Dog Kennel Charges in India 2026: Per-Day Rates by Tier & City
Building petboard means I spend most of my week looking at rate cards across Indian boarding operators. The label on top of a rate card (kennel, pet hotel, dog hostel, pet resort) almost never predicts the price. The city tier and the inclusions do.
This is what dog kennel charges actually look like in India in 2026, broken out by tier, with notes on how kennels differ from home boarding and where the hidden surcharges hide.
Setting kennel rates as an operator? See the dog boarding and daycare pricing guide for operators for rate-card math and city benchmarks.
Why the label barely matters
Operators in India label themselves four ways for the same product:
- Kennel. Functional. "We house dogs while you're away."
- Pet hotel. Mid-tier. "We house dogs comfortably, with structure and updates."
- Pet hostel. Slightly playful framing of pet hotel, more common in Gujarat and parts of Maharashtra.
- Pet resort. Premium. "We house dogs with amenities: AC, pool, grooming, suites."
The math underneath is the same. Two facilities a kilometer apart might both run AC rooms with two daily walks and identical food. One calls itself a kennel, the other a pet resort. The rate matters. The label doesn't.
Per-day kennel rates by tier
| City tier | Basic kennel | Standard pet hotel | Premium pet resort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metro (Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi NCR) | Rs 600 to Rs 900 | Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 | Rs 1,800 to Rs 2,500 |
| Tier 2 (Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai) | Rs 500 to Rs 800 | Rs 800 to Rs 1,200 | Rs 1,400 to Rs 2,000 |
| Tier 3 (Jaipur, Lucknow, Coimbatore) | Rs 400 to Rs 700 | Rs 600 to Rs 1,000 | Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 |
Rates above are for a single dog under 25 kg. Add 20 to 30% for large breeds. Add 30 to 50% for giant breeds like Great Danes or Saint Bernards. Puppies under 4 months sometimes carry a small Rs 100 to Rs 200 daily surcharge.
Weekly and monthly kennel charges
| Stay length | Standard kennel | Premium resort |
|---|---|---|
| 1 night | Rs 1,200 | Rs 2,000 |
| 3 nights | Rs 3,600 | Rs 6,000 |
| 7 nights (10% off) | Rs 7,560 | Rs 12,600 |
| 14 nights (15% off) | Rs 14,300 | Rs 23,800 |
| 30 nights (25% off) | Rs 27,000 | Rs 45,000 |
These are typical metro quotes. Stay length is the single biggest lever on total cost. Operators discount progressively as the stay grows because turnover (cleaning a room between dogs, re-onboarding a new owner) costs them real time.
What you get inside the headline rate
Basic kennel, Rs 600 to Rs 900 per night
Shared enclosure or kennel run. Two meals (you send the food). One walk in good weather. Daily WhatsApp photo. Group playtime if the other dogs are compatible.
No AC. No private room. No grooming. Pickup and drop are paid extras.
If your dog is anxious, reactive, or on multiple medications, basic kennels are usually the wrong fit. The supervisor-to-dog ratio is often 1 to 15 or higher and there's no quiet space if your dog needs decompression.
Standard pet hotel, Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per night
Larger enclosure or a small private room. Two or three meals. Two walks a day. Supervised group play sessions. Daily photo updates, often a short video on stays longer than 2 nights. Basic medication administration if your dog needs it.
AC is usually a Rs 200 to Rs 400 per night upgrade. Grooming and pickup-drop are charged separately.
This is the tier most parents end up in for a 2 to 5 night stay. The math works because the dog gets enough structure without paying for amenities they won't use.
Premium pet resort, Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,500 (and up) per night
Climate-controlled individual room or suite. Customized meals (home-cooked, vet-prescribed, special-diet). Three or four walks plus one-on-one playtime. Pool access, agility yard, or enrichment activities. Webcam access at many properties. Grooming bundled in on long stays. Pickup and drop usually free within city limits.
I rarely see surprise extras at this tier. Most charges are baked into the headline rate. That predictability is what the premium pays for.
Common kennel add-ons
| Service | Typical price |
|---|---|
| AC room upgrade | Rs 200 to Rs 400 per night |
| Bath | Rs 300 to Rs 600 |
| Full grooming | Rs 800 to Rs 1,500 |
| Pickup or drop (one way) | Rs 200 to Rs 500 |
| Extra walk | Rs 150 to Rs 250 |
| Medication administration | Rs 100 to Rs 200 per day |
| Special diet | Rs 100 to Rs 200 per day |
| Late pickup | Rs 200 to Rs 400 |
| Festival surcharge (Diwali, Christmas) | 20 to 30% over base |
Festival surcharge is the most-missed line item. Diwali week and Christmas to New Year stretch the supply side hard. Premium kennels often quote 30% above base in those weeks and still fill up two weeks out.
Kennel vs home boarding
I get asked the home-boarding-versus-kennel question almost every week. The honest answer is "it depends on the dog," but here's the table I share:
| Situation | Better option |
|---|---|
| Dog is anxious in unfamiliar environments | Home boarding. Consistent human, fewer other dogs |
| Dog is high-energy, needs structured exercise | Standard or premium kennel. Multiple walks, play areas |
| Dog is on medication needing trained supervision | Premium kennel (vet-on-call) or a vetted home boarder |
| Tight budget, short trip (1 to 3 nights) | Home boarding or basic kennel |
| Dog is dog-reactive | Kennel with individual housing. Specify at booking |
| Long stay (20+ nights) | Kennel or pet resort. Consistent staff routine |
| First time leaving the dog | Home boarding. Less institutional, easier first experience |
Neither is universally better. Match the option to the dog's temperament, the length of stay, and your budget.
What to verify before drop-off
Walk through the facility before drop-off. Reputable operators will accommodate a visit on 24 hours' notice.
Things to look for:
- Space and cleanliness. Kennel runs should look and smell maintained, not just spot-cleaned for the tour.
- Staff to dog ratio. 1 to 10 is typical. 1 to 30 is a red flag for stays longer than 3 nights.
- Vaccination policy. A facility that asks for your dog's vaccination record cares about disease control. One that doesn't is a worry.
- Outdoor access. Even basic kennels should have some daily outdoor time. Indoor-only stays for an active dog are stressful.
- Communication during the stay. Ask: daily photos? A number to call? A per-day check-in?
Ask for a written quote. Per-night, add-ons, deposit, cancellation policy. Operators who hesitate to put this on paper are usually the same ones who add line items at pickup.
What petboard operators charge
Kennel operators using petboard configure per-night rates, room types (standard, AC, suite), and add-ons inside the platform. Customers receive an itemized quote and a checkout invoice over WhatsApp. Per-night line items, add-ons, deposit, GST if the operator's registered. No surprise math.
If you run a kennel or pet hotel and want a clean rate-card setup with payment tracking, see petboard for facilities and petboard for boarders. Free during beta.
If you're a pet parent comparing kennels, ask for the written quote before drop-off. The good ones always provide it.
Related guides:
- Dog Daycare & Boarding Pricing in India (operator guide)
- Dog Boarding Cost in India 2026
- Dog Boarding Cost in Bangalore vs Mumbai vs Delhi 2026
- Kennel Management Software Features
Questions? hello@petboard.in