |
Why we quote after the assessment instead of posting a number
A posted price only works if every dog needs the same plan, and they don’t. The short assessment with Gabriella Pope, our Director of Training & Canine Behaviorist, settles the goals and whether Foundation or Advanced fits. Some dogs with significant fear, reactivity or guarding are better served by our six- to ten-week behavior-modification programs, and we would rather tell you that before you pay for a stay that is too short.
Once the plan is agreed, the quote comes in writing with the dates, so you are comparing a real figure rather than a teaser. The free evaluation then runs on a weekday morning between 6:30 and 9:30 AM and confirms your dog is ready for the stay and the playgroup.
Questions that make two quotes comparable
Two quotes are only comparable once you know what sits behind them. These are the questions we would ask any program, including ours, and the answers belong in writing before you book. Our guide to reading a board-and-train contract goes deeper on terms.
- What equipment will be used on my dog, and will I need to buy it?
- How many owner lessons are included, and when do they happen?
- What does the daily update look like?
- What is the deposit, and what happens if plans change? (At Dogtown, these terms are confirmed in writing at booking.)
- Is transport included, and what does it cost from my town?
- What happens if the trainer thinks my dog needs a longer program?
Small costs that add up around the stay
Budget for the bits around the program, not just the program. Your dog needs Rabies, DHPP and Bordetella on file and a current city or town license, so a vet visit may come first if anything has lapsed. Pack your dog’s usual food; we provide bedding and enrichment.
Transport is the other line. The Pup Van is $10 each way in Gloucester, Rockport, Essex and Manchester-by-the-Sea. Families farther out can arrange van pick-up as well; ask for van pricing from your town when you enquire. After the stay, private sessions start from $94 per session if you want extra help.
The two programs
FAQs
Related questions
Is board and train more expensive than private lessons?
Do you ask for a deposit?
Is the evaluation really free?
Why would a one-week stay cost less than a competitor’s two weeks?
More questions? Read the full board & train FAQ
Next step
Tell us about your dog.
Send the enquiry and we reply within one hour on business days to set up a short assessment with Gabby. The evaluation is free.
- 01Send the enquiryReply within the hour on business days
- 02Assessment & evaluationPick Foundation or Advanced
- 03Train & go homeDaily updates, go-home coaching
