Lilly’s Bespoke Home Dog Boarding & Paw Spa - one family at a time - IOW

16/06/2026

🐾 A Little Birthday Surprise 🐾

Today is my birthday… and what should arrive in the post but my official certificate for the AIM Level 3 Award in Canine Care, Behaviour and Welfare.

I actually completed and passed the qualification back in January, but after the external verification process and what felt like a very long wait, the certificate has finally arrived today - exactly six months later!

Whilst qualifications are lovely, what matters most to me is what sits behind them.

Over the past year I’ve spent many hours studying canine behaviour, welfare, enrichment, health, disease prevention, licensing requirements and best practice care. Every bit of that learning has gone straight back into Lilly’s Bespoke Boarding.

It has helped shape our policies, our routines, our boarding environment, and most importantly the way we care for the dogs entrusted to us.

When your dog stays with us, they’re not just getting a holiday. They’re being cared for by someone who is genuinely passionate about understanding dogs and continually learning how to provide the very best care possible.

Thank you to all of our wonderful clients for trusting us with your dogs and supporting this little dream of mine.

Now I think birthday cake may be in order! 🎂🐾

Sarah

15/06/2026

🎉 NEW REVIEW - Gracie🎉

Thank you so much to Mandy Foster and Geoff for our wonderful review. 😘😘😘

15/06/2026

Monday morning and Gracie has headed home after completing her overnight trial. 🐾

What a little superstar she has been.

After three settling visits with us, last night was her chance to experience a full overnight stay. She settled beautifully beside me in her bed, enjoyed plenty of cuddles, sought me out for affection, and even handed out a few kisses along the way. That’s always a lovely sign that a dog is feeling relaxed, safe, and comfortable in our home.

Her mum and dad left this morning happy in the knowledge that Gracie was content, confident, and had genuinely enjoyed her time with us.

For supper, Gracie tucked into the chopped chicken her mum had provided, just as she had on her settling stays. Breakfast, however, was a different matter.

I presented a perfectly respectable pouch of dog food.

Gracie looked at me as if to say, “Excuse me, Holiday Mum. I’ve read the terms and conditions. The contract clearly states that I am to be fed freshly chopped chicken at all times.”

Needless to say, negotiations were opened. 😆

These familiarisation visits and overnight trials are never about testing the dog. They’re about helping them feel secure, building trust, and making sure everyone feels confident before a longer stay.

Safe to say Gracie has passed with flying colours. ❤️

14/06/2026

A lovely Sunday here at Lilly’s Bespoke Boarding🐾

This morning we welcomed Barney the Schnauzer for his settling stay. These shorter visits are all about helping dogs build confidence, get familiar with our home, and learn that Lilly’s is a safe and happy place to be. Barney spent three hours exploring, sniffing, relaxing and getting to know us at his own pace.

This afternoon and evening, the very gorgeous Gracie is completing the final stage of her familiarisation journey with her overnight stay. She’s already visited us three times for settling stays, so tonight is all about making sure she feels comfortable and confident spending the night away from home.

Every dog settles differently, which is why we take the time to get to know them as individuals. For some, a meet and greet is enough. Others benefit from a few shorter visits before their first overnight stay. There’s no rush - we work at the dog’s pace.

Behind the scenes, we’re also working on some exciting updates to make things easier for our lovely clients. We’re gradually introducing a new client portal that will allow owners to request bookings, update their dog’s information, add new medications, let us know about changes in health or care needs, and upload vaccination certificates with just a few clicks.

It’s very much a work in progress, but we’re looking forward to creating a smoother experience while still keeping the personal touch that Lilly’s is all about.

Now it’s time for a quiet evening, plenty of cuddles, and helping Gracie settle in for her first night away from home. ❤️

13/06/2026

And the winner picked by Honey is… Caroline Moul (and Teddy!)

Pop me a message, Caroline. Teddy’s goody bag is waiting for him 🥰😘

13/06/2026

Don’t forget our little competition is being drawn tonight. 😘😘😘

13/06/2026

LAST CHANCE TODAY.
Will be drawing the winner for the goody bag later tonight. Good luck. 😘😘😘😘

🎉 500 Followers Giveaway🎉

When we started Lilly’s Bespoke Boarding, we had no idea how many wonderful dog lovers we’d meet along the way.

To celebrate reaching 500 followers, we’d love to spoil one lucky dog with a little Lilly’s gift bundle. 🎁🐾

The bundle includes some of our favourite doggy goodies, including treats, enrichment, and a few surprises.

To enter:

🐶 Tell us your dog’s name and breed in the comments

🐾 Share their funniest habit, quirk, or nickname

👯 Tag a fellow dog lover who might enjoy following along too

❤️ Not following us yet? We’d love you to join our little community of dog lovers.

We’ll choose one winner at random on Saturday 13th June.

📍 Winner must be able to collect from Whitwell, Isle of Wight.

Thank you for following our journey, supporting our little business, and sharing in the adventures of Honey, Pixie, our Lilly’s guests, and now Lilly’s Paw Spa too.

We love hearing your stories, seeing your photos, and getting to know the dogs behind the profiles.

Now let’s meet some dogs! ❤️

12/06/2026

🎄 Pixie Has Found Christmas🎄

Apparently it’s time.

Pixie rediscovered her Christmas pudding toy this week and has been carrying it around the house with great determination, as though she’s been personally appointed Head of Festive Preparations.

So, it seems Pixie has declared Christmas and New Year bookings at Lilly’s Bespoke Boarding are now open. 🫣😂

We’re incredibly grateful that many of our lovely clients have already booked well into 2027, and as always, priority for festive bookings will be given to our registered Lilly’s Family clients before any remaining spaces are offered more widely.

At the moment, December is surprisingly quiet, which won’t stay that way for long.

So if you’re already thinking about Christmas visits, winter getaways, family celebrations, or simply want the reassurance of having your dog’s holiday sorted, now is a good time to get in touch.

🏡 One family of dogs at a time
🐾 Calm, home-from-home care
🎄 Christmas cuddles included
🍮 Christmas pudding toy supervision provided by Pixie

Pixie is ready. We suspect the Christmas pudding is staying out until January.

11/06/2026

Pepper arrived for her overnight trial earlier this week…and what a gorgeous cuddle monster she is 🥰. She’s booked in for two separate weeks later this summer, and we can’t wait to welcome her back to her second home 🥰. If you’re looking for home dog dog boarding for your special family member, please pop us a message.

09/06/2026

Gentle nudge 😘. Please do join in on this post to be in with a chance of a nice little goodie bag 😘😘😘

🎉 500 Followers Giveaway🎉

When we started Lilly’s Bespoke Boarding, we had no idea how many wonderful dog lovers we’d meet along the way.

To celebrate reaching 500 followers, we’d love to spoil one lucky dog with a little Lilly’s gift bundle. 🎁🐾

The bundle includes some of our favourite doggy goodies, including treats, enrichment, and a few surprises.

To enter:

🐶 Tell us your dog’s name and breed in the comments

🐾 Share their funniest habit, quirk, or nickname

👯 Tag a fellow dog lover who might enjoy following along too

❤️ Not following us yet? We’d love you to join our little community of dog lovers.

We’ll choose one winner at random on Saturday 13th June.

📍 Winner must be able to collect from Whitwell, Isle of Wight.

Thank you for following our journey, supporting our little business, and sharing in the adventures of Honey, Pixie, our Lilly’s guests, and now Lilly’s Paw Spa too.

We love hearing your stories, seeing your photos, and getting to know the dogs behind the profiles.

Now let’s meet some dogs! ❤️