North England Prestige Awards
New Dog Boarding Service of the Year
*Awarded under our previous name, Hetton-le-Hill Farm Dog Boarding
South Hetton · County Durham
A home away from home, without the kennel.
Wild at Heart is a small, award-winning, family-run home boarding service in County Durham. Six guests at a time, two resident golden retrievers, and plenty of fields.
Durham County Council Licensed, Fully Insured, DBS Checked, Award-Winning, Maximum 6 Guests
About
A different kind of dog boarding.
Wild at Heart is a small, family-run home boarding service in South Hetton, County Durham, created for dogs who deserve more than a stay in a kennel.
With a maximum of just six guests, dogs become part of our household while they're here. They can relax in the family home, explore our secure outdoor spaces, enjoy proper daily walks and spend their stay alongside our resident Golden Retrievers, Bella and Daphne.
Keeping things small means we get to know every dog properly, from their usual routine and favourite place to sleep to how much exercise, attention and quiet time they need.
Because when your dog stays with us, we want it to feel less like boarding and more like a second home.
Why only six dogs?
Small by design.
We welcome a maximum of six guests at a time. No crowded groups and no getting lost among dozens of other dogs. Keeping things small means more individual attention, carefully managed social groups and plenty of space to play, relax and simply be themselves.
6
Maximum guests
Small enough for the care to stay personal, calm and considered.
- Individual attention
- Managed social groups
- Plenty of space to relax
Award-winning care
Award-winning from the very beginning.
In our first two years, Wild at Heart has already received recognition from the North England Prestige Awards and Three Best Rated.
North England Prestige Awards
Pet Care Service of the Year
Three Best Rated
One of the Top 3 Boarding Facilities in Durham
What we offer
Three ways to visit.
Doggy Day Care
from £20
A fun, kennel-free day filled with play, exercise and supervised socialisation. Drop your dog off in the morning and pick them up tired, happy and ready for a well-earned snooze!
Home Boarding
£40 / 24 hours
Stay in the family home, curl up on the sofa and enjoy proper walks every day. With just six guests at a time, your dog becomes part of the household while you're away.
Confidence Session
from £50 / hour
A relaxed one-hour confidence-building session alongside Bella and Daphne, with David there to guide every step. Perfect for shy or nervous dogs, new rescues, or owners who simply want to help their dog feel more comfortable and confident around others.
Check availability
Find your dates
With only six guests staying at a time, spaces can fill quickly. Take a look at our calendar below to see our current availability. Unmarked dates are available, gold dates have just one space remaining and crossed-out dates are fully booked. Found the dates you need? Send us an enquiry and we'll confirm availability before arranging your free meet & greet.
September 2026 – November 2026
September 2026
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Limited availability
October 2026
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Limited availability
November 2026
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Calendar key
Available
Unmarked dates
Fully booked
Struck through
1 space left
Gold dates
Six guests at a time · Off-leash fields · Two resident Goldens
We don’t believe your dog should be confined to a kennel. Around here, they get the run of secure fields, the sofa, and a minimum of ninety minutes of proper exercise every single day.
Our New Home
From cosy corners inside to the secure fields out back, there's a lot to explore.
On Instagram
Life at Wild at Heart.
Home Boarding near Durham! Licensed, insured and DBS checked.
Trusted by owners. Loved by dogs.
Reviews from recent stays.
Our little man had his first ever overnight stay this weekend and he absolutely loved it, he has came back shattered and hasn’t moved out of his bed since. From the moment of our first meet & greet with David & Amy, we were at total ease about letting him stay.
Gary Cordock
★★★★★
A first stay, together
We don’t take any booking before we’ve met your dog.
Your first visit is completely free. Come and explore our home and secure gardens, meet Bella and Daphne, and let your dog decide if Wild at Heart feels like the right home away from home.