1 weekPuppies, young dogs & foundational manners
Foundation Board & Train
- Basic obedience
- Leash skills
- Place, stay and recall
- Impulse control
- Crate and household manners
- Daycare integration and enrichment
- Daily updates and one go-home lesson
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Board & train programs
Board and train programs: Foundation vs Advanced
Dogtown runs two board-and-train programs. Foundation is one week for puppies, young dogs and the basics. Advanced is two weeks for adolescents and dogs who need their manners to hold up in the real world.
2 weeksAdolescent dogs & real-world reliability
Advanced Board & Train
- Everything in Foundation
- Advanced obedience and distraction proofing
- Real-world outings
- Neutrality and impulse control
- Confidence building
- Structured socialization
- Daily updates and two scheduled go-home coaching lessons
Side by side
Foundation and Advanced compared
Advanced includes everything in Foundation, then takes it further. Both are fear- and force-free and both are led by Gabriella Pope.
| Feature | Foundation1 week | Advanced2 weeks |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 1 week | 2 weeks |
| Best for | Puppies, young dogs & foundational manners | Adolescent dogs & real-world reliability |
| Obedience & leash skills | Basic obedience and leash skills | Advanced obedience, proofed against distraction |
| Place, stay & recall | Taught | Taught, then held for longer, further away and with distractions |
| Impulse control | Yes | Yes, plus neutrality around dogs, people and busy places |
| Crate & household manners | Yes | Yes |
| Real-world outings | — | Yes |
| Confidence & structured socialization | — | Yes |
| Daycare integration & enrichment | Yes, when your dog is ready | Yes, when your dog is ready |
| Overnight suite, 24/7 monitoring | Yes | Yes |
| Daily updates | Yes | Yes |
| Go-home coaching | One go-home lesson | Two scheduled coaching lessons |
| Price | Quoted after the assessment | Quoted after the assessment |
Which one?
Which program is right for my dog?
The short version: Foundation teaches the skills, Advanced makes them reliable anywhere. Gabby makes the final recommendation at the assessment, after meeting your dog.
Choose Foundation if…
- Your dog is a puppy or young dog
- The basics are missing or patchy
- You want house manners, crate habits and a routine
- You would like a head start before practicing at home
Choose Advanced if…
- Your dog is an adolescent testing every boundary
- Your dog listens at home but not in public
- Walks fall apart around other dogs, people or traffic
- You want manners that hold up out in the world
An honest note
When board and train isn’t the best fit
Board and train is a strong start for manners, leash skills and real-world reliability. For dogs with significant fear, reactivity, resource guarding or other complex behavior, one of Dogtown’s longer behavior-modification programs, which run over six to ten weeks, can be the better choice.
Dogtown runs those too, along with puppy school, AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy and Canine Good Citizen prep, and Canine Campus, a hybrid of training and adventure days with pick-up and drop-off. If Gabby thinks one of them suits your dog better, she will say so at the assessment.
Next step
Not sure which program?
Tell us about your dog and Gabby will recommend Foundation or Advanced at a short assessment. We reply within one hour on business days.
- 01Send the enquiryReply within the hour on business days
- 02Assessment & evaluationPick Foundation or Advanced
- 03Train & go homeDaily updates, go-home coaching
Also at Dogtown