Home-based dog day care

Look after a small group of dogs in your own home and garden while their owners are at work.

Group of dogs playing together in a bright indoor daycare room.

Startup cost£500 to £3k

Monthly revenue£800 to £3.5k

Time needed20+ h/week

First incomeWeeks

£500-3k
Part-time
From home
Licence or permit needed

Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.

Official data

2,437 UK companies in this field, 16% registered in the last 2 years

SIC 01629 “Support activities for animal production (other than farm animal boarding and care) n.e.c.”. Source: Companies House, November 2026.

What it is

A small, home-style day care where a few dogs spend the working day with you, with walks, play, rest and meals if the owner asks for them.

Your first three steps

Check your lease, mortgage terms and with your council whether you need permission or a licence
Secure your garden and set up a separate resting area, then get insurance quotes for day care
Offer trial days to neighbours and local dog owners and ask for reviews

Who pays

Working owners, especially those with puppies, anxious dogs or breeds that don't suit a large kennel-style setting.

How it makes money

A daily fee per dog, often with discounts for regular weekly bookings. Income depends on how many dogs you can safely look after at once.

Skills that help

Confident reading dog body language
Calm and reliable with different breeds
Good communication with owners

Watch out for

Check with your local council whether you need an animal activities licence, as rules differ across the UK
Specialist insurance covering dogs in your care, plus public liability
Landlord, mortgage lender and neighbour issues such as noise and barking
Dog fights or injuries, so assess every new dog first and keep group sizes manageable
Take pet first aid training and keep owners' emergency contact and vet details to hand

Deep research report · UK

Everything you need to start: home-based dog day care

Researched with live web search for United Kingdom: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.

Startup costs with real prices
Licences, registration and rules
Pricing: what others charge
Break-even example
Finding your first customers
30-day launch plan
Risks and how to reduce them

Ready in about 2 minutes · one-off payment, tax included

See a full sample report

Questions people ask

How much does it cost to start a home dog day care?

Estimates are typically around £500 to £3,000, depending on garden security, equipment, insurance and training. Specialist insurance covering dogs in your care, plus public liability, is worth pricing up early.

How much can a home-based dog day care make?

Monthly revenue estimates are typically around £800 to £3,500, depending on how many dogs you take, your prices and the days you work. Hours start at about 20 a week.

Do I need a licence to run dog day care from home?

Check with your local council whether you need an animal activities licence, as rules differ across the UK. Also check specialist insurance, landlord, mortgage lender and neighbour issues such as barking, and take pet first aid training.