Vaccinations, licences and what to ask in Guildford

Ten dog boarders and day cares are listed across Guildford town centre, Burpham & Merrow, Godalming and Cranleigh, and every one needs a council licence to operate in England. This guide sets out what is worth asking about the licence, your dog's health and the practical details of a stay, rather than assuming any of it.

Check the licence, and which council issued it

Three of the ten businesses — Hound and About, Paws4aWalk and Simone's Doggy Creche, all in Guildford town centre — are licensed by Guildford Borough Council; the other seven, spread across Godalming and Cranleigh, are licensed by Waverley Borough Council instead. Ask any business which council licensed it and for its licence number, then check the number against the relevant council's own register yourself. See our Guildford council licences guide for what each register shows and doesn't show.

Vaccinations and kennel cough

Ask what vaccinations a business requires before a stay, and how far in advance it needs to see proof. Requirements and timing vary between operators, so there is no single schedule to state here, and this directory does not set or check one. Ask separately about the business's policy on kennel cough, since that also varies from one boarder to the next.

Group size

Ask how many other dogs will be at the same address during your dates, and whether they are all from one household or several. K9 Development Centre in Cranleigh holds separate day care and home boarding licences, both rated 5 stars by Waverley Borough Council, while a smaller home boarder such as Doggy Digs Cranleigh takes a small group of dogs at a time rather than running a large kennels. Asking this question matters more for a home boarder, since your dog would be sharing someone's house rather than a purpose-built site.

Ask about exercise and daily routine

Routines differ from one business to the next, and it is worth asking rather than assuming. Paws4aWalk, a home boarder in west Guildford, says boarded dogs get two walks a day alongside the family rather than being kennelled; Croft Doggy Daycare, near Cranleigh, offers a secure garden plus access to a disused golf course for walks; K9 Development Centre runs a "school bus" style collection service on top of its day care and boarding. None of this tells you what any other business does, so ask each one directly how a typical day or night is structured for a boarded dog.

Medication, breed conditions and vet cover

• How is medication given during a stay, and does it cost extra?
• Are there breed conditions or restrictions, and how would you handle an XL Bully with a valid exemption certificate?
• If my dog needs a vet while with you, which practice would you use, who decides, and who pays?
• Do you say you hold public liability insurance, and can I see the certificate rather than a line on a website?

None of these are things this directory can answer on a business's behalf, so put them to the business directly before you book, alongside anything specific to your own dog.