Dog Daycare & Boarding Pricing in India 2026
"How much should I charge?" is the most common question I hear from new pet boarding and daycare operators.
Charge too little and you burn out working for nothing. Charge too much and you get no bookings.
This guide covers what operators actually charge across India in 2026: per-day pet boarding rates, dog daycare charges, monthly packages, kennel and pet hotel pricing, and how to raise prices over time.
Running a cat-only service? Cat daycare is uncommon in India, but cat sitting and cat boarding follow different pricing logic. See the cat sitting operator guide and the cat boarding operator guide for India.
Current market rates in India
Overnight boarding (per day / per night)
| City tier | Budget | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metro (Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore) | Rs 500 to 700 | Rs 800 to 1,200 | Rs 1,500 to 2,500 |
| Tier 2 (Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai) | Rs 400 to 600 | Rs 700 to 1,000 | Rs 1,200 to 1,800 |
| Tier 3 (Jaipur, Lucknow, Coimbatore) | Rs 300 to 500 | Rs 500 to 800 | Rs 800 to 1,200 |
These are dog boarding charges. Pet hotels, dog resorts, and kennels in the same city tier price within the same bands. The label changes; the math does not.
Pricing in your city
Same numbers, sliced by metro:
- Bangalore. Standard home boarding runs Rs 800 to Rs 1,200 per night. Kennel facilities and pet hotels in Koramangala, HSR Layout, Whitefield, JP Nagar, and Marathahalli sit Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,800 per night for standard rooms. Daycare is Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 per day.
- Mumbai. Standard boarding is Rs 900 to Rs 1,400 per night; premium pet resorts in Bandra and Powai run Rs 1,800 to Rs 3,000. Daycare is Rs 600 to Rs 1,200 per day.
- Delhi NCR. Standard boarding runs Rs 800 to Rs 1,300 per night. Premium kennels in South Delhi and Gurgaon are Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,500. Daycare is Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 per day.
- Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai. Standard boarding charges Rs 700 to Rs 1,000 per night. Daycare runs Rs 500 to Rs 700 per day.
Day care (full day, 8-10 hours)
| City tier | Budget | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metro | Rs 400-500 | Rs 600-800 | Rs 1,000-1,500 |
| Tier 2 | Rs 300-400 | Rs 500-700 | Rs 800-1,200 |
| Tier 3 | Rs 200-300 | Rs 400-500 | Rs 600-800 |
Half day care (4-5 hours)
Usually 50-60% of full day rates.
What determines your price tier
Budget tier
- Basic space (non-AC, simple setup)
- Group housing (dogs share space)
- 2 meals, basic walks
- Minimal updates to parents
- No extras included
Standard tier
- Clean, comfortable space
- Individual or small group housing
- 2-3 meals, 2+ walks, some playtime
- Daily photo updates
- Basic grooming included
Premium tier
- AC rooms or climate control
- Individual housing
- Customized meals, multiple walks
- Webcam access or live updates
- Grooming, training, or enrichment included
- Pick-up and drop-off
Pricing by dog size
Larger dogs eat more, need more space, and are harder to handle. Most operators charge extra.
| Dog size | Price adjustment |
|---|---|
| Small (under 10 kg) | Base price |
| Medium (10-25 kg) | +10-20% |
| Large (25-40 kg) | +20-30% |
| Giant (40+ kg) | +30-50% |
Example: If your base rate is Rs 800/night, a Labrador might be Rs 1,000 and a Great Dane might be Rs 1,200.
Add-on services and pricing
Add-ons increase your revenue per booking without needing more dogs.
| Service | Typical price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bath and brush | Rs 300-600 | Depends on dog size |
| Full grooming | Rs 800-1,500 | Includes nail trim, ear cleaning |
| Nail trimming only | Rs 100-200 | Quick add-on |
| Pick-up/drop-off | Rs 200-500 | Per trip, depends on distance |
| Extra walk | Rs 150-250 | 20-30 minute walk |
| Medication administration | Rs 100-200/day | For dogs on meds |
| Training session | Rs 500-1,000 | If you offer training |
| Special meal prep | Rs 100-200/day | Home-cooked or special diet |
| Webcam access | Rs 100-200/day | If you have cameras |
| Extended hours | Rs 200-400 | Late pickup or early drop |
Discounts that make sense
Weekly stays
7+ nights: 10-15% off
This fills your calendar and reduces turnover (no new dog arriving every day). A 10-night booking at 10% off is better than hoping for 10 single-night bookings.
Monthly/long-term
20-30% off for 30+ days
Long-term boarders (owners traveling for work, medical situations) provide stable income. Worth the discount.
Repeat client discount
5-10% for returning clients
Loyalty discounts keep good clients coming back. Only offer to clients you actually want back.
Referral credit
Rs 200-500 credit for successful referral
Word of mouth is your best marketing. Make it worth their while.
Discounts to avoid
First-time customer discount
You want to attract clients who value quality, not bargain hunters. Discounting upfront attracts price-sensitive clients who leave when someone cheaper opens.
Holiday discounts
Holidays are peak demand. Diwali, Christmas, New Year, everyone travels. This is when you charge MORE, not less.
Last-minute discounts
If you discount empty slots, clients learn to wait. Better to have occasional empty nights than train clients to expect deals.
How to calculate your minimum rate
Your rate must cover costs and pay you for your time.
Step 1: Calculate daily costs per dog
| Cost | Per dog/day |
|---|---|
| Food | Rs 50-100 |
| Utilities (your share) | Rs 20-50 |
| Cleaning supplies | Rs 10-20 |
| Treats/toys | Rs 10-20 |
| Wear and tear | Rs 20-30 |
| Total | Rs 110-220 |
Step 2: Add your labor
How much is your time worth? If you want to earn Rs 50,000/month and can handle 5 dogs on average:
Rs 50,000 ÷ 30 days ÷ 5 dogs = Rs 333 per dog per day for your labor
Step 3: Add profit margin
You need buffer for emergencies, slow months, and future growth. Add 20-30%.
The math
Costs (Rs 150) + Labor (Rs 333) + 25% margin = Rs 604 minimum
If your market rate is Rs 600, you are barely breaking even. Either reduce costs, increase occupancy, or raise prices.
When and how to raise prices
When to raise
- You are fully booked 80%+ of the time
- You have a waitlist
- You have not raised prices in 12+ months
- Your costs have increased (food, rent, utilities)
- You have added services or improved quality
How much to raise
5-15% at a time. Small, regular increases are easier to absorb than one big jump.
Rs 800 → Rs 900 (12.5% increase) feels reasonable. Rs 800 → Rs 1,200 (50% increase) will lose clients.
How to communicate
Do not apologize. State it matter-of-factly:
"Starting [date], our overnight boarding rate will be Rs 900/night (previously Rs 800). This reflects our continued investment in [specific improvement: AC, better food, new play area]. Existing bookings will be honored at current rates."
Give 2-4 weeks notice. Grandfather existing bookings.
Who you will lose
Some clients will leave. That is okay. If you are fully booked, you need to lose some clients to make room for clients who pay more.
The clients who leave over a Rs 100 increase were not your best clients anyway.
Pricing mistakes to avoid
1. Pricing based on competition only
Just because someone else charges Rs 500 does not mean you should. Maybe they are undercharging. Maybe they offer less. Set your price based on YOUR costs and value.
2. Not charging for add-ons
"I will just include grooming for free" eats your margin. Charge for everything that takes time or costs money.
3. Inconsistent pricing
Rs 800 for one client, Rs 600 for another because they asked. This creates resentment when clients talk to each other. Have a rate card and stick to it.
4. Charging by the hour for boarding
Boarding is overnight. Day care is by the day. Hourly rates create confusion and nickel-and-diming. Keep it simple.
5. No deposit policy
Always take a deposit (30-50%) at booking. No-shows hurt. Deposits ensure commitment.
Sample rate cards
Home boarder (Bangalore, standard tier)
| Service | Small dog | Medium dog | Large dog |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight boarding | Rs 800 | Rs 950 | Rs 1,100 |
| Day care | Rs 500 | Rs 600 | Rs 700 |
| Bath & brush | Rs 400 | Rs 500 | Rs 600 |
| Pick-up/drop (within 5 km) | Rs 300 | Rs 300 | Rs 300 |
| Extra walk | Rs 200 | Rs 200 | Rs 200 |
Weekly stay: 10% off | Returning client: 5% off
Facility (Pune, premium tier)
| Service | Rate |
|---|---|
| Standard room | Rs 1,200/night |
| AC room | Rs 1,500/night |
| Suite (largest dogs, private yard access) | Rs 2,000/night |
| Day care | Rs 800/day |
| Grooming | Rs 800-1,500 |
| Training session | Rs 1,000 |
| Pick-up/drop | Rs 500 |
All rates +20% for dogs over 30 kg.
Track it properly
Once you have multiple rate tiers, add-ons, and discounts, you need to track it. A notebook gets messy fast.
I built petboard with payment tracking built in: per-night rates, add-on line items, deposits, discounts, and checkout summaries you can share with clients. See petboard for boarders and petboard for daycare operators for the per-service feature set.
Free during beta. Set it up here. If you already have a rate sheet and booking history somewhere else, white-glove data migration handles the import.
More resources:
- How to Manage Pet Boarding Without Spreadsheets (ditch the Google Sheet)
- How to Start a Dog Boarding Business in India (complete setup guide)
- Kennel Software Features You Actually Need (what to look for in software)
Questions about pricing your boarding business? hello@petboard.in