FAQ's

Yes – Lilly’s Bespoke Boarding is fully licensed by the Isle of Wight Council, and we are proud to hold a 4-star licence, meaning we meet the higher welfare standards set out in the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018.

We normally board one household of dogs at a time, which helps us keep the environment calm, predictable, and stress-free. However, in exceptional circumstances – for example, if a dog who already knows us needs care unexpectedly – we can accommodate more than one household provided we have written permission from all owners and have assessed that it is safe and appropriate.

In these situations, dogs are housed separately unless all owners have consented to mixing and the dogs have already demonstrated they are compatible and relaxed together.

Our licence is displayed in our home, and our licence number is shown clearly on our website, as required by the regulations. If you’d ever like to know more about how we meet the higher standards, I’m always happy to talk through it.

We specialise in small and senior dogs, and those who may need a little extra care or routine. We welcome gentle, sociable dogs who are happy around other calm dogs and cats. Our service is ideal for dogs who prefer a quiet, homely environment rather than a busy boarding kennel.   I am home all day and do not squeeze in other errands or dog walks around your dog's care.  The care to your dog is exclusive.

Our approach is to care for one household of dogs at a time, alongside our own. This is central to who we are and allows us to provide a calm, predictable, home-from-home environment – particularly important for small, senior, or more sensitive dogs.

We do not routinely board dogs from more than one household at the same time.

Very occasionally, an exception may be made for existing clients in genuine, unforeseen circumstances – for example, an emergency where a well-known dog needs short-term care, or where travel delays beyond an owner’s control (such as ferry disruption) affect planned collection times. These situations are rare, short-term, and carefully managed with welfare as the absolute priority.

In these circumstances, we always obtain clear, written consent as part of our booking paperwork, and any exception is discussed openly at the time. We would never proceed if it compromised the calm, settled environment we aim to provide.

If you have any questions about how this works in practice, or would like to talk through what’s right for your dog, I’m always happy to have an open and honest chat.

No, your dog will never be left alone. We’re home throughout the day, and if your dog needs company overnight, we have a bed in the guest room so I can sleep nearby to keep them settled. 

Yes absolutely. We’re experienced with managing medication schedules, special diets, and unique routines. Everything we do is guided by your instructions so your dog’s care feels seamless and familiar. 

That’s completely fine. Many of our guests haven’t stayed away before, so we take things slowly. We’ll arrange a meet and greet before any stay to help your dog (and you!) feel comfortable and confident. We also offer trial days and nights for extra re-assurance.  Please note that if your dog is booked in to stay for 4 nights or more, it is part of the Higher Welfare licensing conditions that they come for a trial night prior to their stay.

We also offer a Familiarisation and Settling Package - click here for details.

You can start by completing our Client Application Form. This helps us learn about your dog’s needs and personality. Submitting the form doesn’t confirm a booking, but it allows us to see if we feel your dog may fit in well with our own girls, and invite you for a meet and greet. 

Because every dog has different needs, we prefer to provide a personalised quote once we’ve learned a little about your dog and their routine. Our prices reflect the level of care and attention each guest receives, and we’ll always be upfront and transparent about costs.

If you’d like an estimate, just get in touch or fill in our Client Application Form, and we’ll be happy to discuss what’s right for you.

Please also look at our pricing summary page

Yes, we do – with a little structure to help keep the diary workable.

Because Lilly’s Bespoke Boarding is designed primarily around longer holidays, short stays and overnighters are usually bookable up to four weeks in advance, once the wider diary has taken shape. This is because a single-night or short stay can limit availability for longer bookings, as we care for only one household of dogs at a time.

If you’d like to book a stay of fewer than five nights more than 30 days in advance, this can still be arranged, but it will be charged at our minimum stay rate of five nights. This allows us to protect availability for longer holidays while continuing to offer short stays where they fit comfortably.

We understand that sometimes a night away can mean the world – a family celebration, a special occasion, or simply a much-needed rest. Short stays are always considered thoughtfully, and all bookings are subject to a successful meet and greet and settling process, so we can be confident the arrangement is right for your dog.

If you’re unsure what would work best for your situation, please get in touch and we’ll be happy to talk it through.

Yes. We use GPS tracking as part of our wider safety and risk-assessed procedures when dogs are out of the house.

For boarding dogs, we primarily use PitPat GPS trackers, which are owned outright. This allows us to avoid multiple ongoing subscriptions while still maintaining appropriate monitoring where needed. Pixie, our resident dog, also wears a PitPat.

On the rare occasions where we have more boarding dogs than PitPat trackers available, we may use an AirTag as an additional backup.

Most dogs are walked on lead, and off-lead exercise is only considered where appropriate for the individual dog and environment. Where off-lead exercise is used, a PitPat tracker is always prioritised.

Our other resident dog, Honey, wears a Tractive tracker, which is her personal device and is not used on boarding dogs.

For owners who would like a GPS tracker for their own use at home, we can share an optional Tractive link that gives 30% off the device. If you choose to purchase via this link, Honey also receives  two months of subscription added to her account, which is very welcome.   This is entirely optional.   Click this link to get 30% off Tractive :) 

Polite notice: while dogs are staying with us, we don’t accept owner-provided GPS trackers or devices that allow live tracking of our movements or routines. This protects privacy, maintains clear professional boundaries, and allows us to focus fully on the dogs rather than being monitored in real time.

If your dog has specific needs around recall, confidence, or outdoor safety, we’re always very happy to talk this through in advance.