What should I check before buying a dog kennel or boarding business?

A boarding kennel combines a service business with a piece of land and a building. That means you are checking two things at once: how the business earns and what the property can do. Dogs in your care also raise the stakes on records and staffing. Work through occupancy, bookings, the site, people and paperwork, and bring in your accountant and lawyer early.

Occupancy and advance bookings

Ask for occupancy by month, with holiday weeks shown separately. A kennel that is full for a few peak weeks and quiet the rest of the year is a different business from one with steady demand. Ask which future bookings exist, whether deposits were taken, and who will hold that money at closing. Your lawyer can set out how to handle it.

The runs, the land and the neighbours

Walk the runs, the fencing and the drainage after rain if you can. Listen for noise and ask how far the nearest neighbours are and whether they have ever complained. If the owner lives on the property, ask whether the house is included, since that changes both the sale and your own living arrangements. Ask your lawyer what permits and local approvals apply, and whether they carry over.

Staff, overnight care and records

Ask who is on site overnight and who covers when someone is sick. Read the vaccination records the kennel asks of each dog, and the incident log: bites, escapes, illness and what was done. A tidy log suggests careful habits. Also ask for the insurance history and what claims, if any, have been made.