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Drop-off
What time is board and train drop-off?
The time you hand over the leash shapes your dog's first day more than most owners expect. This page sets out the windows, which one suits which dog, and how to run the morning so the handover is calm.
At a glance
Drop-off fits one of three weekday windows, three on Saturday or, if your program allows, two on Sunday
Dogtown hands dogs over at set times so the team can be on the play floors the rest of the day. On weekdays the windows are 6:30 to 9:30 AM, 12 to 1 PM and 4 to 6:30 PM. Saturdays run 8 to 10 AM, 12 to 1 PM and 4 to 6 PM. Sunday is closed for daycare, and the doors open only for overnight guests, from 8 to 10 AM and 4 to 6 PM. Your board and train drop-off is agreed when the dates are confirmed.
A board and train dog sleeps in an overnight suite, but whether a training program can begin on a Sunday is something to ask rather than assume, since the first sessions need the training team. Between windows, handovers are not scheduled. If you are running early or late, call 978 491-5922 before you drive to 210 Eastern Ave, and the front desk will tell you what is possible that day.
- Weekdays: 6:30 to 9:30 AM, 12 to 1 PM, 4 to 6:30 PM
- Saturdays: 8 to 10 AM, 12 to 1 PM, 4 to 6 PM
- Sundays: 8 to 10 AM and 4 to 6 PM, overnight guests only
- Outside a window: call 978 491-5922 first
Choosing a window
A weekday morning suits most first days, and each later window has its own case
A morning drop-off gives a dog the whole day to explore, rest and meet its handlers before its first night in a suite, and its evaluation ran in that same 6:30 to 9:30 AM window, so the routine may feel familiar. Puppies and dogs that have never slept away from home do best with the longest run-up to bedtime. If your week allows only one morning, spend it on the start of the stay rather than the end.
The 12 to 1 PM window suits a family driving up Route 128 that wants to miss the morning traffic, though it leaves an afternoon rather than a day before night one. The 4 to 6:30 PM window is the tightest start for a nervous dog, because dinner and the first night follow soon after; it can still work for a confident dog that already knows the building from daycare. A Saturday start depends on the program dates, so raise it at the consult.
- Weekday morning: the longest day before the first night
- Midday: misses the morning traffic, shorter run-up
- Late afternoon: for confident dogs that know the building
- Saturday or Sunday: ask at the consult
The morning itself
Run drop-off morning like any ordinary morning, with breakfast early and a short goodbye
The AKC's advice on car rides is to schedule a dog's meal several hours ahead of departure and to have it ride in the back seat, away from airbags. Both matter on drop-off day, when a dog may already be keyed up and the drive from Boston or the Merrimack Valley is a long one. Give a normal walk and a chance to toilet before you set off, and keep the car calm. If your dog tends to be carsick, ask your vet what to do before the trip.
At the desk, hand over pre-portioned food, any medications with written instructions and one comfort item, such as a blanket that smells of home. Mention anything that has changed since the evaluation: a new medication, a sore paw, a bad night. Then say goodbye briefly and go. A long farewell signals that something unusual is about to happen, while an ordinary one tells a dog this is just another building with friendly people in it. The first daily update arrives that day.
- 01
Feed breakfast several hours before you set off
- 02
Walk your dog and give it a chance to toilet
- 03
Pack the food, medications and one comfort item
- 04
Drive with your dog secured in the back seat
- 05
Arrive inside the agreed window
- 06
Tell the desk what has changed, then keep the goodbye short
When plans slip
Traffic, storms and early flights happen, and a phone call keeps the handover on track
If Route 128 or Route 133 is crawling and you will miss the window, call the front desk at 978 491-5922 before you arrive, rather than turning up between windows and waiting at the door. Winter adds nor'easters, which can shift windows; the front desk will be in touch through the Dogtown app if the weather changes the plan, and the National Weather Service office in Boston posts the forecast worth checking the night before a January drop-off.
Families in Rockport, Gloucester, Essex and Manchester-by-the-Sea can ask whether the Pup Van, $10 each way, can make the drop-off run for a board and train dog. The van is published for daycare, Academy and overnight stays, so confirm it for a program start when you book. Whatever the plan, write the agreed drop-off time, the go-home lesson date and anyone else allowed to hand your dog over into your agreement.
For your dog
For your dog, drop-off sets the tone of day one, so calm and early beats rushed and late
Dogs read the handover. A rushed arrival after a stressful drive, a long goodbye and a door closing at 6:25 PM make a hard start. An unhurried morning arrival, a quiet hand-off and a day of short, easy sessions and rest make an easy one. The first day of a board and train leans toward settling anyway: finding the water, the rest spots and the people before much training happens.
If your dog has not been inside the building since its evaluation, a half day of daycare at $33 in the weeks before, dropped off in the same morning window, turns the stay's first morning into a repeat rather than a novelty. Ask at the consult whether that makes sense for your dog. Our board and train page sets out what Foundation and Advanced cover once the first day is done.
At Dogtown
The stay behind the drop-off
Board and train nights run alongside our overnight stays, and the Pup Van serves four Cape Ann towns.
Pick-up & drop-off
The Pup Van comes to you.
Pup Van pick-up and drop-off is available for $10 each way in the Rockport, Gloucester, Essex and Manchester-by-the-Sea area. Not in the area? Ask us for pricing.
- Rockport
- Gloucester
- Essex
- Manchester-by-the-Sea
Asked and answered
Questions people ask about this
Short, complete answers you can act on today. More in the full FAQ.
Can I drop off before 6:30 AM?
Can my dog's stay begin on a Sunday?
Should my dog eat breakfast on drop-off day?
Can someone else drop my dog off?
More questions? Read the full FAQ
Sources
Rules and dates change. We re-check every beach, licensing and ordinance page each spring and fall; the source above is the current word.
Keep reading
Next step
Pick your drop-off window
Tell us on the training form which days and windows suit you. We reply within one hour on business days.
- 01Free evaluationWeekdays 6:30 – 9:30 AM
- 02Book a dayOnline, in the app or by phone
- 03Play, rest, repeatReport card at pick-up
