Small group
01Six guests at a time.
We keep boarding deliberately small, with up to six guests staying with us at any one time. That means your dog joins a manageable household rather than a large, anonymous kennel environment.
Services
Tailored care, no kennels.
Three small-scale ways to leave your dog in the kindest possible hands. Home boarding is limited to six guests, with secure fields, daily walks and a free meet & greet first.
Dog boarding in County Durham →
01 · Doggy Day Care
Doggy Day Care
A fun, kennel-free day of play, exercise and supervised socialisation. Drop your dog off in the morning and pick them up tired and happy.
Half Day
4 hrs
£20
Full Day
8am – 6pm
£30
02 · Home Boarding
Home Boarding
No kennel blocks and no rows of runs. Your dog stays with us in our family home, sharing everyday life with Bella, Daphne and a small group of carefully matched guests. With a maximum of six dogs at a time, there's plenty of room for walks, play, attention and quiet time too. It's boarding designed to feel like exactly that — home.
Home boarding
£40 / 24 hours
03 · Confidence Session
Confidence Session
A relaxed one-to-one session designed to help nervous, shy or less confident dogs feel more comfortable around others. You'll walk alongside our resident Golden Retrievers, Bella and Daphne, at a pace that suits your dog, allowing positive interactions to develop naturally. David will be there throughout to offer practical guidance, answer your questions and help you understand how to continue building your dog's confidence at home.
Confidence Session
from
£50 / hour
All stays include our proprietary cold pressed food as standard. If your dog is a fussy eater or on a specific diet, we encourage you to bring enough to last their stay.
Bookings & pricing details — please don't pay any deposit before meeting us. See our FAQs for our 50% deposit policy.
What a stay looks like
More than a booking, a proper routine.
The best boarding stays feel simple because the details have been thought through. Here's what your dog's days look like at Wild at Heart.
Home, not kennels
02Part of the household.
There are no kennel blocks at Wild at Heart. Our boarding dogs live alongside us in the family home, with comfortable places to settle, plenty of attention and Bella and Daphne as part of the household. Whether they're curled up after a long walk, playing with their new friends or simply following us around the house, they're treated just like one of our own.
Exercise
03Proper exercise, every day
Every boarding dog gets a minimum of 90 minutes of proper exercise each day, usually split across two walks. Total walking time can be up to three hours, depending on your dog's needs and arrival time.
Outdoor space
04Secure fields, supervised activity.
Dogs have access to secure fields and activity areas, including our day care space for supervised socialising with other guests. Their time outside is active, purposeful and watched over.
Updates
05See how they're settling in.
Owners receive picture updates and updates through the app during their dog's stay, so you can see the walks, play and quieter moments while you're away.
Food & routine
06The familiar things still matter.
Our proprietary cold pressed food is included as standard. If your dog is a fussy eater or follows a specific diet, bring enough food to last their stay and tell us about their usual routine.
Before the first stay
Start with a conversation.
A little preparation helps dogs settle quickly. We'll talk through your dog's needs, show you around and make a plan that feels comfortable for everyone.
Book a Free Meet & Greet →01
Start with a free meet & greet.
We insist on meeting your dog before taking a booking. Come and see where your dog will be staying, meet us and Bella and Daphne, ask as many questions as you like, and make sure Wild at Heart feels right for everyone.
02
Take it at their pace.
If a trial stay would help before a longer booking, tell us at the meet & greet. We can talk through a gentler first visit that gives your dog time to learn the household routine.
03
Bring the things that help them settle.
For a first stay, a familiar bed or blanket can make a real difference. We provide cold pressed food as standard; for fussy eaters or specific diets, bring enough to last the stay.