Here we would like to discuss advice for dog & cat owners when choosing boarding kennels for their beloved pets.

Here at BoardingKennels.com we like to think we know our subject area and regularly speak with Councils & regulatory bodies on best practices for boarding kennels and their owners. These days standards are far higher than they have ever been for kennels operators and with regular inspections and freedom of information, especially for pet owners to publicly state their opinions and experiences of kennels or catteries.

Therefore on our Directory section we allow boarding kennels to display as much information as they possibly can. From size and facilities, to sleeping arrangements, food, exercise, past references, photos, videos, maps, the list goes on.

Including, years they have been in business, regulations regarding vaccinations like kennel cough & any other salient rules like banned dangerous breeds.

Pet owners can use our directory kennel database to do due diligence about their preferred kennels. It saves time for owners and the kennel staff themselves as targetted visitors only will either visit their website direct via link or make direct contact via our secure messaging facility if thgey wish to make bookings or have further questions. Of course telephone numbers are always listed also if you prefer to call direct.

When viewing the listings in our directory, glean as much information as you possibly can. Of course you will have many considerations in the first instance like:

• Affordability due to your budget.
• Travel distance from your home.
• Recommendations from other dog owners.
• Use your eyes, look at the photos and videos.
• Read the reviews.
• Plan ahead and book in advance as boarding kennels all get busy during key holiday periods.

Okay, these are a few basic ‘human’ common sense points. All of this can be done in our directory section when browsing. All the tools are there including maps, and links to garner as much information as you need. Bear in mind all the kennels that list with us are being very open in the first instance and lay all the information out for you to make an informed decision. This is always the best first step.

Never be afraid to ask questions, whether by personal message, email or by telephone in the first instance. Boarding Kennel owners are extremely busy hard working people, so messages via our system may be best in the first instance so they can get back to you a.s.ap, in the evening, normally.

Once you are happy with the information you have, it’s time for a visit to the kennels. Before you do, it’s well worth having a read of our boarding kennels regulations

page. It contains much of the legal regulations boarding kennel operators and ‘dog hotel’ owners have to adhere to. Whilst it’s not qualified legal advice we can give you, it’s a very good guide as we provide information directly from councils and pet standard agencies.

What Should I Pay?

This is probably the last ‘human consideration’ before viewing. The average price range in the United Kingdom is £15 > £50 a day. Prices in western countries such as the United States , Canada, Germany etc. are the same. You would need to just convert the currency. So for example in the U.S pricing would be approximately $25 > $90 a day.

Now standards and prices do vary quite a lot and ‘generally’ speaking you do get what you pay for. Obviously a boarding kennels with the latest temperature controlled kennels, with attached runs, and best food and treats, would of course have to charge a far higher premium than a smaller kennels with less facilities and staff.

Having said that, bigger doesn’t always mean better, more on that below.