The Complete Guide to Dog Boarding in San Francisco

Back in the day, when people thought about boarding their dog, they thought about old school kennels with concrete floors and wire fences; places where dogs were “kept” while people traveled, but not places where dogs played, got training, worked on socialization skills or anything that was positive for the dog and the pet parent. If this is still what you think about when you hear about dog boarding, get ready to have your mind blown.

Why Should You Board Your Dog?

First, let’s discuss why you might want to board your dog. Sure, you could be traveling for work or vacation, which are both good reasons, but there are so many more (at least in San Francisco). Having visitors at your house or apartment that are – how do we say this politely – not fans of four legged friends? Got a busy weekend and just not enough time to give your dog all the time they deserve? Having work done on your place and hanging out with some contractors and an opening and closing door is not what you think is best for your dog? Or did you just welcome a new human kid into the world (congratulations and best of luck) and need few days to “adjust” to your new lifestyle?

There are a lot of options when it comes to overnight care for your dog. Generally, these fall into 3 buckets:

• You could hit up your friend or neighbor kid to either check in on your dog while you are away or let them crash on your sofa (of course this doesn’t work if you’re in town or having work done on your place). This route is by far the cheapest (at least in terms of out-of-pocket spend) but there may be other costs that we can discuss later.
• You could use someone you find on some app. But just like you’ve probably had some less than amazing Uber or Lyft rides – the same thing happens here.
• You can use a professional brick-and-mortar pet care facility. Sure, we’re biased – but for most dogs we think this option is best. You want a professional to care for your dog in an environment that was designed for your dog.

If you want experience and training, you want play groups and non-play group options for your dog, and you want to come home to a clean dog; you want Pet Camp.

What is Dog Boarding? And How is It Different from Daycare?

In the simplest terms, dog boarding means overnight care, and dog day care means just daytime care (your dog goes home to sleep). Many pet care facilities offer both day and overnight care – which is convenient should your dog be at day care and your plans change, and your dog needs to spend the night. Most pet care facilities offer a similar range of services (group play, enrichment, solo play, training, bathing) for both day and overnight care guests. Some pet care facilities have been known to say things such as “the dog aged out of day care,” or is “too old for overnight care.” Honestly, this means that the pet care facility cannot meet the needs of your dog, NOT that your dog is too old. If you have a senior dog, ask about senior care just as if you have a puppy and ask about puppy options.

Dog Boarding vs. Pet Sitting vs. In-Home Care in SF

When looking for overnight care for your dog, you have three main options: dog boarding at a pet care facility, having a pet sitter check in on your pet, or arranging for in-home care either in your house or in someone else’s house. Like most major cities, all three options are readily available in San Francisco. 

Now just because you can pick any of the three in San Francisco, doesn’t mean that there aren’t pros and cons of each of them. Here are a few of each: 

How Much Does Dog Boarding Cost in San Francisco?

The cost of pet boarding in San Francisco both tends to be more expensive than in other places (like everything else) and has a wide range (also like everything else). Like most things in San Francisco, your cheapest option may not be your best option AND like any purchasing experience, you want to make sure that you are comparing similar items/experiences.

For example, if a web page doesn’t include prices and tells you to “call for lowest price” or has big font saying “as low as $…” – really? We all know that this means you are in for the upsell. When comparing prices ask the basic question: What’s included in this price? Will you be forced to pay more if your dog needs medication? A special diet? Is either play or enrichment included? Is there an additional charge if your dog wants a bed (yup, some places charge for bedding)? You want to know the price of caring for your dog, not the price of each individual component.

You should also expect to pay more for some weekends and holidays. Weekends and holidays require pet care facilities to bring in more staff and, in many cases, to pay both overtime and holiday pay. These costs simply drive up the cost of providing quality pet care.

What to Ask Before You Book at a Pet Care Facility

We get that having someone else take care of your dog is a big decision – we’re pet parents, too! So, before you make a reservation ask some questions about the facility and its people:

• What are the facility’s health and safety requirements?

• Does it require all dogs to be vaccinated again Rabies, DHPP, Bordetella and CIV?

• What does the facility do if a dog gets ill?

• Does it have a separate “isolation” area?

• Does it have a relationship with your veterinarian?

• Does it have a relationship with emergency care veterinarians?

• Is someone on-site around the clock?

• Does it have separate areas for small dogs?  For puppies? For seniors?

• Does it have non-group play options for non-social dogs?

• Is it licensed? Inspected? Permitted? Insured?

• Is the owner involved in daily operations or is the facility a chain or owned by a larger company?

• Can you take a tour?

• What does a day look like for my dog?

If you have other questions or want to know our answers – give us a call!

Preparing Your Dog: Vaccinations, Packing List, and Tips for Reducing Stress

Getting your dog ready for boarding should be less stressful than getting yourself (and certainly your human kids ready). Here are some tips: 

• Send over your dog’s required vaccines IN ADVANCE! No one wants to be on the way to vacation or a work trip and be turned away from their dog’s boarding facility because you don’t have your dog’s vaccines. This is ESPECIALLY true if you are traveling on a weekend or holiday because not every San Francisco veterinarian has weekend or holiday hours. 

• If your dog is on a special diet (or even just food not stocked by the boarding facility), bring it. While Pet Camp allows you to bring in food in a large container, some pet care facilities require you to pre-portion all your dog’s food. Ask about how your dog’s boarding facility requires owner’s food to be packaged. If you have dog food that needs to be refrigerated, confirm your dog’s boarding facility can do this (yes, of course Pet Camp can). 

• If your dog is on medication, be prepared to explain EXACTLY how the medicine is to be administered. If you can send this information over in advance, do so! This will allow any questions to be asked before you’re in a rush. 

• Ask about bringing in something that smells like home. Many pet care facilities do not want you to bring in a big bed (frankly, we used to allow this, but the San Francisco Fire Marshall now won’t allow it) but you can often still bring in something small or a toy – ask in advance. 

• Don’t make it a big deal (even though we know it might be). If you’re all worked up in the lobby when dropping off your dog for the 1st time, your dog will know it and will be amped up too! Just like dropping a child off for the 1st time at pre-school, a quick-short goodbye is better for all concerned. 

• If there is something about your dog’s behavior that the pet care folks need to know about – TELL THEM BEFORE THEY APPROACH your dog. You know your dog best – help the pet care team keep themselves and your dog safe.

Senior Dogs, Puppies, and Anxious Dogs 

Some dogs might have needs that differ from the “pack”. That’s ok – that’s what we do.

If you have a senior dog that has some mobility issues, just needs a bit more TLC, or has other needs, not only is this not a problem at Pet Camp, but our Pioneer Package was designed with you and your dog in mind.

Have a younger whipper snapper who might be a bit mouthy or need some work on reading other dog’s body language? Between special puppy playgroups and our Ranger Station curated play groups, we’ve got that covered. Just make sure your puppy has completed their DHPP series, has a Bordetella vaccine and at least one dose of the CIV (dog flu vaccine) before bringing them to Pet Camp. Your puppy is welcome before getting their Rabies vaccine which some San Francisco veterinarians prefer to administer much later than those required vaccines.

Is your dog not the social butterfly you were (or wanted to be) in high school? Relax, we have 14,000 square feet at the Ranger Station specially designed for your dog. From a dog maze to sensory gardens, the Ranger Station will ensure that your dog will get plenty of stimulation and enrichment.

What Sets Pet Camp Apart

Why pick Pet Camp for your dog boarding needs?

• Family Owned & Operated and San Francisco Proud: Mark & Virginia live in San Francisco, raised their 4 kids in San Francisco, and Mark is involved in daily operations.

• Almost 30 years of experience: You learn a lot in 30 years. Let Pet Camp’s experience be a benefit to your dog’s boarding experience.

• Dog Boarding Options Galore: We know that your dog is unique. Pet Camp has a range of dog boarding options to meet the needs of your unique dog. From puppies to seniors, social butterflies to non-social dogs, mellow to active – we’ve got the options and flexibility to meet you and your dog’s needs.

• Indoor and Outdoor Areas: Fresh air and sunshine is good for us and good for our dogs. With a combined 30,000 square feet of outdoor space at the Main Campground and Ranger Station, another 7,000 square feet of activity space at the Ranger Station and 3,000 square feet of play space under the Main Campground’s glass retractable roof, Pet Camp has more dog play and enrichment areas than any other San Francisco pet care facility.
• Training (human training that is): Pet Camp’s counselors undergo rigorous and continuing training on both dog body language, dog medical issues, proper play group supervision, dog handling and endless other topics. Pet Camp has a scholarship program and an advanced continuing education program to allow counselors to travel outside of San Francisco to continue their dog education journey.