Marketing & Getting Clients

How to Get Clients for Your In-Home Pet Boarding Business

Pet owners who board their animals at home-based services are looking for trust, personal attention, and a more comfortable alternative to kennels. Unlike larger boarding facilities, your competitive advantage is the one-on-one care, familiar environment, and often lower stress for the pet. Getting clients means positioning yourself as the reliable, trustworthy option in your local area.

Your marketing strategy should focus on building credibility through reviews, establishing a strong local presence, and making it easy for pet owners to find and contact you. Most of your early clients will come from referrals and word of mouth, but you’ll need active channels to capture initial traction and build momentum.

Who Your Ideal Clients Are

Your ideal clients are local pet owners with dogs or cats who travel regularly but want their animals cared for in a home setting rather than a facility. They typically have disposable income ($60,000+ annual household income) and value quality care over the cheapest option. They might travel for work, take family vacations, or attend conferences. Owners of anxious, senior, or special-needs pets are especially likely to choose in-home boarding because they see it as less stressful and more personalized than kennels.

Secondary clients include pet owners within 15–20 minutes of your home who use boarding occasionally (2–4 times per year) and are willing to pay $35–$65 per day for small animals and $50–$85 per day for larger dogs. These customers are active on social media, read Google reviews before deciding, and appreciate clear communication about their pet’s care while they’re away. Many are professionals who don’t have family nearby and view pet boarding as a necessity during travel.

Your Best Marketing Channels

Google Business Profile

This is your most important channel. Pet owners searching “dog boarding near me” or “pet sitting [your city]” will find you here. Create a detailed profile with clear photos of your home, services offered, pricing, and hours. Ask clients to leave reviews—most pet owners read these before booking. Aim for at least 15–20 reviews in your first six months. Respond to all reviews (positive and negative) professionally.

Rover and Wag

These apps connect pet owners directly with care providers. Your initial investment is time building a profile and taking photos. Rover and Wag take a commission (20–30%), but they handle marketing and trust-building for you. Many pet owners use these platforms specifically to find in-home boarding. Start with Rover—it has better market penetration and client reviews will build your reputation on the platform quickly.

Local Facebook Groups

Search for neighborhood groups, community boards, and pet-owner groups in your area. Join 5–10 relevant groups and engage genuinely. Answer questions, offer advice, and when appropriate, mention your boarding service. Don’t spam—post once per month with useful content, then mention you offer boarding if someone asks. Many clients in suburban and rural areas still discover local services through Facebook community posts.

Word of Mouth and Direct Outreach

Tell everyone you know personally that you’ve started a pet boarding business. This includes veterinarians, dog trainers, groomers, and pet store staff in your area. Leave business cards and ask these professionals for referrals. Offer a $10–$20 referral bonus for each client they send. Vets and trainers have direct relationships with pet owners and can recommend you credibly.

Local Directory Listings

Claim your business on Yelp, Apple Maps, and local business directories. These listings improve visibility and give you another review platform. Yelp especially affects local search visibility. Keep your information consistent across all platforms (name, address, phone, hours).

Next-Door

Nextdoor is a neighborhood social network where local residents post recommendations. Create a profile and share information about your service. Nextdoor’s audience skews slightly older and more affluent—exactly your target market. Engage with pet-related posts and build credibility before asking for business.

Getting Your First 3 Clients

1. Set up your Google Business Profile and Rover profile immediately. Add 10–15 high-quality photos of your space, and write a detailed service description. This takes 4–6 hours but is non-negotiable.
2. Contact veterinarians and dog trainers within a 10-mile radius by phone or email. Introduce yourself, explain your service, and ask if they accept referrals. Drop off business cards in person if possible. Follow up after two weeks.
3. Post in local Facebook groups and Nextdoor introducing your service. Keep it short: “I’m starting an in-home pet boarding service in [neighborhood]. I specialize in [anxious dogs / senior pets / etc.]. Happy to answer questions.” Expect 2–5 inquiries from this.
4. Offer your first booking at a discounted rate ($10–$15 off) to generate a review. Ask the client to leave feedback on Google and Rover explicitly—reviews are your primary sales tool early on.
5. Reach out personally to pet owners you know or who are neighbors. A casual text to someone you’ve met who has a dog is more effective than cold messaging. Aim for at least 10 personal conversations in week one.
6. Join local pet groups or dog parks and mention your service in conversation. You’re not pitching—you’re building relationships. Give out business cards and expect 1–2 inquiries.

Building Referrals and Word of Mouth

After your first few bookings, prioritize client satisfaction obsessively. Provide daily photos and updates during boarding, ask owners about their pet’s preferences, and remember specific details (favorite treats, anxiety triggers, bathroom schedule). Send a thank-you text or note after each booking. Ask satisfied clients directly for referrals and reviews: “Would you be comfortable recommending me to friends with pets?” This directness works and leads to 2–4 referrals per satisfied client over a year.

Implement a formal referral program: offer $15–$25 off a future booking for each new client a customer refers. Track referrals in a simple spreadsheet. Also maintain relationships with referring professionals (vets, trainers, groomers) with quarterly check-ins or a small thank-you gift. These relationships can generate 5–10 referrals per year once established.

Your Online Presence

You need a simple website (not required but helpful) or a well-built Rover profile that shows you’re legitimate and professional. Your online presence should include: clear pricing, your experience or certifications (pet first aid, etc.), photos of your home and any pets you’ve boarded, and client testimonials. A website costs $100–$300 to build and $10–$20 per month to host, or you can rely primarily on Rover and Google Business. Either way, make sure potential clients can see reviews and book directly online.

Your online presence should also communicate that you’re trustworthy: include a short bio, mention any pet care training, show your home is clean and safe, and display reviews prominently. Pet owners are making a decision about leaving their family member with you—reduce their anxiety by being transparent about your space, experience, and process.

Social Media Strategy

Instagram and TikTok are worth your time because pet content performs exceptionally well and reaches local audiences. Post 2–3 times per week with photos or short videos of pets in your care, tips for traveling with pets, or behind-the-scenes content from your business. Use location tags and pet-related hashtags (#inHomeBoarding, #PetBoarding [YourCity], #DogLovers) to increase visibility. Tag clients (ask permission) and encourage them to share your posts. You’re unlikely to get many direct bookings from social media, but it builds credibility and supports your Google and Rover profiles.

TikTok is emerging as surprisingly effective for pet services—short, authentic videos of pets playing or funny moments generate views and shares. You don’t need high production value; phone videos work fine. Consistency matters more than perfection.

Paid Advertising

Wait until you have 10+ positive reviews before spending on ads. Once you do, start with a small Facebook/Instagram advertising budget ($300–$500 per month) targeting pet owners within 15 miles of your location. Focus your initial ads on education (“Why In-Home Boarding is Better for Anxious Dogs”) rather than direct sales. This builds awareness and filters for genuinely interested pet owners. Google Local Services Ads are also effective but more expensive. Test small budgets first, track which channels generate the most inquiries, and scale what works.

Client Retention

• Send weekly or monthly email/text reminders about upcoming travel seasons and offer early-booking discounts.
• Follow up within 24 hours of a booking ends with a question about the pet’s experience and time at home.
• Remember and celebrate pet birthdays or milestones mentioned by owners.
• Maintain a simple CRM (like Google Sheets or Airtable) to track client preferences, pet names, dietary needs, and booking history.
• Offer modest discounts for recurring bookings (e.g., 10% off after three bookings in a year).
• Provide emergency contact for owners—make yourself available for quick questions even after they pick up.
• Request written feedback and reviews after each stay and make it easy to leave them (send direct links).

Learn more about the fastest ways to get your first 10 in-home pet boarding customers, discover the best marketing tools for your pet boarding business, and explore local marketing strategies for pet boarding services.