Bark Royal Boarding Kennels is a family-owned pet care business at 238 No 10 Road in Swannanoa, built around the idea of a genuine home away from home. Now operating as a speciality small dog facility, Bark Royal combines superior accommodation with personalised care, so owners can leave their pets knowing they will be loved, safe and looked after.
The team's approach is simple: every service rests on the principle that if a dog trusts them and is content to be with them, they are doing their job. Visitors can expect an attentive, enjoyable environment, with a professional and friendly team focused on giving every visiting friend the affection and attention they deserve.
Services include boarding, day care and full grooming, with training options for obedience, agility and scent work being added as a new training area takes shape. Grooming is provided by Matilda, a master groomer who is not always on site, so appointments are arranged with her directly.
Bark Royal is open seven days a week in two windows — 9:00–10:30 am and 4:00–5:30 pm — closing only on Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Bookings for boarding, day care and grooming can be made through the website, by email at [email protected] or on 027 272 9200.
Leaving a dog in someone else's care is never easy, and the team at Bark Royal Boarding Kennels understands that better than most. That is why this family-owned business on No 10 Road in Swannanoa has built everything it does around one idea: being a genuine home away from home, where every visiting friend gets the affection and attention they deserve.
Bark Royal now operates as a speciality small dog facility, offering boarding, day care, grooming and — in the near future — formal dog training. Behind it all is a professional and friendly team whose stated objective is to give owners peace of mind, knowing their pets are loved, safe and cared for while they are away.
What sets Bark Royal apart is the philosophy underpinning each service. As the team puts it: if a dog trusts them and is content to be with them, then they are doing their job. That mindset shapes everything from the accommodation to the daily routine, and it is reflected in the personal care the kennels are known for.
Being family-owned means care is delivered with a personal touch rather than a corporate checklist. The team is committed to providing an attentive and enjoyable environment — high-quality service where the dog in front of them is the priority, not just a booking number.
**Boarding** is the heart of the business. Bark Royal promises superior accommodation and personalised care to deliver an exceptional quality of stay, and with its move toward becoming a speciality small dog facility, it is aimed squarely at the comfort of smaller guests.
**Day care** is an excellent solution for owners who want their dogs to stay active and social when they are not around — a chance to play and interact rather than spend the day alone.
**Grooming** is provided by Matilda, a master groomer, who delivers Bark Royal's full grooming services — designed to indulge and pamper pets and keep them looking, feeling and smelling spectacular. Because she is not always on site, grooming appointments are made by contacting her directly on 021 022 91489.
**Training** is the newest chapter. A dedicated training area is being set up, with options for obedience, agility and scent work being added — worth asking the team about if structured training is on your wish list.
A tour of the kennels themselves is easy too: the Bark Royal website includes a facilities video and photo gallery for owners who like to see where their dog will stay before they book.
Bark Royal keeps things simple with set visiting windows, seven days a week: 9:00–10:30 am and 4:00–5:30 pm. The kennels close on Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Christmas Day and New Year's Day, so it pays to plan travel around those dates.
Bookings are made through the Bark Royal website, which has separate forms for boarding and day care and for grooming services. Owners can also email [email protected], call 027 272 9200, or connect through the kennels' Facebook page.
One thing worth knowing: Bark Royal is popular. The site notes that boarding for the 2026/27 December holiday season is already fully booked between Christmas and New Year — a clear signal to reserve well ahead for peak periods.
For Swannanoa locals and anyone in the area with a small dog in tow, Bark Royal offers something increasingly rare: a small, family-run kennel where the focus is squarely on the dog in front of them — their comfort, their contentment and their happiness, until home comes calling again.