Home dog daycare and boarding · Turners Falls, Franklin County

Your dog's second home

Daycare and boarding out of my house in Turners Falls. Just me, Georgie and a couple of friends: playtime, walks, and a photo report when they go home.

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158 five-star reviews on Rover and 10 more on Google. Read some →

A white golden retriever puppy running across the grass toward the camera Three dogs sitting on the grass looking up at the camera A red vizsla at a full run across the back yard A small white bichon lounging on the couch with their tongue out

Dog daycare & boarding in Turners Falls

A few minutes off Route 2, with Route 47 and Routes 5 and 10 close by. An easy drop-off on the way into Amherst, Northampton or Greenfield, and a short run from Montague, Gill, Erving and the rest of Franklin County.
What a daycare day looks like →
What boarding looks like →

A red and white collie mix leaping off the ground to catch a tennis ball in the yard

Room to run. A big open yard out back, where most of the day happens.

Three dogs on leashes walking together down a tree-lined sidewalk

Real walks, every day. Out around the neighborhood, not just the yard.

Three dogs sharing the couch indoors

An actual house. Not a kennel. They're on the couch with everyone else.

Compared with a kennel

Both are real options and plenty of dogs do fine in either. This is how they differ, so you can decide which suits your dog.

A boarding facility
  • Dozens of dogs, in runs or crates between turns
  • Staff working shifts, so a different person day to day
  • Yard time in scheduled rotations
  • You hear how it went when you pick up
Here
  • Georgie and a couple of friends, loose in the house
  • Just me, every day, plus Georgie
  • Out whenever they ask, and walked round the neighborhood daily
  • A photo report with GPS walk maps, included in every stay

Rates

Daycare

Daycare
Up to 10 hours of care.
$40/day
Puppy $50
2nd dog $30
Extended Daycare
More than 10 hours of care.
$50/day
Puppy $55
Early Drop-off / Late Pickup
Before 7 am or after 7 pm.
$10/visit

Boarding

Overnight Boarding
Up to 24 hours of care.
$65/night
Puppy $75
2nd dog $50
Extended Stay Fee
Added when a stay runs past 24 hours. A 30 hour stay is $65 plus $30.
+$30
Puppy $40
2nd dog $15

Holiday Rates

Holiday Boarding
Per night over a major holiday.
$75/night
Puppy $100
2nd dog $60
Holiday Daycare
Per day over a major holiday.
$50/day
Puppy $60
2nd dog $40

Holiday rates apply to major holidays and the days around them.

Add-ons

Bath & Deshedding
Added to any daycare or boarding stay, not booked on its own. Full brush-out included. Just ask when you drop off.
$50/session

Puppy is any dog under a year old. 2nd dog is the rate for a second dog from the same household, and it now applies on holidays too. A second dog under a year is $40 for daycare, $60 a night boarding, $50 on a holiday day and $80 on a holiday night. Extended daycare is full price per dog.

Good to Know

Insured
I carry insurance for the business. What it covers, and the first $200 you'd be responsible for, is set out in the policies.
Vaccinations
Required: Rabies, DHPP, Bordetella. Strongly recommended: Canine Influenza.
Photos you keep
The report at pickup is not the end of it. The photos from your dog's days here go on a private page that is yours, reachable only from a link I text you once. No account and no app, and I will take it down whenever you ask.
Small dogs
The group is mixed, and most small dogs are happy in it. If yours is not, they get their own space, their own walks and their own time in the yard. Nobody has to tough it out.
Meet and greet
Required before boarding. Standard safety practice: a short free visit so your dog can meet me, the house, and Georgie. Recommended before daycare too.
Boarding deposit
20% holds an overnight, balance before drop-off. Refunded in full more than 5 days out, kept inside 5 days. Daycare needs no deposit. Zelle, Venmo, PayPal or cash.
Refer a friend
New clients get $10–$20 off their first stay. You get $20–$30 off your next.
Loyalty reward
Every 10 daycare visits, your pup earns a free daycare day.
Pricing notes
Premium rates may apply to last-minute, high-demand, or non-standard bookings.
🐾 Every stay includes walks
Your pup stays active, happy, and cared for.
More questions?
Drop-off times, what to bring, anxious dogs, medication: it's all on the FAQ page.
Two dogs on leash walking away down a shaded path A brown dog and a golden puppy out on a walk together A cream collie walking toward the camera past a tall hedge Dogs playing in a large fenced back yard

The photo report

A sample daycare report for Georgie: two walk maps with distances, two photos from the day, a timeline from check-in to pickup, and totals for the day

What you get at pickup.

Walks are tracked by GPS, so you can see the route and how far they went, and the best photos from the day go on the card with them. On a boarding stay you hear from me as it goes, a walk card or an update most days, then a card at checkout covering the whole stay.

This is a sample, starring Georgie.

These are still a work in progress. I keep tweaking them, so the one that lands in your messages may look a little different from this.

For the everyday stuff in between, follow along on Instagram at @dogs_with_john.

A beagle asleep on a dog bed with a stuffed toy, a chew toy in the foreground A long-haired cream dachshund lying in the grass with a grin A yellow lab mix grinning up at the camera Two dogs curled up together on a dog bed by the window
Read the FAQ

Who's watching them

John outdoors with a beagle leaning against his shoulder

John, and that's the whole staff.

I've lived in Turners Falls for over thirty years and been boarding dogs professionally here for five. Your dog stays in my house, with me, and the days run much the same way each time. No rotating staff, no kennel runs, no shift changes. Before any overnight stay we'll set up a meet and greet, which is standard safety practice for boarding and also lets me see how your dog and Georgie get on.

Georgie, a small grey scruffy chihuahua-poodle mix, lying in the grass

Georgie, the welcoming committee.

My own dog. A chihuahua-poodle mix, two years old, and a rescue. He meets everyone who comes through the door. He's part of why the meet and greet before an overnight matters, since your dog will be sharing the house with him, and if the two of them are easy with each other the rest of the stay usually takes care of itself.

Georgie and a tan hound play-wrestling in the yard A cream golden retriever trotting across the yard with a green ball A shepherd mix stretched out on the couch at the end of the day A brown doodle in a pink harness out on the lawn

Request a spot

Tell me about your dog and when you need care. This is a request, not a booking. I'll text you back to confirm availability. If it's an overnight and we haven't met yet, we'll set up a meet and greet first.

1
Send a request
I'll get back to you.
2
Meet and greet
Required before a first overnight, preferred before daycare.
3
I confirm the booking
You send vaccination records, and 20% holds an overnight. Daycare needs no deposit.

A second dog from the same household is $30 for daycare or $50 a night for boarding.

Windows are an hour so I know roughly when to expect you. Same day for daycare, the day you are back for boarding.

If someone sent you, give me their name: you get money off your first stay and they get money off their next.

Only if you have them to hand. Otherwise send them later.

Already a client, or have a quick question? Text me at (413) 242-6094. That is the quickest way to reach me, since I am usually mid-walk or mid-handover. You are welcome to call and leave a message and I will text you back.

What clients say

5.0 stars from 158 reviews on Rover, and 10 on Google.

“John is trustworthy, responsible, and kind. Dogs really like him! … The elder of the two has often experienced separation anxiety but, to my great relief, was able to relatively quickly relax with John.”

Judith's long-haired dachshund lying in the grass in a blue harness Judith R., boarding Rover

“John was a tremendous caregiver for our dog, Griffin! He communicated very effectively and kept Griffin busy with walks and play. He was mindful that Griffin was a bit anxious at times … and made every effort to help Griffin feel comfortable and at home.”

Griffin, an apricot poodle, out in the garden Jennifer H., boarding Rover

“John is very nice and cares about the dogs. He keeps the worry down for the dog parents by sending pictures. Will happily ask him to watch them again.”

Matt's brown and white hound mix looking up at the camera Matt R., daycare Rover

“John is my hero! He took Sandy on a moments notice while we were in Historic Deerfield. He provided a loving environment in a comfortable home while we visited the area.”

Sandy, a small white curly-coated dog, out on a walk Frances C., boarding Rover

Been here before? A review on Google is what helps people nearby find me. It takes a minute and it makes a real difference to a one-person operation.

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