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Vaccines
What vaccines are required for board and train?
The list is short; the mistakes are in the dates. This page sets out the four requirements, how often vets usually boost each vaccine, how to read a certificate, and a worked example that shows where a record can lapse in the middle of a stay.
The list
Rabies, DHPP and Bordetella, plus the license, all current until the final night
Every dog that stays overnight or joins a playgroup at Dogtown brings the same records, and a board and train dog does both. Rabies vaccination is required by Massachusetts law for dogs 6 months and older. DHPP covers distemper, adenovirus type 2, parvovirus and parainfluenza, and Bordetella targets a bacterium behind kennel cough. The license shows your town has a current rabies certificate on file. Bring all four to the evaluation, or send them to the front desk first.
The date that matters is the last night of the program, not the evaluation morning. A Bordetella that runs out halfway through Advanced's second week is a lapsed record during the stay. Canine influenza and leptospirosis are not on Dogtown's published list; whether your dog should have them is a conversation for your vet. Our page on vaccination requirements for board and train covers the state law in more depth.
- Rabies: required by state law from 6 months
- DHPP, or an equivalent distemper combination
- Bordetella, against a main cause of kennel cough
- A current city or town dog license
Booster rhythm
Each vaccine has its own booster rhythm, and the table shows what vets commonly follow
The American Animal Hospital Association's 2022 canine vaccination guidelines count distemper, adenovirus type 2, parvovirus and rabies among the core vaccines recommended for all dogs, and place Bordetella and canine influenza among the noncore vaccines chosen by lifestyle, location and risk of exposure. For the distemper combination, AAHA recommends a booster within a year of the puppy series and then every three years, noting that annual boosters are not necessary. Your vet sets the actual schedule.
Bordetella is usually boosted yearly, and the AKC notes that some vets recommend six months for dogs at high risk. AAHA observes that intranasal Bordetella and parainfluenza vaccines may be given more often than once a year to dogs at high risk, for example before boarding. The AKC adds that the intranasal and oral forms protect within three to five days, while the injectable needs two doses. Ask your vet which form your dog had and when.
| Requirement | What it covers | Usual booster rhythm | Check before the stay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rabies | Rabies, required by state law | A year after the first dose, then by label and law | The due date falls after the last night |
| DHPP | Distemper, adenovirus type 2, parvovirus, parainfluenza | Within a year of the puppy series, then every 3 years (AAHA) | A puppy has finished its series |
| Bordetella | A main bacterium behind kennel cough | Usually yearly; some vets use 6 months | Given early enough to work |
| Dog license | Town registration backed by a rabies certificate | Yearly, on your town's calendar | Renewed before it lapses |
Reading the certificate
Read the due date on the certificate, because a three-year label does not stretch a first rabies shot to three years
According to AAHA, every licensed rabies vaccine for dogs comes in one-year or three-year formulations, and all are labeled for puppies 3 months and older. The guidelines still recommend a booster one year after the first dose, regardless of the formulation or the dog's age at the time, to catch any dog that did not respond to it. So check the due date your vet wrote rather than the product name; after a dog's first rabies vaccine, expect the next one about a year later.
Take two minutes with each certificate before the evaluation. Check that the name and description match your dog, that each vaccine and the date it was given are listed, that a due or expiry date is shown and falls after the last night of the stay, and that the clinic's details are on it. If anything is missing or unclear, ask your vet for a fresh copy now rather than on drop-off morning.
- Your dog's name and description match
- Each vaccine and the date it was given
- A due or expiry date after the last night
- The clinic's name and the vet's signature
A worked example
One worked example: a young Gloucester dog's records against a stay in late April
Take a dog born in February 2026 that finished its puppy series and had its first rabies vaccine in June 2026, at about 16 weeks. Its family books Advanced from Monday, April 19, to Monday, May 3, 2027. The rabies booster AAHA recommends falls about a year after the first dose, around June 2027, so that record holds. The DHPP booster falls within a year of the series, also by June 2027, though the exact due date is whatever the vet wrote.
Two records need action. If the Bordetella was given in April 2026, a yearly booster falls due in the middle of the stay, so it should be given in early April, early enough to work. And the dog turned 6 months in August 2026, when state law first required it to be licensed; Gloucester licenses run April 30 to April 30, so the stay crosses the renewal date, and the 2027 license should be in hand before drop-off.
- 01
Write the stay's first and last dates at the top of a page
- 02
List each vaccine with the due date from its certificate
- 03
Mark any due date that falls before the last night
- 04
Book the vet early enough for a booster to take effect
- 05
Check the license against your town's renewal date
- 06
Send the updated records to the front desk
For your dog
For your dog, early boosters mean no last-minute vet trip and no cough at drop-off
A booster given in drop-off week adds a vet visit to an already busy few days, and a Bordetella given that late may not have had time to work. Booking vaccines a few weeks ahead avoids both. A dog that starts coughing before the stay should stay home and see its vet; tell the front desk, because a coughing dog should not join the others, and how the dates move is part of the terms confirmed when you book.
On Cape Ann the license runs on the same calendar. Gloucester renewals are due April 30, Essex licenses by March 31, and Manchester-by-the-Sea's run April 1 to March 31, so a spring stay can straddle a renewal. Our page on whether your dog needs a city license covers the towns one by one, and our board and train page lists what each program includes once the paperwork is done.
At Dogtown
What the records open
The same vaccines and license cover board and train, overnight stays and daycare at Dogtown.
Asked and answered
Questions people ask about this
Short, complete answers you can act on today. More in the full FAQ.
Does a three-year rabies vaccine count?
My vet doesn't give DHPP every year. Is that a problem?
Can I send the records before the evaluation?
Does my dog need the canine flu vaccine?
More questions? Read the full FAQ
Sources
- AAHA: 2022 Canine Vaccination Guidelines
- AKC: the Bordetella vaccine for dogs
- Massachusetts General Laws, chapter 140, section 145B
- Gloucester dog licensing
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
Check the dates before the consult
Send the training form with your dog's records or bring them to the evaluation. 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
