Bespoke home dog boarding and daycare in our family home in New Milton

About Us

We are Libby and Neil Bell. Our family consists of our two teenage boys Edward and Jamie, along with Neil’s working dogs Freddie and Hamish as well our Rabbits, Joey and Simon (who are well dog proofed).

We are located in New Milton, Hampshire, close to both the New Forest and the Dorset Coastline.

We didn’t like putting Holly, our Labrador, in commercial boarding kennels. Due to this, our intention is to offer a bespoke service to you and your dogs. We tailor your dog's stay to their needs and want them to feel welcome our home.

As you would expect we are fully insured and Licensed by NFDC since 2011. We hold a 5* Higher level license.

Neil has recently retired from the Police after 30 years and has been working with dogs since 1985. He is now working as a contractor with Explosives Search dogs.

We firmly believe that dogs respond to us best when the outcome for them is positive. Dogs are social creatures that need to feel that they are part of the group.

Libby runs the business around looking after the two boys and Neil is around a lot only working part time. This means that your dog won’t be left alone in the house for any great length of time.

Our Services

Dog Boarding

Boarding £29.00 per 24hrs (10:00-10:00).

A 25% (min £10) deposit is required at the time of booking, which is non-refundable. You are liable for the amount of the full stay for any booking cancelled within 6 weeks of your dog coming to stay with us.

Dogs can be dropped off or collected by us at a pre-arranged time from 10:00 hrs. on the first day. On the last day dogs need to be collected or returned by us again at a pre-arranged time prior to 10:00 hrs. If your dog is still with us after 10:00 hrs. you will incur the day rate.

All boarding dogs must be collected by 3pm on the day of departure. If this is not possible then please book your dog in to collect on the following morning.

We can be flexible on times and will adopt a common sense approach, please contact us and arrange specific times and prices.

On the weekend drop offs can not be before 10am on a Saturday and there are no drop offs or collections on a Sunday.

Doggy Daycare

Daycare £23.00 per day an extra £6 charge may be incurred if the boarding continues into the evening.

We also offer a collection and drop off service for a small charge subject to availability and location.

Useful information for your dog’s stay.

Exercise

Our location offers a variety of walking routes to suit the individual needs of your dog. Within five minutes’ walk of our home is a large woodland area with an extensive network of paths, ideal for exploring.

We understand that every dog has different exercise requirements, so we tailor our walks to the dogs in our care. We do not operate a commercial dog walking business, and your dog will never be exercised in large groups or left waiting in the back of a car. Walks are limited to small groups of no more than three dogs and are designed with their individual needs in mind.

We walk the dogs twice a day — a longer walk in the morning and a shorter one in the evening. Each walk will be a minimum of 20 minutes, though they are usually longer.

If your dog is unable to walk during their stay, we will offer alternative forms of mental stimulation, such as scatter feeding or tug play. These arrangements will be discussed and agreed with you in advance.

What to Bring

To help prevent stomach upsets, we ask that you provide your dog’s usual food for the duration of their stay.

Fresh water is always available, and meals are given separately and at times your dog is accustomed to. Being away from home can be stressful for some dogs, so maintaining familiar routines, food, and bedding helps minimise this. You’re welcome to bring your dog’s favourite treats and toys, although we do have plenty available here too.

There’s no need to bring a food bowl unless your dog uses a specialist bowl such as an anti-gulp bowl or will not eat from stainless steel. In those cases, please bring your own and ensure it is clearly labelled.

We also ask that you bring any grooming items your dog may need, such as brushes or combs. These will be used exclusively for your dog. Please label all items clearly.

As expected, all dogs must be up to date with their routine vaccinations, including Kennel Cough. We will require proof of vaccination upon arrival and will keep a copy for our records.

General Information

We are registered with Forest Lodge Vets, located just five minutes from our home. In the event of an emergency, we will seek immediate veterinary care and ask you to sign an authorisation form to allow this. If you would prefer us to contact your own vet, we will do our best to accommodate this where possible.

Any existing medical conditions or medication requirements can be discussed during the booking process and will be managed according to your instructions.

We understand that every dog has its own quirks, but we kindly ask that you inform us of any known behavioural issues — whether it's anxiety, reactivity, or destructive tendencies. This won’t necessarily prevent us from accepting your dog, but it helps us prepare appropriately. Please remember this is also our family home.

On arrival, we will attach a tag to your dog’s collar displaying both of our mobile numbers, to ensure they can be easily identified when out and about.