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How it works

How board and train works

Five steps: send the enquiry, meet Gabby for a short assessment, complete the free evaluation, the stay itself, and a go-home lesson where you take over.

Start an enquiry What to bring
One-on-one training session inside Dogtown

How it works

Five steps from enquiry to go-home

We reply to every enquiry within one hour on business days.

  1. 01

    Send the enquiry

    Tell us about your dog and what you would like to change. We reply within one hour on business days.

  2. 02

    Assessment with Gabby

    A short assessment to agree the goals and choose Foundation or Advanced.

  3. 03

    Free evaluation

    A temperament test on a weekday between 6:30 and 9:30 AM, which also shows whether your dog is ready for a playgroup.

  4. 04

    The stay

    Your dog trains every day, sleeps in an overnight suite and you get a daily update.

  5. 05

    Go-home lesson

    You learn every skill yourself, with the trainer beside you, before the leash goes home.

Before you book

What your dog needs first

Every board-and-train dog completes Dogtown’s free evaluation first. It is a temperament test that also tells us whether your dog is ready to join a playgroup during the stay.

  • Rabies, DHPP (distemper) and Bordetella vaccinations on file
  • A current city or town dog license
  • The free evaluation, on a weekday between 6:30 and 9:30 AM
  • Minimum age for puppies confirmed at the assessment
Evaluations run Monday – Friday between 6:30 and 9:30 AM, by appointment. In Gloucester, dog licenses come from the City Clerk.

During the stay

What a stay looks like

The plan sets the rhythm, not a fixed timetable, but every stay is built from the same pieces. You get an update every day.

Training every day

Sessions through each day of the stay, built around the goals you agreed with Gabby.

Rest and enrichment

Down time between sessions, and enrichment that works the brain as well as the body.

Playgroup when ready

Daycare time in a small group of 7–10 dogs matched by size and temperament, if the evaluation shows your dog is ready.

Nights in a suite

A quiet overnight suite with comfortable bedding and 24/7 monitoring.

A golden retriever settled in on a paw-print blanket during an overnight stay at Dogtown

Drop-off day

What to bring

  • Your dog’s usual food, pre-portioned
  • Any medications, clearly labeled
  • One comfort item from home
  • We provide bedding and enrichment

Drop-off and pick-up times are agreed when you book the stay. Bring proof of vaccinations if we do not already have it on file.

After the stay

The go-home lesson, then you

At the go-home lesson you take the leash and run every cue yourself, with the trainer beside you. Foundation includes one lesson; Advanced includes two scheduled coaching lessons.

Then the real work starts at home. Practice in easy places first, then harder ones, and keep rewarding what you want to see. If something slips, call the front desk on 978 491-5922 before a small slip becomes a habit.

FAQs

The stay and after

Updates, sleeping, playgroups, packing and the go-home lesson.

Will I get updates during the stay?
Yes. Both programs include daily updates, so you can follow what your dog worked on through the stay. We confirm the format when you book.
Where does my dog sleep?
In one of our overnight suites, with comfortable bedding and 24/7 monitoring, at 210 Eastern Ave in Gloucester.
Will my dog play with other dogs?
When your dog is ready. Both programs include daycare integration: time in a small playgroup of 7–10 dogs matched by size and temperament. The free evaluation tells us whether your dog is ready for a group, and if not, the stay goes ahead without one.
What should I pack?
Your dog’s usual food, pre-portioned, any medications, clearly labeled, and one comfort item from home. We provide bedding and enrichment.
What happens at the go-home lesson?
You take the leash. The trainer shows you how to ask for each skill your dog learned and how to reward it, and you practice together until it feels natural. Foundation includes one go-home lesson; Advanced includes two scheduled coaching lessons.
Will the training last?
That depends on what happens at home. A skill a dog is no longer asked for or rewarded for fades, so the go-home coaching is there to make sure you can keep it going. We do not promise results; we make sure you leave knowing exactly how to practice.
Is Dogtown Training the same company as Dogtown Daycare?
Yes. Dogtown Training is the board-and-train program of Northshore Dogtown at 210 Eastern Ave, Gloucester. Daycare, overnight stays, Dogtown Academy, grooming, training classes and private sessions are on dogtowndaycare.com.

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.

Start an enquiry Call 978 491-5922
  1. 01Send the enquiryReply within the hour on business days
  2. 02Assessment & evaluationPick Foundation or Advanced
  3. 03Train & go homeDaily updates, go-home coaching
Every stay starts with A free evaluation Weekdays 6:30 – 9:30 AM, by appointment
Call Start an enquiry