Home Boarding & Daycare

Fernfields offers a warm, welcoming, family home boarding & daycare service for dogs and puppies. We are not boarding kennels, your dog will stay with us in our home and will be cared for with the love and attention we give our own dogs, as part of our family. We are a small family run business, experienced in handling and training dogs and are fully licensed and insured. We have been awarded a four star license by the Malvern Hills District Council, which is the highest rating achievable for new home boarding business’ on their first inspection.   

Located in Lulsley, Knightwick on the Worcester/Hereford border, our cottage is set in a beautiful rural location with a lovely large, secure garden surrounded by lots of fields and countryside walks. Your dog will get lots of fresh air and exercise, as well as a daily programme of play, enrichment, grooming and of course, lots of care and attention. You are welcome to bring their beds, toys and familiar belongings and they will enjoy a warm and secure place in our home, to rest and relax.  

All dogs are individual characters, have their own unique personality and specific requirements, so before their stay, we will spend time going through their needs, feeding regimes, their usual exercise and daily routines with you, to ensure your dog gets the best care and is settled and relaxed throughout their stay with us.

You may be looking for a fun filled holiday for your dog while you go away, or daycare while you are out at work or attend an appointment/event, whatever your needs, you can be confident that your dog will be well looked after during their stay with us.

What we offer

Mini Daycare

Mini daycare is a half day and ideal for when you have long appointments/meetings or are out at work and require more than just a walk but perhaps don’t need full day care.

  • STRUCTURED DAILY PLAN | Your dog will have a daily activity plan during their stay with us. This will include group walks, enrichment, socialisation and cuddles as well as grooming and rest times.

    ROUTINE | Before your dog comes to stay, we will discuss with you and record your dog's regular routines and requirements to ensure continuity of care and stability. All of which will help your dog to relax and settle while on their stay.

    OWN SPACE | Your dog/s will have their own space where they can rest and relax when not exercising and playing with our own dogs.

    DAILY HEALTH & WELLBEING CHECK | For all the dogs in our care we carry out daily wellbeing and health checks to ensure they are not showing signs of illness or anxiety and are settled and relaxed during their stay.

  • Your dog will spend the morning or afternoon with us and will benefit from the following:

    • A group walk

    • Enrichment

    • Play time with other dogs

    • Rest time

    • One to one care & attention in our home environment

    Collection & drop off is included within our catchment area.

  • Our mini daycare is half a day (4 hours) covering either mornings or afternoons:

    • Morning session - 9am to 1pm

    • Afternoon session - 1pm to 5pm

    We can often be flexible if you require mini daycare that falls outside of the above time sessions.

  • Our Mini Daycare is £25 per dog.

    For the second dog from the same household, there is a £5 discount per mini daycare stay.

Full Daycare

Full daycare is ideal for when you are going out for the day or at work and your dog would benefit from having a more structured day with different activities and time to play with other dogs, so you can relax knowing your dog is being cared for and not on their own.

  • STRUCTURED DAILY PLAN | Your dog will have a daily activity plan during their stay with us. This will include group walks, enrichment, socialisation and cuddles as well as grooming and rest times.

    ROUTINE | Before your dog comes to stay, we will discuss with you and record your dog's regular routines and requirements to ensure continuity of care and stability. All of which will help your dog to relax and settle while on their stay.

    OWN BELONGINGS | If you wish, you can bring your dog’s toys, beds and belongings to ensure they feel relaxed and secure during their stay.

    OWN SPACE | Your dog/s will have their own space where they can rest and relax when not exercising and playing with our own dogs.

    DAILY HEALTH & WELLBEING CHECK | For all the dogs in our care we carry out daily wellbeing and health checks to ensure they are not showing signs of illness or anxiety and are settled and relaxed during their stay.

  • Your dog will spend the full day with us and will benefit from the following:

    • Group walks

    • Enrichment

    • Play time with other dogs

    • Rest time

    • One to one care & attention in our home environment

  • Our full daycare is a full day between 8am and 6pm.

    Collection & drop off times:

    • AM: Between 8am and 10am

    • PM: Between 4pm and 6pm

    Please note: You are required to drop off & pick up your dog for their daycare.

  • Our Full Daycare is £35 per dog.

    For the second dog from the same household, there is a £10 discount per full daycare stay.

Overnight Stays

Home boarding, overnight stays are ideal for when you are going away for the weekend or on holiday. Your dog will come to stay in our home while you’re away, providing you with comfort and security knowing your dog is going to be cared for in a welcoming, home from home environment.

  • STRUCTURED DAILY PLAN | Your dog will have a personalised daily activity plan for each day they are staying with us. This will include group walks, enrichment, socialisation and cuddles as well as grooming and rest times.

    ROUTINE | Before your dog comes to stay, we will discuss with you and record your dog's regular routines and requirements to ensure continuity of care and stability. All of which will help your dog to relax and settle while on their stay.

    OWN BELONGINGS | If you wish you can bring your dog’s toys, beds and belongings to ensure they feel relaxed and secure during their stay.

    OWN SPACE | Your dog/s will have their own space where they can rest and relax when not exercising and playing with our own dogs.

    DAILY HEALTH & WELLBEING CHECK | For all the dogs in our care we carry out daily wellbeing and health checks to ensure they are not showing signs of illness or anxiety and are settled and relaxed during their stay.

  • While your dog is staying with us, they will have the benefits of the following:

    • Regular walks

    • Enrichment

    • Play time with other dogs

    • Rest time

    • One to one care & attention in our home environment

    • Regular grooming

    We will also send you daily photos and updates of your dog during their stay.

  • Our overnight stays cover a full 24 hour period. (There is no minimum or maximum number of days stay required)

    Collection & drop off times:

    • AM: Between 8am and 10am

    • PM: Between 4pm and 6pm

    Please note: You are required to drop off & pick up your dog for their overnight stay.

  • Our Overnight Stays are £50 per dog per 24 hour period.

    A discount for the second or more dogs from the same household can be discussed on booking.

What happens next?

Get in touch with us to have a chat about your requirements and check we have availability on the dates you require

We’ll send you some paperwork to complete, this helps us to provide the best care possible for your furry companion!

Then we will invite you to come and visit us to see where your dog will be staying and meet our friendly team

Your dog may be required to come for a trial stay or introductory session, to allow them to settle and ensure we are the best fit for your dog, prior to their longer stay

Your dog comes to stay for a fun filled holiday while you’re away!

We’ll send you daily pictures & updates of your dog during their stay

Frequently asked questions

We have listed some of the most frequent questions we get asked about our home boarding and daycare services below. But if you have any questions that are not covered, please get in touch and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you might have, no matter how small!

  • Yes, we are fully licensed by the Malvern Hills District Council. We are also fully insured. We are happy to provide copies of our license and insurance upon booking, just ask either Jess or Abbey.

    License Number: 24/02989/ANIACT

  • Our collection and drop off times are:

    AM: Between 8am and 10am
    PM: Between 4pm and 6pm

  • Everyone gets stuck in traffic sometimes or flights may be delayed, so we try to be as flexible and accommodating as possible, which is why we allow for up to 15 minutes for one off occasions.

    However, if you are more than 15 minutes late/early, or are continuously late to collect your dog, we have a late collection penalty charge of £10 per hour.

  • We have a license for 4 dogs to stay in our home for Home Boarding or Daycare alongside our own dogs, at any one time. We don't tend to home board 4 dogs all at once, but this allows us a buffer incase we have any days that overlap or have some dogs who want daycare, at the same time as another staying overnight.

    We are experienced in caring for and handling a pack of dogs. We closely monitor their behaviour, to ensure all the dogs in our care are comfortable and happy. Each dog in our care also has their own space when staying with us, so they can rest and relax away from the other dogs, if they wish to.

  • Yes we love puppies! As long as your puppy has had all of their vaccinations and worm/flea treatments, they are welcome to join us here at Fernfields!

    We have lots of experience with puppies and will work with you and your puppy to provide a structured and enriching stay for them, that is adjusted for their age and capabilities. We will ensure they have plenty of care, attention, cuddles and play time, but also get the rest and downtime they need too.

  • Yes, we have the option to add extra hours of care on, as long as they are pre-arranged at the time of booking. We charge extra hours at £5 per hour.

    If you require an extra hour that falls outside of our collection and drop off times, this will be decided on a case by case basis, depending on other clients we have booked in to ensure we are always abiding by our license conditions and do not exceed our maximum number of dogs.

  • Yes, we encourage you to bring your dog’s toys, beds and belongings so they have something familiar to them and ensure they feel relaxed and secure during their stay.

    However, if you forget your dog's bed or blanket, we have plenty of spares to ensure your dog will be comfortable during their stay.

  • Unfortunately, we cannot accept females in season (or due in season) during their stay. For entire females, the date of their last season and usual timings of seasons must be given by the owner, prior to their stay. If a female comes into season during their stay with us, we will contact the owner to make an immediate alternative arrangement, as we cannot take females in season in accordance with our home boarding license, due to having entire male resident dogs.

  • Yes, we provide the following discounts for two or more dogs from the same household.

    • Mini Daycare: For the second dog from the same household, there is a £5 discount per mini daycare stay.

    • Full Daycare: For the second dog from the same household, there is a £10 discount per full daycare stay.

    • Overnight Stays: A discount for the second or more dogs from the same household can be discussed on booking.

  • No, you are required to provide all the food that your dog will need during their stay with us.

    We feel this is best, as it provides consistency for your dog and maintains their normal diet and routine, while they're staying with us.