Page 4 | To wonder how much you’d pay for dog home boarding?

Deargentlereader12 · 2025-02-15T11:00:53+00:00

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?

Original poster

Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 17:15

biscuitsandbooks · 15/02/2025 17:12

I guess I'm just wondering how you can have a "USP" of only offering boarding to one household when you have your own dogs and they'll be mingling together in the house.

In my experience, the people who want their dogs to be the "only" dogs won't want them around resident dogs.

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As far as I’m aware no one else in my area offers boarding for just one family at a time therefore this makes my business unique in that sense. From my research all other boarders accept 4-6 other dogs at a time one lady even 12 PLUS there own dogs. I’ll only accept 1 at a time therefore it’s a USP of my business as that is not the done thing in my area

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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.

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

Nap1983 · 15/02/2025 17:14

I pay 35 a night. Stays in her home with her and her own dogs who he knows as he walks with her 3x weekly. This would include 2 long walks a day during week and if hes there over weekend 1 long walk and a short one. I would honestly pay whatever she asked as I trust her implicitly with my dog and hes happy with her.

Original poster

Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 17:12

rookiemere · 15/02/2025 17:09

You may think taking only one dog makes it special, but you already have your own dogs so unfortunately it's not really.

I get what you're saying about Rover but it's good to get an idea of local rates, if you think your offering is better then charge more. I wouldn't let our dog go to kennels, but the ceiling for overnight would be around £40 absolute max for me - more than that and it would impact our holiday budget. Other people may be less price sensitive, you just need to find out by trying it.

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)

OP posts:

biscuitsandbooks · 15/02/2025 17:12

Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 17:08

Yes if needs be but I won’t be accepting any dogs that are reactive if that’s what you mean

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I guess I'm just wondering how you can have a "USP" of only offering boarding to one household when you have your own dogs and they'll be mingling together in the house.

In my experience, the people who want their dogs to be the "only" dogs won't want them around resident dogs.

LandSharksAnonymous · 15/02/2025 17:12

Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 17:08

Yes if needs be but I won’t be accepting any dogs that are reactive if that’s what you mean

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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.

Original poster

Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 17:10

Runningoutofthyme · 15/02/2025 17:05

it is fully enclosed and secure?

you are also leaving the boarded dog to walk your own dogs and to walk your dog walking dogs.

I pay £50 per day. Dog stays with boarder and her dog.

1 long walk a day 2hrs ish and a large secure garden to run around in.
boarder only has 1 dog and our dog is treated like family.

Edited

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It is suitable for dogs that have good recall it’s fully fenced off but we get a lot of foxes digging under the fence so I wouldn’t trust it to be 100% secure but we have another area that is 100% secure I’d trust any dog in. On reflection of comments here I will be changing so I offer 1 x 1 hour and 1 x 20 minute walk these walks will also be my dogs walks so they won’t be left alone whilst I do that

OP posts:

yassos · 15/02/2025 17:10

Also have a look on Rover in your local area OP. Although do also take it with a pinch of salt as there will always be some people offering ridiculously low prices (e.g. students doing 24-hour sits for £20) and of course many doing boarding will take on as many dogs as they can

rookiemere · 15/02/2025 17:09

You may think taking only one dog makes it special, but you already have your own dogs so unfortunately it's not really.

I get what you're saying about Rover but it's good to get an idea of local rates, if you think your offering is better then charge more. I wouldn't let our dog go to kennels, but the ceiling for overnight would be around £40 absolute max for me - more than that and it would impact our holiday budget. Other people may be less price sensitive, you just need to find out by trying it.

Original poster

Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 17:08

biscuitsandbooks · 15/02/2025 17:08

But surely the "point" of offering boarding to one dog only is so that dog is a solo dog? Do you have the means to keep them totally separate if needed?

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Yes if needs be but I won’t be accepting any dogs that are reactive if that’s what you mean

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biscuitsandbooks · 15/02/2025 17:08

Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 17:03

Sorry do you mean when I’m home or when I go out? When I go out they will be separated when I’m home they will mix with my dogs

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But surely the "point" of offering boarding to one dog only is so that dog is a solo dog? Do you have the means to keep them totally separate if needed?

Runningoutofthyme · 15/02/2025 17:05

Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 16:59

Do you not feel a private 2 acre woodland and no other boarding dogs in is a service that’s a bit extra than a lot of others offer? Talking to another dog boarder last night that has done it for years she says there is no one else she knows of that only boards one clients dog at a time

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it is fully enclosed and secure?

you are also leaving the boarded dog to walk your own dogs and to walk your dog walking dogs.

I pay £50 per day. Dog stays with boarder and her dog.

1 long walk a day 2hrs ish and a large secure garden to run around in.
boarder only has 1 dog and our dog is treated like family.

Original poster

Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 17:04

Butchyrestingface · 15/02/2025 17:02

A colleague pays someone to pop into her house on a daily basis to feed/change the kitty litter tray/make a fuss of her cat when she goes on holiday. They also send her daily recordings of the cat as proof of life because she's an anxious cat momma.

No idea what it costs her though.

Edited

I also do this too but I think I’ll give it up now I am starting boarding

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Original poster

Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 17:03

LandSharksAnonymous · 15/02/2025 17:01

So you'll have strange dogs in your house with regular dogs? No separation?

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Sorry do you mean when I’m home or when I go out? When I go out they will be separated when I’m home they will mix with my dogs

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Original poster

Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 17:02

LandSharksAnonymous · 15/02/2025 17:01

So you'll have strange dogs in your house with regular dogs? No separation?

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Yes they will be separated

OP posts:

Butchyrestingface · 15/02/2025 17:02

A colleague pays someone to pop into her house on a daily basis to feed/change the kitty litter tray/make a fuss of her cat when she goes on holiday. They also send her daily recordings of the cat as proof of life because she's an anxious cat momma.

No idea what it costs her though.

LandSharksAnonymous · 15/02/2025 17:01

Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 17:00

They will stay at home

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So you'll have strange dogs in your house with regular dogs? No separation?

Original poster

Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 17:00

LandSharksAnonymous · 15/02/2025 16:59

Where will your dogs go whilst you have boarding dogs over?

They will stay at home

OP posts:

Original poster

Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 16:59

Simonjt · 15/02/2025 16:59

Surely it means a minimum of two twenty minute walks, surely if you told the person granting a license you do two forty minute walks it wouldn’t have made any difference? Does that make sense?

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Yes exactly so I will be changing it to the above 😀

OP posts:

LandSharksAnonymous · 15/02/2025 16:59

Where will your dogs go whilst you have boarding dogs over?

Simonjt · 15/02/2025 16:59

Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 16:55

In order to gain a 5* license you need to do 2 20 minute walks a day but I agree with everyone this obviously is not enough so I will be changing this to 1 x 1 hour and 1 x 20 minutes

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Surely it means a minimum of two twenty minute walks, surely if you told the person granting a license you do two forty minute walks it wouldn’t have made any difference? Does that make sense?

Original poster

Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 16:59

Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 16:57

Yes 3 hours in 24 hours.

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Do you not feel a private 2 acre woodland and no other boarding dogs in is a service that’s a bit extra than a lot of others offer? Talking to another dog boarder last night that has done it for years she says there is no one else she knows of that only boards one clients dog at a time

OP posts:

Original poster

Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 16:57

Runningoutofthyme · 15/02/2025 16:57

its a minimum though? You can use your apparent knowledge as a dog walker to know that isn’t enough and offer more 🙃

also there’s likely to be a condition in your license around how long you can leave a dog unattended in each 24hrs.

Not sure how that fits in with you walking the boarded dog separately to your dogs and your other dog walks.

id spend some time researching businesses in your local area, you could always ask on a local Facebook page what people are looking for.
Can’t you gauge interest with your current dog walking customers

I agree with a pp, you don’t have a usp at the moment that would justify a significant day rate

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Yes 3 hours in 24 hours.

OP posts:

Runningoutofthyme · 15/02/2025 16:57

Deargentlereader12 · 15/02/2025 16:50

I totally agree but we have to follow the conditions of our license

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its a minimum though? You can use your apparent knowledge as a dog walker to know that isn’t enough and offer more 🙃

also there’s likely to be a condition in your license around how long you can leave a dog unattended in each 24hrs.

Not sure how that fits in with you walking the boarded dog separately to your dogs and your other dog walks.

id spend some time researching businesses in your local area, you could always ask on a local Facebook page what people are looking for.
Can’t you gauge interest with your current dog walking customers

I agree with a pp, you don’t have a usp at the moment that would justify a significant day rate