Dog Boarding Cost Calculator

Understanding dog boarding costs in Australia

What dog boarding costs in Australia in 2026

Dog boarding in Australia in 2026 typically costs $40 to $95 per night. A standard kennel run for a medium dog at a suburban or semi-rural facility runs $45 to $65 a night. Deluxe suites with proper bedding, climate control and more individual attention are $65 to $90. In-home boarding with a host family, booked directly or through a platform, sits at $55 to $85. Luxury pet resorts offering daily enrichment programs, webcams and reporting reach $90 to $130. Small dogs are commonly $5 to $10 a night cheaper than large ones, and giant breeds attract a further loading because they need bigger runs. A one week stay for a medium dog in a standard kennel is therefore around $315 to $455 before extras.

Why size, accommodation and season all move the price

Size affects price because it affects space. A giant breed needs a larger run, more food and often a more secure enclosure, so most facilities run a size-tiered rate card with a $10 to $25 a night spread from small to giant. Accommodation type is the bigger lever: a standard run is shelter, bedding and scheduled exercise, while a deluxe suite adds climate control, a raised bed, more floor space and usually more one-on-one time. Season is the third and most dramatic. Australian boarding is heavily seasonal, and the Christmas and New Year period is the only time it operates as a genuinely constrained market. Peak loadings of 20 to 40 percent, minimum stays of five to ten nights, non-refundable deposits and full capacity by September are all normal at that time of year.

What is and is not included in the nightly rate

This is where comparing two quotes gets misleading. Some Australian kennels include food, bedding and two or three exercise or play sessions a day in the base rate. Others quote a lower nightly figure and charge $10 to $20 a day for enrichment sessions, expect you to bring your dog's own food, and bill medication administration at $5 to $12 a day. Exit baths, which many owners want after a long stay, are $50 to $95 depending on the dog. Pick-up and drop-off transport is commonly $40 to $90 each way. Before comparing a $55 kennel with a $70 one, get both to state what a day actually contains, because the cheaper headline is frequently the dearer stay.

Vaccination and health requirements

Every reputable Australian boarding facility requires proof of current C5 vaccination, and virtually all require the kennel cough component to have been given at least ten to fourteen days before arrival so immunity has developed. Many also require current intestinal worming and flea treatment, and some ask for a tick preventative in areas where paralysis ticks are present. This is the most common reason a boarding booking collapses: a booster given three days before drop-off does not meet the requirement. If your dog is on medication, has a chronic condition or has any behavioural issue around other dogs, disclose it at booking rather than at drop-off, because a facility discovering it on the day can and does decline to take the dog. Any question about whether your dog is well enough to board, or about medication while you are away, belongs with your vet.

Kennels, in-home boarding and pet sitters compared

There are three distinct products and they suit different dogs. A licensed boarding kennel has staff, a routine, secure fencing and usually a relationship with a nearby vet, and is the cheapest option for multiple dogs because of second-dog discounts. In-home boarding places your dog in a host's house, which suits anxious dogs and those unused to kennel environments, but the regulatory framework is lighter than for licensed kennels, there is often no overnight staffing arrangement in the way a kennel has, and the insurance position varies by host and platform. A house or pet sitter staying at your home keeps the dog in its own environment and is often the best fit for elderly dogs, but is priced per day for the sitter rather than per dog, so it is expensive for one dog and good value for three. For any of them, ask what happens if your dog needs a vet at 2am and who authorises and pays for treatment.

What a week and a fortnight actually cost

Run the whole number rather than the nightly rate. A medium dog in a standard kennel for seven off-peak nights with an exit bath is roughly $390 to $530. The same dog over Christmas in a deluxe suite for ten nights with daily play sessions is $1,100 to $1,500. Two dogs sharing a run for fourteen nights off-peak, with the second dog discounted 20 percent, is around $1,100 to $1,500 for both. Those are meaningful figures against a holiday budget, and they are the reason boarding cost is worth checking before booking flights rather than after.

Choosing a facility

Visit before you book, and be sceptical of any facility that will not let you. Look at the runs, the fencing, the shade and drainage, and whether the place smells clean. Ask about the staff-to-dog ratio, whether anyone is on site overnight, how dogs are grouped for play and whether they are assessed before being mixed, and which vet they use in an emergency. Ask to see their licence, since boarding establishments are regulated by local councils in most Australian states. And ask for their written requirements on vaccination, worming and flea treatment at the time of booking so you can schedule the vet visit properly. Use the estimator above to bracket the likely cost, then confirm inclusions and requirements directly with the facility.