2,800+
↑ 22% since 2021
UK Dog Boarding Facilities
Kennels and boarding facilities combined
Complete Guide 2026
Dog Boarding Software
Handle multi-night bookings, room assignments, feeding schedules, and automated payments. Fill more kennels with less admin work—save 12+ hours per week.
What is dog boarding software?
Dog boarding software is a specialized management platform for pet boarding facilities and kennels that handles multi-night stay bookings, room assignments, vaccination tracking, feeding schedules, medication logs, automated payment processing, and owner communication with photo updates. Modern systems help facilities save 12+ hours per week.
UK Dog Boarding Industry Statistics 2026
Key metrics showing growth and digital transformation in pet boarding
£35/night
Average Boarding Rate (UK)
Varies by region and room type
95%+
Peak Season Occupancy
Summer holidays and Christmas periods
52%
↑ 38% YoY
Facilities Using Software
Digital transformation accelerating
12+ hrs/week
Time Saved vs Manual
Booking, billing, feeding schedules combined
45%
No-Show Reduction
With deposit collection and reminders
What Is Dog Boarding Software?
Dog boarding software is a specialized digital management platform designed specifically for pet boarding facilities, kennels, and overnight care providers. Unlike generic booking systems, it includes industry-specific features like multi-night stay management, room assignments, and feeding schedules.
The best platforms handle reservations spanning multiple nights, room/suite assignments by size and type, vaccination records with automatic expiry alerts, detailed feeding schedules with meal tracking, medication administration logs, photo updates to owners, automated payment processing including deposits, and comprehensive owner communication tools.
At PetCare.Software, we built tools specifically for mixed facilities—so if you also run dog daycare, a kennel, or even a cattery, you can manage everything from one login without duplicate data entry.
Essential Features for Boarding Facilities
Multi-Night Booking Management
Handle reservations spanning days, weeks, or months. Calculate pricing by night, show availability calendars, and manage check-in/out times.
Room & Suite Assignments
Assign specific rooms/kennels by size, type, and special features. Track availability, prevent double-booking, and manage room maintenance schedules.
Feeding Schedule Management
Track meal times, portion sizes, dietary restrictions, and special food requirements. Staff can mark meals completed via mobile app.
Medication Administration Logs
Record medication schedules, dosages, administration times, and any reactions. Critical for pets with ongoing health needs.
Photo Updates to Owners
Send daily photos and activity updates to pet parents. Reduces "how is my dog?" phone calls by 60% while improving satisfaction.
Deposit Collection & Peak Pricing
Automatically collect deposits (20-50%) at booking to reduce no-shows. Set higher rates for holidays and peak seasons.
Plan Your Boarding Revenue
Use our free Revenue Calculator to model your boarding income, costs, and seasonal demand patterns. Get personalized insights based on your capacity and pricing.
Try the CalculatorCompare PetCare.Software against generic pet software and manual spreadsheet management
| Feature | PetCare.Software | Generic Pet Software | Manual/Spreadsheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online Booking 24/7 | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Multi-Night Stay Management | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Room/Suite Assignments | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Feeding Schedule Tracking | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Medication Administration Logs | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Manual Photo Uploads | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Automated Deposit Collection | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Vaccination Tracking | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Peak Season Pricing | Coming Soon | ✗ | ✗ |
| Monthly Cost | From £40 | From £80 | Manual/Free |
Benefits for Boarding Kennels
Maximize Peak Season Revenue
Boarding facilities report 95%+ occupancy during holidays with automated booking, waitlists, and early-bird discounts. Peak season pricing and deposit requirements protect revenue while reducing no-shows by 45%.
✓
Reduced phone calls: Online booking cuts calls by 60%. Owners can self-serve bookings, check availability, and view their pet's stay details without calling.
✓
Zero double-bookings: Real-time room management eliminates conflicts and prevents overbooking by room type, size, and total capacity.
✓
45% fewer no-shows: Automated reminders and deposit requirements dramatically reduce no-shows, protecting peak season revenue.
✓
12+ hours saved weekly: Automated booking, billing, feeding schedules, and owner updates eliminate manual admin work.
✓
Staff efficiency: Mobile app access for feeding logs, medication administration, and photo updates makes staff handovers seamless.
✓
Happy pet parents: Photo updates and daily activity reports create loyal customers who book repeatedly and leave 5-star reviews.
Choosing the Right Boarding Software
What to Look For
- → Built for boarding: Generic booking tools miss critical features like room assignments, feeding schedules, and medication logs.
- → Multi-night capability: Must handle stays spanning days, weeks, or months with automatic pricing calculation.
- → Room management: Real-time room availability by type, size, and special features (e.g., outdoor access, deluxe suites).
- → Owner portal: Self-service booking, photo updates, stay history, and payment access reduce phone calls.
- → Mobile staff access: Feeding logs, medication records, and photo uploads from phones/tablets.
- → Peak season tools: Waitlist management, seasonal pricing, early booking discounts, and capacity alerts.
Red Flags to Avoid
- ✗ Per-booking fees (3-5% per transaction adds up to thousands annually)
- ✗ No room assignment capability (critical for boarding)
- ✗ Desktop-only with no mobile access for staff
- ✗ No trial period to test with real bookings
- ✗ Limited support during busy peak seasons
Related: Kennel Software Guide | Dog Daycare Software | Pet Sitting Software
Frequently Asked Questions
Dog boarding software is a specialized management platform designed for pet boarding facilities and kennels. It handles multi-night stay bookings, room assignments, vaccination tracking, feeding schedules, medication administration logs, automated payment processing, and owner communication with photo updates. Modern systems help facilities save 12+ hours per week while reducing no-shows by 45% through automated deposits and reminders.
Related: Kennel SoftwareDog Daycare Software
Dog boarding software typically costs £40-120 per month depending on features, facility size, and booking volume. PetCare.Software offers flat monthly pricing starting from £40 with no per-booking fees, unlimited bookings, and includes all features. Avoid platforms with per-transaction fees (3-5% per booking) that punish growth and can cost thousands annually.
Related: View Pricing
Essential features include: multi-night booking management, room/suite assignment system, vaccination tracking with automatic expiry alerts, feeding schedule management, medication administration logs, owner portal with booking access, photo update sharing, automated reminders, deposit collection, peak season pricing, waitlist management, and integrated payment processing. Facilities running mixed services (boarding + daycare + grooming) should look for unified platforms.
Related: Pet Grooming Software
Yes. Modern boarding software like PetCare.Software manages boarding, daycare, and cattery services from one unified platform with shared client records. You can book the same dog for daycare on weekdays and boarding on weekends without duplicate data entry. This eliminates the need for multiple systems and ensures consistent customer experience.
Related: Dog Daycare SoftwareCattery Software
Dog boarding software tracks room availability, suite types, and size requirements automatically. You can assign specific rooms/kennels to bookings, set room capacities, block rooms for maintenance, and manage different room types (standard, deluxe, suite). The system prevents double-booking and shows real-time availability by room type. You can also accommodate special requests like adjacent rooms for multiple dogs from same family.
Yes. Modern boarding software enables you to send photo updates, feeding logs, medication administration records, and daily activity reports directly to pet parents through the owner portal or via SMS/email. Owners can log in anytime to see their pet's status, upcoming meals, and photos. This reduces phone calls by 60% and improves customer satisfaction significantly.
Dog boarding software handles peak seasons (holidays, summer) with built-in waitlist management, early booking discounts, seasonal pricing adjustments, capacity alerts, and priority booking for regular clients. You can set higher rates for Christmas, Easter, and school holidays automatically. Waitlist functionality captures demand when fully booked and automatically notifies clients of cancellations.
Boarding software tracks each dog's feeding times, portion sizes, dietary restrictions, and special food requirements. Staff can mark meals as completed via mobile app, add feeding notes, and record any issues. Owners can see feeding logs in their portal. The system sends reminders to staff for upcoming meals and alerts for missed feedings. You can also track special diets, allergies, and medication with meals.
Yes. Dog boarding software enables automatic deposit collection at booking time (typically 20-50% of total). Deposits reduce no-shows by 45% and protect revenue during peak seasons. PetCare.Software integrates with Stripe for secure payment processing. You can set deposit amounts by booking value, refund policies, and automatically charge remaining balance at check-in or after stay.
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