What certifications do your trainers hold?

Massachusetts licenses kennels, not trainers, so no state document tells you what a trainer knows. Even the state treats certification as a benchmark rather than a requirement. Ollie's Law set up an advisory committee to shape the new kennel rules and reserved one seat for an animal behaviorist certified by the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants or a comparable body MDAR approves, and another for someone with at least five years of experience training people on dog behavior.

Whether the regulations will require staff credentials is still open. In July 2025 one committee member said kennel staff education fell outside the department's area of expertise and was not convinced it belonged in regulation, while others argued that training and education mattered more than any ratio. The regulations had not been released as of the March 18, 2026 minutes. Until they are, what a trainer holds is between you and the trainer, which is why the question deserves a precise answer.

A credential tells you what someone studied; the method tells you what happens to your dog. Dogtown's is in writing for every program, board and train included: fear- and force-free, positive reinforcement, no prong, choke or shock collars. Both stays send a daily update and end with coaching, one go-home lesson after the one-week Foundation and two scheduled lessons in the two-week Advanced, so you see the work and take the leash yourself before the skills go home.

Bring your credential questions to the training consult; the team replies to the form within one hour on business days. Because the dog sleeps at 210 Eastern Ave, the free evaluation follows on a weekday between 6:30 and 9:30 AM, with Rabies, DHPP and Bordetella on file and a current license. Sessions start from $94. Our page on trainer credentials decodes the common letters, and Gabriella's profile sets out every program she leads.