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Original poster

To wonder how much you’d pay for dog home boarding?

163 replies

Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 11:00

Hello 👋🏻
Wondering how much you would expect to pay for this service
Cage free / kennel free home boarding
Council licensed
Insured
Large secure garden
24/7 cctv
2 acres private woodland suitable for dogs that can go off lead
2 walks a day 20 minutes each
first aid trained
CPD course in canine communication
8 years experience
USP - We only board one families dog at a time!
I just got my license yesterday now I’m trying to figure out a price per day. What are people’s thoughts?

OP posts:
Original poster
Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 17:48

TheBadButGoodButBad · 15/02/2025 17:46

Midlands - won't say exact county

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Oh wow really! Quite a lot for that area but if she’s great then worth it!

OP posts:
TheBadButGoodButBad · 15/02/2025 17:46

Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 17:36

What area is this? X

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Midlands - won't say exact county

Original poster
Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 17:38

rookiemere · 15/02/2025 17:36

At £40 per day, I don't think you would need to offer the carrot of it being the only dog. Just an idea but if you made it two max, then you could keep the same price and make twice as much.

Tbh the only one dog thing is just my personal preference rather than purposely doing it to be ‘unique’ I only want to have one at a time (for now anyway- things may change as I get more experienced with home boarding)

OP posts:
rookiemere · 15/02/2025 17:36

At £40 per day, I don't think you would need to offer the carrot of it being the only dog. Just an idea but if you made it two max, then you could keep the same price and make twice as much.

Original poster
Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 17:36

TheBadButGoodButBad · 15/02/2025 17:34

I paid £300 for 4 nights with my dogs walker so £75ish a day. That included either 1x 1.5hours or 2x 45 minutes walk, free roam of the home and garden (garden only when dog walker/her partner where home) as well as the general care.

DDog loved it, came home very happy and I would pay that again.

What area is this? X

OP posts:
TheBadButGoodButBad · 15/02/2025 17:34

I paid £300 for 4 nights with my dogs walker so £75ish a day. That included either 1x 1.5hours or 2x 45 minutes walk, free roam of the home and garden (garden only when dog walker/her partner where home) as well as the general care.

DDog loved it, came home very happy and I would pay that again.

Original poster
Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 17:32

rookiemere · 15/02/2025 17:30

@Deargentlereader12 based on what responses you have received, how much do you think you will be charging?

So I think my plan is to increase the walks to 1 x 1 hour and 1 x 20 minutes and I’ll be charging £40 per day x

OP posts:
Original poster
Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 17:31

Scottishskifun · 15/02/2025 17:29

Around us it's between £30 - £50 a day for home boarding. A few specialist house sitters (generally horses/dogs etc) charge between £45 and £85 per day but I think a lot of that relates to the horse!

My dog would be knackered with x2 20 min walk per day but she's a 10 year old greyhound who much prefers to sleep and a good 40 min walk every few days instead and point blank refuses to go out in the rain!

Oh bless her. Any dogs that are not able to go on walks at least twice a day are given an enrichment plan in place of walks so things like stuffed kings, licky mats, kibble thrown in the grass to sniff for, snuffle mats, I have some puzzles, teaching tricks etc! We work on mental exercise of physical exercise isn’t their thing

OP posts:
rookiemere · 15/02/2025 17:30

@Deargentlereader12 based on what responses you have received, how much do you think you will be charging?

Scottishskifun · 15/02/2025 17:29

Around us it's between £30 - £50 a day for home boarding. A few specialist house sitters (generally horses/dogs etc) charge between £45 and £85 per day but I think a lot of that relates to the horse!

My dog would be knackered with x2 20 min walk per day but she's a 10 year old greyhound who much prefers to sleep and a good 40 min walk every few days instead and point blank refuses to go out in the rain!

DramaDog · 15/02/2025 17:27

Ours charges £40 for one dog. She has our 4 for £100 per 24 hours. They get one walk that’s at least an hour and then 2 shorter walks.

Original poster
Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 17:25

CatsBalls · 15/02/2025 17:23

I think that’s absolutely fine then! 99.9999% of the time he’d be fine but I just wouldn’t want the risk. I know others feel the risk is worth taking as they need an off lead run. My Goldie isn’t 2 yet but he’s a couch potato

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I also have access to a secure dog field 10 mins up the road it’s £5 for 30 mins £9 for an hour so this is something people like your self may be interested in adding to the booking a few times during the dogs stay so they can have a good run

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mugglewump · 15/02/2025 17:25

We pay our dog walker to board our spaniel when we go away. She charges £60 per 24 hours and would be walking other dogs with her, but not having them stay with her as well.

CatsBalls · 15/02/2025 17:23

Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 17:17

Thank you 🙏🏻 that would be totally fine I ask clients to sign if they agree for dogs to be off lead or not and even then I would only let them off at my own discretion

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I think that’s absolutely fine then! 99.9999% of the time he’d be fine but I just wouldn’t want the risk. I know others feel the risk is worth taking as they need an off lead run. My Goldie isn’t 2 yet but he’s a couch potato

biscuitsandbooks · 15/02/2025 17:22

yassos · 15/02/2025 17:21

I suppose at least if they went back or went regularly they would all know each other already

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But again, no different to using a home boarder with multiple paying dogs who all walk together in the week.

If you're offering a USP of "the only dog/household boarding at a time" then having your own dogs sharing that space kind of defeats the point, lol.

Original poster
Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 17:21

LandSharksAnonymous · 15/02/2025 17:12

You cannot know how your dogs will react with strange dogs repeatedly coming into their house. It's not about their dogs being reactive, it's about yours. No one in their right mind will want their dog boarding in a house with resident dogs. One resident dog, maybe, but not multiple.

Everyone always says 'my dogs are fine.' Yeah. Until they aren't. Strange dogs coming and going from their house - in the same rooms as them etc - is incredibly stressful.

Quite frankly, I wouldn't want you walking my dog or boarding my dog as I don't think you have any sort of understanding of dog dynamics, behaviour and the risks involved in your plan. That, and the fact you thought 2x 20 minutes a day was okay until someone said it wasn't, just tells me you really don't know much about dogs.

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My dogs have grown up surrounded by hundreds of different dogs since they were puppies. It’s not a case of someone messages me and then the dog just turns up for their holiday. There is a meet and greet first of all where I assess the dog and they will meet with my dogs. If I am happy with this the dog is then invited for an over night trial, if I am happy with this only then will the dog be invited to stay. During the over night trial the dog is closely monitored and I have 2 pages of forms I fill out assessing every aspect of the dogs behaviour. The dog will either fail the trial, pass it or come back for a second trial. Very very few home boarders will not have other dogs in the house whether this is resident dogs or other clients dogs and those that do not have any other dogs at all will be charging a premium for it

OP posts:
yassos · 15/02/2025 17:21

biscuitsandbooks · 15/02/2025 17:20

It's just something you need to think about if you advertise it as your USP, that's all.

Lots of people would love a home boarder with no other dogs in the home and would likely pay extra for it - but they wouldn't be willing to be pay extra if you also had your own dogs - because it's no different to sending them to a home boarder with other paying dogs, if that makes sense.

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I suppose at least if they went back or went regularly they would all know each other already

biscuitsandbooks · 15/02/2025 17:20

Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 17:18

Thank you for the feedback! X

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It's just something you need to think about if you advertise it as your USP, that's all.

Lots of people would love a home boarder with no other dogs in the home and would likely pay extra for it - but they wouldn't be willing to be pay extra if you also had your own dogs - because it's no different to sending them to a home boarder with other paying dogs, if that makes sense.

yassos · 15/02/2025 17:19

LandSharksAnonymous · 15/02/2025 17:12

You cannot know how your dogs will react with strange dogs repeatedly coming into their house. It's not about their dogs being reactive, it's about yours. No one in their right mind will want their dog boarding in a house with resident dogs. One resident dog, maybe, but not multiple.

Everyone always says 'my dogs are fine.' Yeah. Until they aren't. Strange dogs coming and going from their house - in the same rooms as them etc - is incredibly stressful.

Quite frankly, I wouldn't want you walking my dog or boarding my dog as I don't think you have any sort of understanding of dog dynamics, behaviour and the risks involved in your plan. That, and the fact you thought 2x 20 minutes a day was okay until someone said it wasn't, just tells me you really don't know much about dogs.

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I actually dog sat for someone whose dog became incredibly anxious and reactive after she started airbnb-ing her spare rooms.

Not a criticism of you OP, but perhaps something you might want to consider as it could be anxiety-provoking for your dogs to continually have new dogs in their home. It’s different to just socialising on a walk.

Caspianberg · 15/02/2025 17:18

@Deargentlereader12 - yes trusted housesitters stay in your house. So for cat or dog they get less disruption and can continue doing whatever normal routine or walks they have. Sitters are reviewed, and many have done so for years. Obviously we only have a cat so it’s a really easy sit, they just feed and give attention.

But our neighbour has 3 large dogs and he uses also, and he pays the same. He had a guy stay 6 weeks last year whilst he was away, and the dogs had someone home most the day and dedicated just to their needs.

Original poster
Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 17:18

biscuitsandbooks · 15/02/2025 17:17

It may be something other people aren't offering, but as you have your own dogs, it's not necessarily something people will care about, if that makes sense.

If I was sending my dog to a home boarder who had other dogs that would be fine, but I wouldn't pay extra just because he was going to be only paying dog in the house. I would pay extra if he was going to be the only dog in the home, though.

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Thank you for the feedback! X

OP posts:
AnnaQuayInTheUk · 15/02/2025 17:17

I pay £25 per 24 hours but I think my dog boarder is undercharging and I'd be happy to pay more. Maybe up to £40

Original poster
Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 17:17

stayathomer · 15/02/2025 17:14

no help but sounds fab- put our dog in a kennels last year and he returned a shadow of his former self and stayed that way for weeks. Lost weight while there, miserable and they didn’t tell us. Hope it flies for you op x

Oh bless him!! Well if you need a home boarder I’m in Cheshire haha

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biscuitsandbooks · 15/02/2025 17:17

Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 17:12

Understand what you’re saying with that but with all the other boarders in the area they will take 4/5/6 one lady even 12 clients dogs PLUS there own dogs so I do believe me only accepting one family at a time is a USP as no one else in our area offers this (as far as I’m aware)

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It may be something other people aren't offering, but as you have your own dogs, it's not necessarily something people will care about, if that makes sense.

If I was sending my dog to a home boarder who had other dogs that would be fine, but I wouldn't pay extra just because he was going to be only paying dog in the house. I would pay extra if he was going to be the only dog in the home, though.

Original poster
Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 17:17

CatsBalls · 15/02/2025 17:15

I would pay £35/40 a night for this. I’d expect a longer walk if not taking other dogs as my boy loves being social. I would not want you to let him off lead, his recall is bombproof with me but in a strange environment with a strange person he could panic. As a vet I’ve seen some awful accidents in similar scenarios.

Thank you 🙏🏻 that would be totally fine I ask clients to sign if they agree for dogs to be off lead or not and even then I would only let them off at my own discretion

OP posts: