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Buyer guide · Choosing
How to choose a board and train program
Choose a board and train program on the things that matter: training methods, Massachusetts licensing, daily updates, owner lessons and honest answers.
1. Methods: the first filter
Ask exactly how the program teaches a new behavior and how it responds when the dog gets it wrong. A good program can describe both plainly. Reward-based, force-free trainers will talk about markers, food and play rewards, management and setting the dog up to succeed. Programs that rely on corrections may talk about ‘pressure’, ‘leash pops’, ‘stim’ levels or ‘balanced’ training.
The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior recommends reward-based methods and advises against aversive tools such as shock, prong and choke collars, citing risks to welfare and to the dog-owner relationship. Our explainer on force-free vs balanced board and train sets out the differences. Dogtown trains with a relationship-based, fear- and force-free approach built on positive reinforcement.
2. Licensing and safety basics in Massachusetts
Massachusetts has no state license for dog trainers; a 2019 bill to create one did not pass. What does exist is the kennel license, issued by the city or town under state law (M.G.L. c. 140, § 137A), which requires an inspection by an animal control officer before it is granted. Any facility boarding other people’s dogs should be able to tell you how it is licensed locally.
The state is also tightening oversight. Ollie’s Law, signed in September 2024, directs the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources to write regulations for boarding kennels and daycare facilities. Check mass.gov for the current status, and see our pages on kennel licensing for training facilities and Ollie’s Law.
- Where will my dog sleep, and who is on site or monitoring overnight?
- What vaccines do you require from every dog?
- What is your emergency plan, and which vet do you use?
- How are playgroups sized and matched?
3. Updates: how you will know what is happening
You are handing over your dog for one or more weeks, so ask how you will hear about it. Daily is a reasonable expectation. Ask what form updates take, whether you can ask questions during the stay, and who answers them. Programs vary: some send photos, some written notes, some short videos. The format matters less than the honesty and regularity.
Dogtown sends a daily update, with the format confirmed at booking. Our page on daily updates during board and train explains what a useful update looks like.
4. Owner coaching: where the results are kept or lost
The skills a dog learns with a trainer need to transfer to you, and that happens at the handover. Ask how many lessons are included, how long they are, whether they happen at the facility or out in the world, and what you take home. A program that sends the dog home with a five-minute demo is asking you to succeed without the tools.
For comparison, Dogtown’s one-week Foundation program includes one go-home lesson and the two-week Advanced program includes two scheduled coaching lessons.
5. Honesty about limits
Good trainers tell you what a program cannot do. Ask what happens if your dog is not a good fit, and listen for an answer that includes referral to a longer behavior program, a veterinary behaviorist or a different service. Be wary of anyone who promises specific results by a date, especially for fear, aggression or anxiety.
Dogtown, for example, does not promise results; the aim is that you leave knowing how to practice. Dogs with significant fear, reactivity or guarding may be steered toward a six-to-ten-week behavior-modification program instead of a standard stay.
| Factor | What good looks like | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Methods | Reward-based, openly described, no aversive tools | Deal-breaker |
| Licensing and safety | Local kennel license, clear overnight and emergency plan | Deal-breaker |
| Updates | Daily, with a way to ask questions | High |
| Owner coaching | At least one real hands-on lesson | High |
| Honesty | Clear about who the program is not for | High |
| Price and length | A written quote that matches the plan | Compare last |
How to do it
Step by step
- 01
Shortlist three programs
Pick programs within a realistic drive or pick-up range and read how each describes its methods.
- 02
Ask about methods and equipment
Ask how they teach new behaviors and handle mistakes, and what collars, leashes and tools they use.
- 03
Check licensing and safety
Confirm the local kennel license, vaccine requirements, overnight arrangements and emergency plan.
- 04
Compare updates and coaching
Ask how often you hear about your dog and how many hands-on owner lessons are included.
- 05
Test their honesty
Describe your dog’s hardest behavior and see whether they explain limits, alternatives and referrals.
- 06
Get it in writing
Ask for a written quote and terms, then compare price and length last.
The two programs
FAQs
Related questions
Does a trainer need a certification?
Is a longer program always better?
Should I visit the facility first?
What questions should I ask on the first call?
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
