Home dog boarding

Look after a small number of dogs in your own home while their owners are away.

Dogs rest in clean kennel runs at a dog boarding facility.

Startup cost£500 to £2.5k

Monthly revenue£500 to £2.5k

Time needed15+ h/week

First incomeWeeks

£500-2.5k
Side hustle
From home
Licence or permit needed

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

What it is

Dogs stay with you as part of the household while their owners are on holiday or at work. It suits people with a secure garden, time at home and a calm, confident way with dogs.

Your first three steps

Check with your council whether you need a licence, and check your lease or mortgage terms
Get boarding insurance, secure your garden and write a simple booking form and vaccination policy
Offer meet-and-greets to friends and neighbours, then list yourself on local groups and boarding platforms

Who pays

Dog owners who prefer a home setting to a kennel, especially those with anxious, older or small dogs.

How it makes money

A nightly rate per dog, with extras such as medication, extra walks or collection and drop-off. Busy school holidays and summer can be fully booked.

Skills that help

Confident handling of different dogs
Reading dog behaviour and spotting illness
Reliable and good at talking to worried owners

Watch out for

In England, home boarding generally needs a council licence, so check your council. Rules differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Specialist pet boarding insurance, as ordinary home insurance is unlikely to cover it
Landlord, mortgage or tenancy restrictions on running the business from home
Dog fights, escapes and illness, so have a plan and a vet on call
Noise complaints from neighbours

Deep research report · UK

Everything you need to start: home dog boarding

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 boarding business?

Startup costs are typically estimated at around £500 to £2,500, depending on garden fencing and security, bedding and equipment, insurance, and any council licence fees. Costs vary with how many dogs you plan to look after.

How much can home dog boarding earn?

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around £500 to £2,500, depending on how many dogs you take, how often and what you charge. Revenue is before insurance, food and other running costs.

Do I need a licence to board dogs at home in the UK?

In England, home boarding generally needs a council licence, so check with your council. Rules differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Also check for specialist pet boarding insurance and any landlord, mortgage or tenancy restrictions on running a business from home.