Board and train red flags, and why they matter

Why common board and train red flags are risky: an unregulated industry, aversive tools, no updates, big promises. What Ollie’s Law and kennel licensing change.

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One-on-one training session inside Dogtown

The short answer

Board and train red flags matter because the industry is largely unregulated: in most of the United States anyone can call themselves a dog trainer, and a stay means handing your dog to people you cannot watch. The riskiest practices are aversive tools and methods, little or no contact during the stay, promises of permanent or certain results, and facilities that cannot explain their licensing, supervision or playgroup setup. Understanding why each is risky helps you judge any program, including ours.

At a glance

Trainer regulation: None in Massachusetts; certifications are voluntary
Kennel rules: Ollie’s Law, signed September 2024
Method standard: AVSAB: reward-based methods only
Checklist version: How to spot red flags

By the Dogtown Training team in Gloucester, MA · Last reviewed October 28, 2026 · Our trainer and methods

The root problem: an unregulated market

Dog training has no licensing requirement in Massachusetts or most other states. Certifications from bodies such as the CCPDT, IAABC or Fear Free exist and are worth asking about, but they are voluntary, and the title “trainer” or “behaviorist” on its own tells you nothing about qualifications. Our page on trainer certifications explains what each credential means.

Board and train adds a second layer of risk: the dog is out of the owner’s sight for days or weeks. That combination is why the warning signs below carry more weight here than for a weekly class, where you watch every minute.

Why aversive tools and methods are a risk, not just a preference

Some programs get fast-looking results by using pain, pressure or fear: prong collars, shock collars, leash corrections, flooding. The behavior may stop in the moment, but the research on welfare is consistent. A 2020 study in PLOS ONE found more stress behaviors and higher post-training cortisol in dogs at schools that used aversive methods heavily, and the AVSAB position statement recommends only reward-based training.

In a board and train the risk grows, because a dog who is shut down from aversive handling can look calm and obedient at pick-up. Owners may not see the fallout, such as new fear, avoidance or redirected aggression, until weeks later. Our page on board and train without e-collars or prong collars goes deeper.

Staff member giving a golden retriever a belly rub on the turf

Why silence during the stay is dangerous

Updates are not a nicety; they are the main way an owner can see what is happening. A program that sends nothing, or only polished highlight clips, leaves you no way to spot a dog who is not eating, is being pushed too hard or has been hurt. Regular, specific updates create a record and a habit of transparency.

Dogtown sends a daily update for every stay, with the format confirmed at booking. Whatever program you choose, the question is not whether updates are pretty but whether they would tell you if something went wrong. Our page on daily updates covers what a useful one includes.

What the news cases and Ollie’s Law teach

Local news around the country regularly reports dogs injured or killed at boarding, daycare and board-and-train facilities, often followed by lawsuits. Massachusetts responded with Ollie’s Law, named for Ollie, a seven-month-old labradoodle fatally injured in a dog fight at a daycare in East Longmeadow in 2020. According to the MSPCA, the governor signed it on September 20, 2024.

The law directs the state’s Department of Agricultural Resources to write rules for boarding kennels and daycares, has municipalities set safe maximum capacities after inspection, and requires them to issue and revoke kennel licenses properly. Regulations were still being finalized in 2026, so check the state’s Ollie’s Law page for current status. The lesson for owners is that facility licensing, inspection and playgroup management are safety issues, not paperwork; our pages on Ollie’s Law and kennel licensing explain them.

Why big promises are a warning sign

No one can promise a permanent result, because so much depends on what happens after the dog goes home. A program that promises results for life is either defining success very narrowly or relying on methods that suppress behavior quickly. Neither serves the dog well.

The same applies to programs that accept every dog for every problem. Serious aggression, separation anxiety and panic need different tools, and an honest program refers some dogs elsewhere. Dogtown promises no results; it makes sure you leave knowing how to practice, and Gabby says at the assessment when a longer behavior-modification program or a vet would serve a dog better.

A worked example: weighing two programs

A family compares two stays for their adolescent shepherd. The first offers a lifetime promise of results, uses a remote collar on all dogs and sends a highlight video at pick-up. The second describes reward-based methods, sends daily updates, explains its playgroup matching and includes coaching lessons for the family.

The first looks more confident, but every element carries a risk the family cannot check. The second is less flashy and more accountable. Knowing why each practice matters lets them ask the right follow-up questions, such as what happens if a dog stops eating, how playgroups are supervised, and what the handover includes, and judge the answers. Our guide to choosing a program puts that into steps.

The two programs

1 week · Puppies, young dogs & foundational manners Foundation Board & Train A one-week stay for puppies, young dogs and dogs missing the basics: obedience, leash skills, place, stay, recall, impulse control and household manners, with daily updates and a go-home lesson. Read about Foundation 2 weeks · Adolescent dogs & real-world reliability Advanced Board & Train A two-week stay for adolescent dogs and dogs who know their cues at home but lose them everywhere else: everything in Foundation, plus distraction proofing, real-world outings, neutrality and two go-home coaching lessons. Read about Advanced

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