Hi All,

As we have now retired we  (hubby and I) have decided to do some home boarding.  We have dogs of our own and a large house and garden and are wanting a bit of an income doing something we both enjoy.

I know I have to apply for a licence, I am told that is necessary if you are paid for boarding dogs but not if you do it for free.  My plan is to just take in one or two small to medium (well behaved!) dogs who would live in the house with ours.  I would love to hear from anyone else who does this.  I can imagine pitfalls like dogs not getting on but I imagine if you introduce them to one another say in the garden under supervision that would tbe he way to do it.  I do have a large utility and kitchen so separation if necessary would be easy.  What I am wondering is this though.  Say one has to pop out to shop for an hour.  Would you leave the dogs or do you have to be there all the time?  Obviously one leaves one's own dogs to shop etc but if you are boarding a dog I rather assume one of you should be there all the time?  I can see that could occasionally be difficult although at least there are two of us so it is quite possible. 

Any info would really be appreciated.

Many thanks

Snowflake

The person I know who does home boarding arranges several introductory visits before a dog is left with them for any great length of time. First time the dog and owner go along and meet her dogs and stay an hour or so. If everything works out well the next visit is for a couple of hours and the dog is left with the boarder whilst the owner goes off. The third visit is either a whole day or an overnight stay with the owner being on call in case of problems. Only after the third visit will she take the dog whilst the owner goes away on holiday. She has three dogs of her own and is licensed to have two boarders at any one time in addition to her own dogs.

The dogs are never left alone unsupervised. At night her dogs are not left with the others and, for a long stay, she only takes two dogs at a time if they are from the same household - she doesn't mix dogs that are unknown to each other. I have never used her facilities but others that have are very pleased with the arrangements and their dogs have all enjoyed a safe and happy stay whilst their owners are away.

I wouldn't do this tbh.  Income would be pretty limited as people want the cheapest option always.  What if you took in a strange dog and it was nasty with your dogs? That dog would spend it's week/fortnight in a separated/caged environment?

I do this but unpaid.  I only take dogs that I know and that I know get along with mine 100%.  The thing you need to think about too is these dogs have different schedules.  For example, I take one dog that's owners go out to work at 5:30am.  So (Yup, you guessed) he is up with the birds for the first few mornings.  I have another dog that needs to be with me constantly.  If I shut him away(in the kitchen) or try and go out, he barks constantly.  This drives me nuts.  It's really awkward trying to fit another(trained) dog into your routine.  Also, how will you walk them all?  I'm lucky as the dogs I take are used to me and my dogs so I know I can walk them with mine off-lead.  I do watch a bitch that tries to escape every chance she gets so I have to watch open doors while she is here.  She just wants to go home and see her mum but she lives across town and I worry that she is going to make it home(or not!!) one of these times.  She climbs fences and chews holes in fences to get out! nightmare. She needs to be kept on a lead at all times when outside.  Also, My house gets wrecked.  Strange dogs pee to mark their territory! And I have paw prints up my walls where the dog didn't like being kept in the kitchen while we were eating in the lounge.  I had to throw out my cushions as they wouldn't take another washing!!lol.  'somone' chewed my kitchen chair(naming no names!!). It just all adds up to stress in my book.

I don't mean to put you off but I find it really stressful and wouldn't do it by choice.And all of mine get on with the lodgers!!lol.

Have sent you a private message. I have been doing home boarding for 10 years so if I can be of any help.

A friend of mine home boards. She choses which dogs she boards (e.g. neutered, not aggressive, etc). If for any reason the dogs don't get on, then the house can be split into three by closing baby gates and the garden is split into two for the same reason!
New dogs spend one night there before any booked boarding to make sure they are ok.

When my friends have to go out together, then any dogs get split up into different rooms (or crated if the dog is used to it in some cases) unless they know the dogs really well and know they get on.