A Hudson Valley retreat built on 127 acres is quietly changing the way New York City dog owners think about boarding, training, and what their dogs actually need.
Hudson Valley, NY, July 9, 2026 — Far Fetched Acres is proud to offer New York City dog owners a boarding and training retreat that goes well beyond what most facilities in the area have to offer.
Set on 127 acres in the Hudson Valley, just two hours from the city, Far Fetched Acres was founded by Colleen Safford, a positive reinforcement trainer with over 25 years of experience in canine behavior. She opened Far Fetched Acres after years of watching dogs return from standard boarding more anxious than when they left. She wanted to build something better.
Dogs that stay here run through open meadows, explore wooded trails, and splash around in private ponds. Playgroups are organized by size and energy levels. Accommodations are quiet and comfortable. Every overnight stay includes door-to-door transport from Manhattan and select Brooklyn neighborhoods, a departure bath, daily wellness checks, group play, and coat care. Nothing is added on later. It is all included from the start.
The Board and Train NYC program is one of the most talked-about offerings at the retreat. Dogs typically stay for about a week to two weeks, depending on their needs, working through personalized training plans built around their temperament and their owner’s goals. Sessions happen out in the fields, on the trails, in real environments where the learning actually sticks. When a dog goes home, a senior trainer follows up in person, and the owner receives a written progress report along with video walkthroughs of every skill their dog learned.
For families with younger dogs, one of the most common questions Safford gets is whether puppies can come too. Can you board a puppy at Far Fetched Acres? Yes, and the team has a dedicated Puppy Camp program designed specifically for dogs under 20 weeks.
Those early months matter more than most owners realize. Puppies in that window are absorbing everything around them, and what they experience shapes how they handle the world as adults. At Puppy Camp, young dogs work through foundational skills, crate training, socialization with other small dogs, and confidence-building activities across 127 acres of open countryside. It is a very different classroom from a city apartment.
“A puppy that learns to feel safe in new situations becomes an adult dog that holds it together,” said Jeanette Kelso, Director of Training. “That early time is worth investing in.”
For owners who prefer training at home, Far Fetched Acres also offers puppy training NYC sessions where a trainer comes directly to the apartment and works on the real stuff – city sidewalks, elevator behavior, and staying calm when a skateboard rolls by.
The approach focuses on putting training NYC into real-life situations at home and in the neighborhood environment.
Every program runs on a force-free, positive reinforcement approach, led by a senior-accredited team that includes Kelso and Lead Trainer Kate Walsh.
Dog owners curious about what a stay actually looks like are welcome to visit farfetchedacres.com and read through the programs at their own pace before reaching out.
About Far Fetched Acres:
Far Fetched Acres is a luxury dog boarding and training retreat in New York’s Hudson Valley, founded by Colleen Safford. The facility offers overnight boarding, board and train programs, Puppy Camp, and private in-home training for NYC dogs. All programs are force-free and staffed around the clock by an accredited training team.
Media Contact:
Organization: Far Fetched Acres
Contact Person: Kat Egan
Phone Number: (917) 310-4241
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.farfetchedacres.com/