Dog Boarding in Annapolis: What a Host Home Looks Like
Mike and Colleen Bass
Overnight Dog Boarding
Key Takeaways
A host home is a form of dog boarding where your dog stays overnight in a caregiver's own house, following a home routine with a person there day and night.
Host homes usually suit anxious, senior and medicated dogs better than kennels, while confident, social dogs can do well in either.
Our dog boarding in Annapolis is reserved for dogs already in our pack, so the person hosting your dog is someone your dog already knows.
Leaving your dog for a few nights is hard, even when the trip is something you've been looking forward to for months. You're probably wondering whether they'll eat, whether they'll sleep, and whether anyone will notice if they're not quite themselves, and those are exactly the right things to wonder about.
If you're looking into dog boarding in Annapolis, you'll see two main options: a kennel at a boarding facility, or a stay in a host home. Here's what a host home actually looks like, hour by hour, so you can picture your dog there.
What a host home is
A host home is a private house where a trained caregiver looks after your dog overnight as part of their own household. Instead of a run at a facility, your dog has a living room, a bed, and a person nearby, with meals, walks, and bedtime kept as close to your routine as possible.
Two dogs stand on a residential porch in front of a stone column and gray front door.
A Day and a Night in a Host Home
Every dog's stay looks a little different, because we build it around their routine. Here's the general shape of a day with us:
Arrival. Your dog arrives with their food, any medications and something that smells like home. We go over your notes on feeding, sleep and any quirks, and give your dog time to explore and settle.
The first evening. Dinner on your dog's usual schedule, then a calm walk, then a quiet wind-down. The first night is about helping them feel safe, so we keep it simple.
Bedtime. Your dog sleeps in a cozy spot in the house, never in a crate, with their caregiver close by through the night.
The morning. A potty break and breakfast at your dog's usual time, with any medications given on the schedule you set.
The day. Multiple walks and time outdoors, plus enrichment activities and some structured play, with rest in between. If your dog enjoys other dogs, they can spend time with compatible ones. If they don't, they won't have to.
Updates for you. You'll get real-time photos and progress updates, so you can see how your dog is doing instead of guessing.
The goal is a dog who comes home rested and like themselves, and not one who's been running on nerves for three days.
Host Home or Kennel: How They Compare
A good kennel can be a fine choice, especially for a dog who loves other dogs and doesn't mind noise. Here's how the two formats differ:
What you're comparing | Kennel at a facility | Host home |
|---|---|---|
Sleeping space | An individual run or suite | A cozy spot in a home, no crate |
Who's there overnight | Varies, so ask | A caregiver who lives there |
Noise | Barking and activity through the day | Ordinary household sounds |
Schedule | The facility's routine | Your dog's routine |
Time with other dogs | Often a lot | Only with compatible dogs, and only if your dog enjoys it |
Updates | Varies by facility | Real-time photos and progress updates |
If your dog is older, anxious, on medication, or used to sleeping near you, a host home usually makes the stay much easier on them. If your dog thrives on a busy social day, a kennel might suit them just as well.
Who Hosts Your Dog, and Why That Matters
The hardest thing about any boarding stay is trusting a stranger with your dog. We've chosen to remove that part entirely. Our boarding is reserved for dogs who are already in our pack, and your dog's host is one of our Pack Leaders, someone from our team who already knows your dog.
That changes the stay in quiet ways. Your host already knows how your dog walks on a leash, what makes them nervous and what helps them relax. Your dog recognizes them at the door, which takes a lot of the strangeness out of the first night. And because the same Pack Leader walks with your dog week after week, there's real history there before your bags are packed. Here's more on why we keep the same Pack Leader with your dog.
We also offer boarding in your own home, where a caregiver from our team stays with your dog overnight so they keep their own bed and yard. Both options come with 24/7 care, emergency protocols and vet access if it's ever needed, and multi-dog families save 35% on each additional dog.
A Pack Leader poses with a brown dog on a residential driveway in front of a house.
Questions to Ask Any Annapolis Boarder
Wherever your dog stays, it helps to know what a good answer sounds like. Here's a short guide:
Ask this | A good answer sounds like |
|---|---|
Who is with the dogs overnight? | A named person who's there through the night, every night |
How do you handle medications? | A clear plan for who gives them, when, and how it's recorded |
What happens if my dog gets sick? | A specific emergency plan and a vet they work with |
How many dogs will mine be around? | A real number, for daytime and overnight |
Will I hear how my dog is doing? | Photos and updates during the stay, without you having to chase them |
Can my dog visit first? | Yes, along with an invitation to come with them |
If a boarder hesitates on any of these, keep asking until you're comfortable or keep looking.
How to Become Part of the Pack
Because our boarding is for dogs we already know, most families start with Pack Walking Adventures in Annapolis. We meet your dog at home first, match them with a small pack of dogs with a similar temperament, and walk with them on a steady schedule across Annapolis, Severna Park, Arnold and Edgewater. You can read about how we meet your dog before the first walk.
If you're going away for longer and you'd like your dog to come home with better leash manners, Board and Train is open to anyone in Maryland, and here's how it compares to regular boarding.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a host home and a kennel?
A host home is a private house where your dog stays with a caregiver as part of the household, sleeping in a home rather than a run. A kennel is a facility where dogs stay in individual runs or suites on a shared schedule, usually with more dogs and more noise.
Can I board my dog with Pup Scouts if I'm not a client?
Our boarding is reserved for dogs already in our care, so it isn't available to new dogs straight away. Most families start with Pack Walking Adventures, and once your dog knows our team, boarding opens up to you.
Do host homes use crates?
We don't crate dogs during boarding stays. Your dog sleeps in a comfortable spot in the home with their caregiver nearby, and we'll follow your lead on where they like to sleep.
How do I prepare my dog for a boarding stay?
Pack their usual food, any medications with written instructions, and something familiar like a blanket or a worn T-shirt. Keep the goodbye short and upbeat, and share any habits or worries with the host so they can plan around them. Here's more on our no-crate standard for boarding in Maryland.
When should I book boarding for the holidays?
As early as you can, because the weeks around Thanksgiving, the winter holidays and summer travel fill quickly everywhere. If your dog hasn't boarded before, a short trial stay a few weeks ahead takes a lot of worry out of the big trip.
Written by Mike and Colleen Bass, founders of Pup Scouts. Mike and Colleen have led structured dog care since 2015, built on a simple belief: your dog deserves to be treated like one of our own. More about our team.
We'd love to get to know your dog, so they're among friends whenever you travel. Get started with MD Pup Scouts, or call (410) 980-7855. Find us on Google as MD Pup Scouts.
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