PetCircle Market Match brief Pet Service Match · USD 9
Boarding for Bramble, 14 to 21 December
Reactive with other dogs, on twice daily medication. Three providers of the 41 in range can actually take him.
Most boarding searches are filtered by dates and distance. For Bramble the binding constraint is that he cannot be housed with other dogs and needs gabapentin twice a day at fixed times. That takes 41 providers down to three before availability is even checked.
Ardennes Boarding is the best fit on every count and has one solo kennel left for that week. It is 34 GBP a night against the 25 you budgeted, and it is 40 minutes away. The other two are workable. If you want Ardennes, the December holiday week is the one that goes first, and it will not still be there in November.
The pet
What we matched against
| Field | What you told us |
|---|---|
| Dog | Bramble, lurcher, 6 years, 26 kg, neutered male |
| Dates | Monday 14 to Monday 21 December, 7 nights |
| The constraint | Reactive to other dogs. Fine with people. Cannot share space or be walked in a group |
| Medication | Gabapentin, twice daily, 08:00 and 20:00, given in food |
| Other needs | Two solo walks a day. Scared of fireworks and loud noise |
| Recall | Not reliable. Lead only, no off lead exercise anywhere |
| Budget | Around 25 GBP a night |
| Travel | Up to 30 minutes preferred |
Shortlist
The three that fit
Ardennes Boarding
Licensed kennels, eight solo units with individual outdoor runs, no shared exercise at any point in the day. Medication administered and logged as standard at no extra charge. Handles reactive dogs routinely and says so on the listing rather than in a reply. One solo unit left for that week. 112 reviews, 4.9.
Marianne H., home boarding
Takes one dog at a time, in her home, no resident dog. Closest of the three and the most like being at home, which suits a noise sensitive dog at Christmas. Will give medication. Two constraints: her garden is fenced to 1.2 m, which is low for a lurcher, and she is out at work 10:00 to 14:00 on weekdays.
Kestrel Kennels
Within budget and the only one that is. Solo kennels available and medication given. The reason it is third: the listing says exercise is in a shared paddock on a rota, so Bramble would be walked alone but would see and hear other dogs through fencing most of the day. Worth asking about directly rather than ruling out.
Compare
Against the four things that matter
| Ardennes | Marianne H. | Kestrel | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo, no contact with other dogs | Yes, all day | Yes, only dog | Sight and sound contact |
| Medication at fixed times | Yes, logged | Yes | Yes |
| Two solo walks a day | Yes, included | Yes | One, second is 6 GBP |
| Secure for a lurcher | 2 m runs | 1.2 m garden | 1.8 m |
| Someone on site all day | Yes | No, 10:00 to 14:00 | Yes |
| Week of 14 December free | One unit left | Yes | Yes |
| Total for 7 nights | 238 GBP | 210 GBP | 224 GBP with 2nd walk |
Before you book
Ask these, then book
- Ardennes: is the solo unit out of sight of other dogs, or only out of reach?
- Marianne: can the garden be made secure, and what happens between 10:00 and 14:00?
- Kestrel: how much of the day would Bramble see or hear other dogs?
- All three: what do you do if he will not eat, which is how the medication goes in?
- All three: who is your emergency vet, and will you call us before or after?