Dog boarding: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering dog boarding

Owners hire dog boarding for safe, supervised overnight care with a clear routine. Your vaccination checks, your housing standards and your updates are what win trust and repeat stays.

What customers ask

  • What vaccinations do you require?
  • Can I see where my dog will sleep and play?
  • How do you keep dogs of different sizes apart?
  • Will you send updates while my dog is with you?
  • What is your emergency plan?

How to win the job

  • On the first call, ask for the dog's age, size, temperament, health needs, medication and feeding routine.
  • Offer a tour of the boarding area, and show the owner the cleaning and supervision routine.
  • Check vaccination records before drop-off, and say what you need from the owner in writing.
  • Send updates at set times, with notes on feeding, play and rest.
  • Put the nights, the housing type, the play and walk plan, medication and extras in the quote.
  • Confirm the vet the owner wants you to call and the emergency steps in writing.

What to put on your profile

  • Photos of your boarding areas, play areas and daily routine, shown with consent
  • A list of your boarding services, such as overnight boarding, day care and host home stays
  • Your vaccination requirements and the records you check
  • Your staff training, supervision routine and emergency plan, described in plain words
  • Your boarding license or permit details, where your local rules require one

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • Offer a day care plan for a dog that needs supervision between boarding stays
  • Suggest a pre-stay visit for a nervous dog
  • Offer a regular boarding plan for a client who travels often

Licenses and permits

Some cities and counties license boarding kennels or require a permit for boarding. Check with your local city, county or animal control office and keep your license or permit current, and show it on your profile.

Questions

Do I need a license to board dogs?

Many local areas require a kennel license or a boarding permit. Check with your city, county or animal control office before you take dogs, and keep your license current.

How do I handle a dog that is sick when it arrives?

Refuse the boarding, tell the owner, and advise them to take the dog to their veterinarian. Do not accept a sick dog into the boarding area.

Should I require vaccinations for all dogs?

Yes. Set a vaccination list, check the records before drop-off, and tell the owner what you need in writing before the stay.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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