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North Andover, MA
Dogtown for North Andover, MA dog owners: daycare, boarding, grooming and training
North Andover sits at the Merrimack Valley end of the North Shore, closer to Lawrence than to Cape Ann. That distance shapes what makes sense, so this page leads with the services that hold up to a 50-minute drive, then covers the two routes, the town's license calendar and the leash rule on its conservation land and at Weir Hill.
- Getting to Eastern Ave
- Route 114 east through Middleton and Danvers to Route 128 in Peabody, then 128 north to its end and Eastern Avenue (or Route 133 east through Georgetown, Rowley, Ipswich and Essex); about 50 minutes outside rush hour, by our estimate
- The Pup Van
- Outside the Pup Van towns; ask us about pick-up
- Dog licensing
- Town Clerk, 120 Main Street: $19 spayed or neutered, $20 unaltered, free for owners 70 and over; license year January 1 to December 31, due March 1; online, by mail or Town Hall drop box (northandoverma.gov)
- The beach rule
- Town open space (rules effective September 2007): sunrise to sunset, dogs leashed at all times and kept on trails, hunting on listed parcels in season with signs posted; Lake Cochichewick is drinking water, with dog access restricted
- A trail we know
- Weir Hill Reservation (The Trustees), Cochichewick and Stevens trails: dogs on leash, sunrise to sunset, no hunting; parking at 65 Stevens Street
- Dogtown dogs from here
- Ask us about Dogtown dogs from North Andover
The Academy case
Dogtown Academy is the day worth the North Andover drive, because it swaps open play for a trainer's plan
A regular daycare day is supervised play in a matched group of 7 to 10 dogs, and North Andover has closer places to find that. Dogtown Academy is a different product. Dogs rotate through training, enrichment, fitness and play; every day includes a training session with our trainer and one-on-one trainer time; and a report card comes home at pick-up. For a young dog who gets overstimulated by a full day of open play, the structure is the point.
Because the drive is long, Academy works best from North Andover as a weekly or fortnightly anchor rather than a daily habit. The half day at $69 suits a puppy or a dog new to groups; the full day at $89 suits an adolescent with energy to spare. Packs bring the price down: a full-day 5-pack is $415 and a 10-pack $785. The sensory garden is part of the rotation, so the day tires a dog's nose and brain as well as its legs.
| Daycare | Dogtown Academy | |
|---|---|---|
| Full day | $42 | $89 |
| Half day | $33 | $69 |
| Full-day 5-pack | $200 | $415 |
| What the day adds | Matched playgroups of 7 to 10 | Daily training session, one-on-one trainer time, report card |
Two ways in
Route 114 to Route 128 is quicker; Route 133 through Georgetown, Rowley, Ipswich and Essex is the back road
The faster route leaves North Andover on Route 114 and runs through Middleton and Danvers to Route 128 in Peabody. Take 128 north and stay on it through Beverly and Manchester-by-the-Sea until it ends in Gloucester; Eastern Avenue and our building are a couple of minutes beyond. Outside rush hour that is about 50 minutes, by our estimate. Commuting hours on Route 114 through Middleton and Danvers add time.
The scenic alternative is Route 133, which runs east from North Andover through West Boxford and Georgetown, crosses Route 1 in Rowley, passes through Ipswich and Essex, and meets Route 128 in West Gloucester. It is slower, with town centers and the Essex causeway along the way, but pleasant on a weekend morning. North Andover is outside the Pup Van towns; ask us about pick-up, since the van's $10 fare is set for Rockport, Gloucester, Essex and Manchester-by-the-Sea.
- Route 114 east to Route 128 in Peabody, then 128 to its end: about 50 minutes
- Route 133 east through Georgetown, Rowley, Ipswich and Essex: slower and scenic
- Pup Van: North Andover is outside its four towns, so ask about pick-up
- Weekday drop-off 6:30 to 9:30 AM; afternoon pick-up 4 to 6:30 PM
North Andover rules
North Andover licenses run January to December, due March 1, and town trails require a leash at all times
North Andover licenses dogs through the Town Clerk at 120 Main Street. The one-year fee is $19 for a spayed or neutered dog and $20 for an unaltered dog, and since January 1, 2021 owners aged 70 and over can register their dogs at no cost with proof of age. The town's online licensing service says licenses run January 1 to December 31 and are due by March 1, and a new dog over six months must be licensed within 30 days. License online, by mail or through the drop box in front of Town Hall.
On town-owned open space, the Conservation Commission's rules say dogs are leashed at all times and kept on the trails, the land is open sunrise to sunset, and dog waste is picked up. Those rules, effective since September 2007, also allow hunting on listed parcels, including bow hunting only at Half Mile Hill and the Town Farm, with signs posted during the season. In fall, wear blaze orange as the town advises, and consider orange for your dog as well.
- License: $19 spayed or neutered, $20 unaltered; free for owners 70 and over
- Due March 1 for the January to December license year
- Town open space: leashed at all times, on the trails, sunrise to sunset
- Hunting allowed on listed parcels in season, with signs posted
Weir Hill
Weir Hill takes leashed dogs on four miles of trail, but Lake Cochichewick is drinking water
Weir Hill Reservation, a Trustees property in North Andover, has 194 acres and about four miles of trails, among them the Cochichewick Trail, the Stevens Trail and the Edgewood Farm Trail. The Trustees allow dog walking on leash, the reservation is open daily from sunrise to sunset and free to enter, and hunting is not permitted there, which makes it a calmer choice in deer season. Parking is at 65 Stevens Street, with a second entrance on Pleasant Street.
Lake Cochichewick, beside the reservation, is a public drinking water supply, and The Trustees restrict swimming, wading and dog access to it. The shoreline is for looking at, not splashing in. For a water-loving North Andover dog, the outdoor turf yard at Eastern Ave has pools, which is a better place for a Lab to get wet than a reservoir with a rule against it.
First visit
Start with one weekday-morning evaluation, then book Academy days in a pack
Every Academy dog starts with the free evaluation, held on weekdays between 6:30 and 9:30 AM by appointment: a temperament test, then a few supervised hours in a group. From North Andover, allow about 50 minutes to arrive inside that window. Bring the North Andover license and the Rabies, DHPP and Bordetella records, and send the new customer form beforehand so your file is open when you walk in.
Cats need none of this. If there is a cat at home too, the cat studio books online with no evaluation, from $20 for nails to $120 for Full Service, in a quiet room away from the dogs. Booking it for the same day as an Academy visit means one drive down Route 128 covers both animals, which is the kind of trip that makes sense from the far side of Essex County.
- 01
Send the new customer form so your file is ready
- 02
Book the evaluation for a weekday between 6:30 and 9:30 AM
- 03
Bring the current North Andover license and the Rabies, DHPP and Bordetella records
- 04
Book the first Academy day online or in the Dogtown app
- 05
Buy a 5-pack ($415 full, $320 half) once the rhythm suits your dog
- 06
Read the report card after each day and practice the skills at home
At Dogtown
The Dogtown days that suit a North Andover drive
Dogtown Academy, daycare, overnight stays and cat grooming at 210 Eastern Ave.
Asked and answered
Questions people ask about this
Short, complete answers you can act on today. More in the full FAQ.
Is Dogtown close enough for North Andover daycare?
What is the difference between daycare and Dogtown Academy?
When is the North Andover dog license due?
Can my dog swim in Lake Cochichewick?
Does the Pup Van reach North Andover?
More questions? Read the full FAQ
Sources
- North Andover Town Clerk: dog licensing
- North Andover dog license requirements (town's online licensing)
- North Andover Trails and Open Space Rules and Regulations
- Weir Hill, The Trustees
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
North Andover dogs, a day with a plan.
Send the new customer form, book the free weekday-morning evaluation, and choose half or full Academy days once your dog is placed.
- 01Free evaluationWeekdays 6:30 – 9:30 AM
- 02Book a dayOnline, in the app or by phone
- 03Play, rest, repeatReport card at pick-up
