Dog Boarding in Knoxville

Dog boarding in and around Knoxville ranges from small kennels to pet resorts and day care centers with overnight stays. Visit before you book: a good facility will happily show you where dogs sleep, play and eat, and how it keeps them cool in summer and warm in winter.

Visiting is your best check

Tennessee's dog and cat dealer law covers people who buy or sell dogs and cats for resale, or board them for research purposes; it does not describe ordinary pet boarding. So the visit is your inspection, and it is fair to ask a facility which local permits it holds. Look for clean, dry runs, fresh water, secure fencing, staff who know the dogs by name, and a clear plan for a dog that gets sick.

Vaccines and illness

Most facilities ask for rabies, DHPP and Bordetella (kennel cough), and many ask for canine influenza, whose first course is two doses a few weeks apart. In mid-2024, Young-Williams Animal Center reported that 27 dogs died during four weeks of canine distemper cases at its shelter (WATE). Ask which vaccines a facility requires well before your trip, and how it separates a dog that starts coughing.

What to ask

• Where do dogs sleep, and is someone on site overnight?
• Is play time in groups or one dog at a time, and how are groups matched?
• How do they keep dogs cool in a heat wave and warm in a cold snap?
• Which vet do they use in an emergency?
• Can you bring your dog's own food, bedding or medication?

Busy dates and your dog's city tag

Facilities fill up for summer, the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving and the winter holidays, so book early. Bring your dog's vaccination records and, if you live in the city, its City of Knoxville tag, which the city says must be bought every year.

About these listings

Many listings here were added from public business data and have not been claimed by the business yet. Check hours, prices and availability with the business directly. If you run one of these businesses, you can claim or correct your listing from its page.