We Asked Dog Owners What They Actually Look for When Choosing a Kennel — Here's What They Said
There is no shortage of advice online about what makes a good boarding kennel. Most of it is written from the perspective of industry experts, vets or kennel owners themselves. But what do the people actually leaving their dogs there care about most?
We put the question to dog owners across the UK — people with everything from first-time boarders to dogs who have been going to the same kennel for years. The answers were honest, sometimes surprising, and genuinely useful for anyone either choosing a kennel or running one.
Trust Comes Before Everything Else
When asked what matters most, the answer that came up again and again was not price, location or facilities. It was trust.
"I just need to know they actually care about my dog. Not just that they'll feed her and keep her safe, but that they'll notice if she's a bit off and do something about it."
"I've used the same kennel for four years. I could probably find somewhere cheaper closer to home. But I know they know my dog now. They know he's anxious the first night and that he needs to be in a quieter spot."
This matters enormously for boarding businesses. You cannot manufacture trust through marketing. It is built through consistent, attentive care and through communication that shows owners their animal is being looked after as an individual rather than as one of many.
Reviews Are the Starting Point for Most People
Almost universally, the first thing owners said they do when looking for a new kennel is read reviews. Not the testimonials on a kennel's own website — those are expected to be positive — but Google reviews, Facebook recommendations in local community groups, and word of mouth from people they know.
"I genuinely wouldn't book anywhere with fewer than about 20 reviews. Not because I think bad kennels can't get a few good reviews, but because 20 means there are enough different people saying the same thing for it to feel real."
"I always read the one and two star reviews first. I want to see how they responded. If they got defensive or ignored them, that tells me more than the five star ones."
The implication for kennel owners is clear: reviews are not a nice-to-have. They are the primary filter most pet owners use before they even look at your website or visit your premises. And the way you respond to negative reviews is read almost as carefully as the reviews themselves.
Photos of the Actual Facility Matter More Than You Might Think
"I want to see where my dog is actually going to sleep. Not a stock image of a happy Labrador. The actual kennel."
This came up repeatedly. Owners want to see real photos of real spaces. A clean, honest photo of your kennel runs, outdoor areas and sleeping spaces does more to build confidence than any amount of marketing copy.
Several owners mentioned that a lack of photos made them suspicious.
"If there are no photos of the actual kennels, I always wonder why. What are they not showing me?"
For kennels that do have good facilities, this is an easy win. Take clear photos on a bright day, show the sleeping areas, the outdoor runs and any enrichment spaces, and put them front and centre on your listings and social media. For pet owners doing research at 10pm on a Sunday, those photos can be the difference between an enquiry and a click away.
Communication During the Stay Is Hugely Valued
"The first time I left my dog anywhere I was a wreck. Then they sent me a photo at lunchtime on the first day and I cried. In a good way."
"I don't need daily updates. But knowing they'll tell me if something is wrong and that I can message them if I'm worried means everything."
Owners overwhelmingly said that communication during a stay — even just a single check-in message or photo for longer bookings — dramatically improved their experience and their likelihood of returning. The dogs' wellbeing was the primary concern, but being kept in the loop made the owners feel like they could actually relax rather than spending the whole holiday worrying.
For kennels, this is genuinely low-effort, high-return territory. A two-line message and a photo sent midway through a week's stay costs about three minutes of someone's time and generates the kind of goodwill that turns a first-time customer into a regular.
Location Matters, But Not as Much as Reputation
Most owners said they started their search looking locally. But when pushed on whether they would travel further for the right kennel, the majority said yes.
"There's a kennel twenty minutes further from us that my friend uses. She swears by it. I'll go there over the one five minutes away that has mixed reviews."
"We drive forty-five minutes to our kennel. We've tried two that were closer. Neither of them were right. This one just feels right."
This is worth noting for kennel owners who might assume that proximity is their main competitive advantage. It is a factor, but it is not the deciding one for most owners. A kennel with a strong reputation, good reviews and genuine visible care will draw customers from well outside the obvious local radius.
What Owners Say They Wish More Kennels Did
We asked owners what one thing they would change about their kennel experience if they could. A few themes came through clearly.
More transparency about the daily routine. "I'd love to know roughly what their day looks like. What time they're fed, when they're walked, whether they get any time with staff outside of the practical stuff."
Clearer information upfront about what is included and what costs extra. "I always feel like I'm discovering extra charges I didn't know about. Just be upfront about it."
A settling-in period or trial stay for first-timers. "I wish they'd offered to have him come for a day before we left for two weeks. That would have made me so much less anxious."
Some kind of update system, even for short stays. "Even for a two-night stay, a quick message to say he's settled in would go a long way."
What This Means for Boarding Businesses
The picture that emerges from talking to dog owners is fairly consistent. They want to feel that their dog is in the hands of people who genuinely care. They look for evidence of that through reviews, through photos of real facilities and through communication before and during a stay. Price is a consideration, but it rarely wins on its own against a business that has built genuine trust.
The good news is that most of what dog owners want costs nothing to provide beyond intention and consistency.
If you want to reach more dog owners in your area and give them a clear picture of what your boarding business is about, a well-put-together listing on PetPortal is a straightforward place to start.