Harley’s Home Boarding for Dogs
About us
We are Verity and Richard and we live in the picturesque village of Barford St. Michael in North Oxfordshire with our border terrier, Harley Quinn, and our two rescued, house cats, Bella and Holly.
About Verity:
I grew up on a small holding in Pembrokeshire which gave me my love of all animals. We had our own dogs whilst I was young but we also looked after friend’s dogs whilst they went on holiday which helped spark my interest in home boarding.
I always knew I either wanted to work with animals or children and eventually decided to be a teacher. In 2014, I moved to Oxfordshire where I worked in a local primary school for six years.
Although I loved living in Barford, I never felt like my house was my home because it was missing one thing, a dog! After five years, I finally convinced Richard and we brought Harley home in April 2019. From day one, I hated leaving her whilst we were both at work which eventually resulted in me leaving teaching in July 2020. I have since set up my home boarding business so that I can spend my days with Harley and doing what I love most, being around dogs!
I am fully licensed with Cherwell District Council (license number: HOM0060) and have a 4 star rating, fully insured with Protectivity (with £5million liability) and I am DBS checked. I have a Level 3 in Canine Care, Behaviour and Welfare and both Richard and myself are Canine First Aid trained.
About Richard:
Richard grew up in Birmingham and had a rescue dog called Jess. He met my parent’s two border terriers when they were puppies so has had experience looking after very young pups through to more elderly dogs. He is a director in a civil engineering company and is on hand to help out with the home boarding business.
About Harley:
Harley is a young border terrier who loves life! She is very energetic and loves to play with both dogs and people. She attended puppy socialising classes to ensure she interacts well with other dogs and is used to other dogs staying in her home. From a young age, Harley has spent a lot of time in Pembrokeshire visiting my parents and their two dogs, Lexie and Otto. Lexie is an older border terrier who doesn’t really appreciate young dogs. However, she has taught Harley to recognise the social signs and to be calm around older dogs who prefer their own space.
Boarding
Home boarding is becoming increasingly popular as it is a more enjoyable alternative for your dog than traditional boarding kennels. It is a fantastic way to ensure your dog has a holiday just as good, if not better, than yours!
Home from Home
We provide an individually tailored service for your dog(s), welcoming them into our family home where they can enjoy the perfect holiday. We have a large garden with plenty of shade for play times, exploring or just to relax in. With our rural, village location, we are surrounded by some incredible walks, from rolling hills to woodland. We allow the dogs full access to the downstairs of our house and the secure, enclosed garden.
The main reason for using a home boarder is that the dog(s) spend their days and evenings with us so that they are comfortable and do not miss their owners. We ensure the dog(s) receive lots of love, attention, exercise, playtime and fuss and we treat all dogs as if they were ours.
We only board one dog, or two dogs from the same household, so your dog(s) will never board with another dog, except for Harley. This reduces stress, and ensures your dog(s) receive all the love and attention!
A Typical Day…
At Harley’s Home Boarding, we ensure that all dogs receive the love and care that they deserve. At the Meet and Greet session, we assess your dog’s needs and create an individual daily plan to suit your dog(s) but here is a typical day at Harley’s Home Boarding for Dogs.
* Toileting then morning meal
* Mid-morning exercise (length dependent on age and fitness of dog)
* Quiet time
* Toileting
* Play
* Quiet time
* Toileting
* Play / socialisation in the garden
* Mid-Late afternoon exercise (length dependent on age and fitness of dog)
* Daily grooming / health check followed by rest time
* Evening meal
* Optional play and/or cuddle time
* Rest time
What to bring…
When your dog(s) comes to stay with us, we ask that you bring a few things for your dog(s) to ensure they are familiar and comfortable with their new surroundings and to allow them to settle as quickly as possible. You will receive information on what to bring once we have confirmed the booking.
Your dog(s) needs:
* Their normal collar and lead (and harness if they normally wear one)
* Food for the entirety of the stay
* Medication for the entirety of the stay (if required)
* Crate (only applicable if they normally sleep in a crate)
We strongly recommend you provide your dog’s normal bed/bedding and any familiar items that will help them settle quickly, although we will happily provide these for you.
Please feel free to bring any drying coats, coats, brushes and bowls that are specific to your dog(s). We want them to be as happy and content as they are in their normal environment!
With your consent, we only provide natural, healthy dog treats,. However, should you require your dog(s) to have a specific treat, please make sure your supply enough for the entirety of the stay.
Keeping You Up to Date
We fully understand how stressful and worrying it can be leaving your dog but to give you complete peace of mind, if you would like us to, we will update you via Whatsapp or email to share stories and photos from your dog’s holiday with us.
With your permission, we will post pictures on our Facebook and Instagram sites so make sure to follow us on social media to see the latest adventures of your four legged family! We will never post your dog’s name.
Bookings for 2022 and 2023
We are currently not taking on any new clients and apologise for any inconvenience. We recognise that home boarding is most dog owner’s first choice and we wish we could help everyone with their boarding needs! To try and help you find the perfect boarder who hopefully has availability, we have attached a link to Cherwell’s licensed establishments:
I cannot rate Harley’s home boarding for dogs highly enough. When we left our 10 month old puppy with Verity, she hadn’t been left with anyone else for an extended period of time, and never overnight. Our dog settled really well, so well in fact she didn’t miss us at all! Verity provided regular updates, letting us know she was OK and not missing us, we found this very reassuring and it allowed us to enjoy ourselves without worrying about her. Harley is a lovely dog and seems to really enjoy having doggie friends to stay. We love bringing Tilly here as we feel that she is having her own little holiday too!
Additional Details
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FAQs
harleyshomeboarding@gmail.com
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