Opening/Running a boarding kennels

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Patches

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Any of you on here operate a boarding kennels facility?

I keep thinking of additional methods of income (don't we all) and was wondering about client expectations and the associated costs with starting up such a business?

I will probably run a mile from the idea when I hear the costs of course!

I see some facilities offer internal climate controlled kennels and runs, which I presume is great over winter. However, I find that a little strange. I'd rather my dog had access to an outdoor fresh air space in his run....as that's what he is used to at home (not a run as he is a house dog but I mean he goes outside for wees and poops), with a nice kennel that can be heated during winter.

I'd obviously take for walks over the farm and have a securely fenced field that individual dogs can be allowed to run free/play in during the day. I wouldn't mix boarding dogs for fear of fights.
 
I find boarding is a visual thing more than anything, somewhere that has a nice feel, clean environment and does not look like a dank cold shed with a concrete floor and looks drab as hell, I def think appearance draws them in , then obs a friendly manor and guarantee of safety, there is obs cost in the initial kennel building, so def a descent pull out there, unless you have a handy man like mine:rolleyes: for instance the cattery he built me would have cost about £2-2500 to buy, obs not including putting it together and OH build mine for about £300, same with my own kennels, obs I home board but my own dog kennels are like mini stables, and look very cutre and cosey, I would have paid a fortune for them to be built.
I would def say, as you do an outside run and it would def go in your favour to have an outdoor play area or nice worn path,that looks like a walk route:rolleyes: I allow all mine to mix, but im obs confident to deal with any issues.
Have a squizz at some dog kennels and get a rough idea of the cost of a kennel block, you need to built them to specifics, material, size, ventilation wise and you need a license and waste disposal set up.
 
Thanks Cayla.

Fabulously informative, as always.

I don't really have a worn pathway as I don't always walk the same route with Harvey/Bess and our land is extensive to make such a track form. We have 250 acres at our disposal...give or take a few cow pats! LOL

My slight wibble would be anyone requiring winter boarding. Whilst I'd not object to it, I know the farm never looks as nice in winter. We don't have tarmac driveways, so over winter the farm does look a little muddy as the dust etc on the top of the hardcore turns to mud with tractors driving up and down.

I've no objection to walking dogs over the fields in that weather, but some owners might not want their dogs to get dirty. I could offer to bath of course before they're picked up....although I'd personally like to see my dog has physical proof of having left his kennel whilst we were away. ;)

Insurance, license and muck disposal is all something to look into. I hadn't considered the poop side of it and what to do with it.
 
It should be fine in winter aslong as the kennels still look cosey and the heating is on when owners view, in the summer lots of hanging baskets and flowers:rolleyes: and cuteness, seriously it all helps to help the owner settle, I home board and the amount of people who say I would never use the kennels again they are noisy and smelly and looked horrible and my dogs was stinking when he/she came out, so although I totally agree with you re the bath, as a lovely smelling clean dog coming out of a kennel to me, seems a little odd:rolleyes: but, owners really do like it.
A cess pit is always a good idea for masses of faeces.
Im not sure if bagging and have a collection is still allowed.
Allowing owners to brng their dogs beds and food is always a winner too, as lots of kennels dont allow it or actually use the beds when they say they will.

Edited to say, there is one kenenls in particular I recommend if im full, and it looks really nice, there is a lovely big lawn and the kennels form a square all around it, they are built with metal, with outdoor runs, all white coated and always nipping clean with no smell and the dogs cannot see one another so minimal barking and noise, he is always booked up well comapred to to kennels in the area.
 
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Thats my plan in a couple of years.

I will never leave my dog in kennels cos I ( and he) would hate these concrete block type affairs with small runs and a half hour leg stretch if they're lucky.

I am very lucky I think in that I have a wooded copse which I am going to ' thin ' and have as a doggie play area. I also have a riverbank and natural pond for hotter days.

Like Carla says I am going for individual ' houses' that look welcoming.
As an owner myself I would far rather board with a ' personal touch '.

The only problem is for council authority you have to meet certain criteria ie concrete block type affairs.
 
Arrr...so I could lift the cover on our septic tank and use that for disposing of doggie do-do's? (I just made myself giggle!)

I don't want a big set up. Only a handful of kennels as I want to be able to give a good level of attention to each dog, with nice lengthy walks and interaction.

I know what you mean though. I used to put Jasper in kennels and he would come home hoarse and with dry/flaky skin.

I would absolutely allow the owners to bring their own food for the dogs, if they choose, and bedding. I think it is important for some owners to know their dogs have familiar scents from home around them.
 
The one I use has kennels and open-air runs, but in a big open sided building with shutters that pull down, so they get the best of both worlds and a big fenced-off field to run in.
 
We are in the process of buying a boarding kennels and cattery at the moment.
In our search, we have looked at a number of kennels and there does seem to be quite a lot of variation.

If I was in your position, I'd ask around which are seen and good and not so good kennels and go and look at them on the pretext of boarding your animals. That way you can take the good from what you see and apply it to your kennels.
 
Thanks quirky.

Out of interest, what are the facilities like at the kennels you're buying? Outdoor runs? Can dogs see the neighbouring dogs when in runs etc?

Had an email from a friend who takes hers to a place that is completely internal and climate controlled. She gave me some points to consider which basically rules out any of the more traditional style of kennelling facility.

She doesn't like outdoor runs as she says this is more likely to make your dog lose it's house training ability. Her dogs don't go to the toilet in the indoor runs, but are let out frequently during the day to do their toileting...hence in her opinion they see internal kennels and runs as more homely.

She thinks outdoor runs are too hot in summer and too cold in winter and dogs could end up constantly with wet feet due to rain, hosed down runs etc.

I have seen a link to the kennels she uses and they do look amazing but totally out of my budget to set up as a small, personal service with just a few kennels. I could only see a return on that if you make it a larger facility. I would rather start off small initially.
 
Patches said:
Thanks quirky.



Had an email from a friend who takes hers to a place that is completely internal and climate controlled. She gave me some points to consider which basically rules out any of the more traditional style of kennelling facility.

She doesn't like outdoor runs as she says this is more likely to make your dog lose it's house training ability. Her dogs don't go to the toilet in the indoor runs, but are let out frequently during the day to do their toileting...hence in her opinion they see internal kennels and runs as more homely.

She thinks outdoor runs are too hot in summer and too cold in winter and dogs could end up constantly with wet feet due to rain, hosed down runs etc.

I have seen a link to the kennels she uses and they do look amazing but totally out of my budget to set up as a small, personal service with just a few kennels. I could only see a return on that if you make it a larger facility. I would rather start off small initially.
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Where are these as it would not be allowed as under the terms of the model licence conditions for animal boarding every kennel has to have it's own run?
Wood is not allowed in new construction and all surfaces must be impervious.
http://www.selby.gov.uk/animal-boarding-establishment-licence
How stringently the guidelines are followed varies from council to council but I agree boarders are quieter if they can see something and I really hate kennels having wire facing wire inside as a timid dog will feel threatened if it cannot get out of the line of sight of others.
I refuse to use bars - weld mesh may look more cagey but is safer and my runs are all lidded - half UPVC and half wire mesh -many dogs can climb.

I would never dream of having a boarder off lead. I play with them individually on flexis and give stuffed kongs etc for interest through the day.
 
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Rather than running a kennels is there anyway you could do boarding where the dogs live with you? like these people . . . .
http://www.helenshomefromhome.co.uk/
I have no idea about running a kennels and have a house sitter to take care of our pooch when we go away, but have always thought if we couldn't get a house sitter i would possibly prefer this sort of set up. Obviously i would still want the person to be insured and police checked but the initial setup would ( i owuld have thought ) be much less.
 
Erm, my dogs are outside in runs and it has no bearing whatsoever on their housetraining. The only time my male has ever gone in the house was when he was incontinent because of antibiotics.
Nearly everyone I know in sheps keep dogs in outdoor runs and they have yet to melt in the rain or the heat :p
 
I wouldn't rule it out but I have a dog already so would want to make sure he was kept safe and what if I wanted to go out and ride and the dog I had in was a chewer, or suffered separation anxiety making it poop alot, etc?

I looked after someone's dog when they went away once. She was sick EVERY day repeatedly, in her own bed some of the time too which was then washed daily, and kept jumping on my kitchen worktops. She was also supposed to be ok with other dogs and cats but turned on my elderly dog and chased the cats repeatedly. I had to keep my dog in the cow trailer during the day (on our bed at night when this other dog was asleep in the kitchen) as I had promised the owner I would keep their dog in the house as she didn't want to kennel her as she'd not long rehomed her.

When she was picked up and I mentioned the sickness the owner said she'd ruined their cream carpet as she's always sicky and also said she can be quite dominant with other dogs.

I wouldn't rule out allowing another dog in the house, but I would worry about the kids and my own dog/cats.
 
Patches said:
Out of interest, what are the facilities like at the kennels you're buying? Outdoor runs? Can dogs see the neighbouring dogs when in runs etc?
Click to expand...

Each kennel has it's own run and they also have an enclosed exercise area that they say they exercise them in a couple of times a day. They do have a large acreage paddock but they don't do grass exercise which they admit puts people off as many owners ask for it.
Yes, the dogs can see each other when in the runs and also when they are indoor, something which we'd have as a priority to change if/when we get there.
The vendors did say that it can prove troublesome with dogs next to each other that don't get on.
 
How are you planning to tackle that issue? I would suppose there's also the chance that some dogs who can't see another dog would feel "alone" and more likely to howl?

It's a fine line, but I certainly think I'd prefer the kennel area to be private, more den like.
 
Patches said:
How are you planning to tackle that issue? I would suppose there's also the chance that some dogs who can't see another dog would feel "alone" and more likely to howl?

It's a fine line, but I certainly think I'd prefer the kennel area to be private, more den like.
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What i have found is that the dogs still know there are other dogs right there they just can't see each other so they can't stare each other out, go at the divide ect.
 
I'm really not sure as yet how, or what we will do.

I have seen kennels that are block built but have a 'window' between the kennels that can be shut if necessary.
The kennels have a central corridor, so the dogs can see others opposite, so they wouldn't be entirely isolated.

I'm not sure of the practicalities of installing it but I quite liked the idea.

At present, there is like a 'round the corner' part where the dogs bed is kept and it cannot be bothered by its neighbour. Maybe it'll work as it is, I guess we'd have to see how we went when we moved in.

The owners are retiring, so rarely have a large number of dogs in that it causes them problems.
 
The kennels I work at have solid metal dividers to about 3/4 foot, then metal wire to the roof on the outside runs. The inside runs have the same on one side then a breeze block wall on the other side. It means the kennels are 'private' yet have a decent amount of ventilation.
The biggest issue we have is that some of the dividers don't run flush to the floor, so some smaller, aggressive dogs can get hold of things on the other side and to prevent them grabbing their neighbours tails/paws, we have to kennel them next to an empty kennel to prevent that, which can be a big issue in busy periods!
Our kennels have an outdoor and indoor run, seperated with a sliding hatch that is controlled from outside the kennel. Outside is concrete, which is sloped towards the drains and roofed with corrugated plastic. Inside is rubber floored and heated.
I'm not sure how having outside runs makes a dog lose it's house training to be honest, most of the dogs we have in, go outside to go to the toilet and stay clean inside, just like they would in a house. Some are just messy gits and trampled it all over the shop!
 
That's pretty much how I was thinking it would work best Henny. A solid part to the run with wire on top for better ventilation etc and a covered roof of some description.

I said I'd be more worried about indoor kennels/runs affecting house training as my dog is used to going outside, in the fresh air, to toilet. Seems others might also agree with that theory.

I'm going to have a nose around at some kennels to see what's about.
 
I would also def want my dogs to have access to and outside run when they feel like it rather than being let out by someone at different times of the day.

Home boarding, I do mix the dogs with mine, I never leave them alone though when I cannot supervise (when im out), I have a huge doggi room, was a garage and it basically mimics a kitchen, I have crates for the dogs whose owners use them at home, so that covers all destruction when im not there and also keeps dogs apart, I can let alot of the dogs off lead so they can go on loads of walks with mine and have a mad run or swim:D, as alot are X rescue and some dogs that OH walks or others dogs I have looked after for years, so we have off lead permission slips, so we are covered insurance wise, obs some dogs I would never let off even with a permission slip:rolleyes:
So depending on what I have in, I know my boarders pretty well now I can juggle who goes where, I prob have about 60 regular customers now, hence why im booked up all the time, obs all 60 do not come at once:rolleyes::D, but some will stay at mine atleast 6 times a year, I rarely have issues with noisy dogs, they settle immediately, it's usually the older senile ones, but they sharp settle, and I never go out for long when I have boarders in, and my dogs are so laid back with others now, they dont give 2 craps who is next through the door:D


Maybe I have a unique set up there:eek: but it works for me and the owners are happy, hell I may aswell own some of their dogs:D
 
Can I ask what formal things need to be attended to because I am assuming you can't just decide to open a kennels.

Things like planning consent
Council licenses.



I was saying to my neighbour last night about building me some kennels and he said I'd need planning permission. The land doesn't have agricultural restrictions if that helps. Also from what i've read their requirements are not the sort of set up I want.

I want the same as Patches, something smaller and more personal and as Cayla says more ' cosy' than these concrete blocks.
 
I think it's going to cost many tens of thousands to set up something that reaches the licensing standards.

I'm guessing my OH and the in-laws will draw the line at me wanting to utilise that level of funds from the farm for such a project.

We'll see, but I don't remain hopeful at this moment in time. :rolleyes:
 
Patches said:
I think it's going to cost many tens of thousands to set up something that reaches the licensing standards.

I'm guessing my OH and the in-laws will draw the line at me wanting to utilise that level of funds from the farm for such a project.

We'll see, but I don't remain hopeful at this moment in time. :rolleyes:
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Do you have to be licensed though ? as long as the owners are happy and you know you are providing top notch care does it matter. Not all kennels are licensed in my area in fact a fraction of them are. If you look on your councils webbie to see whose licensed and then see how many aren't you may be surprised.

From our own feedback most kennels have something ' wrong ' visa vie what the owner wants in terms of standards of care.
 
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