Starting home dog boarding business.

[doggyboarding]

Hello,

I am considering starting a home business for dog boarding. I am looking for all tips, guidance, advice and any perspectives I haven't considered please.

Some info:

-will get licence, full insurance, and do a dog first aid course
-we use dog boarders ourselves for holidays
-we have 2 small dogs who are friendly
-I would only take 1 dog at a time, or 2 from same family
-only want small-medium dogs
-have a detached house with secure garden
-live next to a massive park
-our dogs sleep in bed with us; happy for boarded dog to join, sleep in with older teen DC, or downstairs as requested
-we live 5 mins from our vets

I only want to do it on a small basis for now, just to bring in a little income for us (I can't currently work). I am also considering day time daycare too.

Thank you!

What would you do if, for example, a dog proved aggressive to you or your dog and the owner was 1 day in to a week long foreign holiday? I suggest that you have written in to the contract that they must have a nominated person who can collect the dog at short notice or you will put it in to kennels, at their cost, should it prove unsuitable to stay in your house.

That’s a really good idea, thank you @Sprig1 I would only do 2 nights max as a trial, and if it happened we have a big enough house to keep them separate, so having something like that in the contract for dogs aggressive to us is a good idea. I don’t mind aggressive to other dogs as we can pretty easily keep them apart from ours, but definitely not to us.

Because many providers won’t let you run a commercial business from your property - especially one that involves customers coming and going. They’re viewed very differently to businesses where you’re just using your spare room as an office.

Will you walk boarders with your dogs or separately? Will you be able to manage them all on your own on walks?

I’d walk them separately, guest dogs only and OH will walk ours with in their usual routine.

I have now booked a day course in pet first aid and also an online one too, didn’t need both but both looked interesting and good to know just for my own dogs too.

From an ex-kennel owner. Our experience of running a boarding kennels & cattery! Now available on Amazon.

Available now on Amazon. Been there. Done that!