Christmas & New Year Dog Boarding
Going away over the festive season? Your dog can spend it on 160 acres at Degilbo, living in the house with the family rather than behind a kennel door. Send through the dates you need and we will come back to you on what the farm can take.
- Homestay, not kennels
- 160 acres at Degilbo
- Pick-up and drop-off available
- A long weekend to several weeks
Christmas, New Year, or the whole stretch
Plenty of families are away for one and not the other, and some are gone for the lot. Either way the process is the same: send your dates and we will tell you honestly what we can do.
Christmas boarding
Travelling to family, or heading off for the Christmas break? Send through the dates you need and the team will come back to you on what the farm can take.
Send your Christmas datesNew Year boarding
Heading away after Christmas, or going somewhere over New Year? Tell us when you are going and we will check the stay for you.
Send your New Year datesA farm, a family, and a dog who is actually on holiday
The Mutts Nuts is not a kennel with a run attached. It is a working 160-acre property at Degilbo in the North Burnett, and boarding dogs live in the house with the family while you are away. That is the whole proposition, and it is the reason most people end up here.
For a dog, the difference is mostly about space and company. There is no row of strange dogs on the other side of a wire door, there is somewhere to go when they want a break, and there is a person about rather than a roster of staff who do not know them yet.
Where they sleep
Indoors, in the homestay with the family. Dogs rest on comfortable bedding and join in household life rather than being shut in a small kennel overnight.
How the day runs
Out on the 160 acres. There are open paddocks to run in, farm walks, river walks, and a dam to swim in when the Queensland heat sets in.
Meals
Fresh, balanced meals prepared on site and suited to your dog. You are welcome to bring your own food, and we will follow your feeding schedule.
Medication and special diets
Medication is given on your schedule and special diets are catered for. Tell us the detail on the enquiry and we will confirm we can manage it.
Supervision and fencing
Dogs are supervised through the day and the property is securely fenced. Numbers stay small, which is what makes that possible.
Updates while you are away
You get updates during the stay. A daily photo or short video package is available as an optional extra.
Farm-stay boarding for holiday travel
- Your dog spends the day out on the propertyThe day is built around the farm: open paddocks, farm walks, river walks and a dam to swim in, rather than time spent waiting in a run.
- Quiet, a long way from fireworksNew Year's Eve is a hard night for a lot of noise-sensitive dogs. Degilbo is farmland, and that alone takes a lot of the pressure off.
- Care shaped around your dogThe Mutts Nuts is personally run by Julia Powell, with care shaped around each dog's routine and temperament. Over a longer festive stay that consistency matters.
- You are not starting the holiday with a long drivePick-up and drop-off can be arranged, so getting your dog here does not have to eat the first day of your break.
Every stay comes with the lot
Farmhouse boarding is an all-inclusive nightly stay. The things that make up a normal day here are part of it, not separate extras.
- Comfortable indoor sleeping and daily exercise
- Organic meals prepared on site
- Playtime and farm walks across the property
- River walks and a swim in the dam
- Yappy Hour round the dam
- A Bowen therapy session during the stay
- Medication managed on your schedule
- Updates while you are away
Where our holiday-season dogs come from
We welcome enquiries from Hervey Bay, Bundaberg and Gympie. Dogs stay at the Degilbo property, rather than at separate facilities in those cities.
Hervey Bay
Hervey Bay families travelling over the festive season are welcome to enquire. Pick-up and drop-off can be arranged across the Fraser Coast.
Dog boarding in Hervey BayBundaberg
Bundaberg is an easy run inland to Degilbo, and pick-up and drop-off can be arranged from here.
Dog boarding in BundabergGympie
Gympie dogs are welcome for holiday stays and for longer breaks when families are away for the whole stretch.
Dog boarding in GympieFive steps, and the first one takes a minute
Send your dates
Use the form below with your travel dates and where you are coming from.
Tell us about your dog
Breed, age, how they are with people and other dogs, and anything we should know.
We confirm the fit
We will tell you honestly whether the farm suits your dog and what is available.
Complete the booking
Vaccination details and the booking form on the site, so everything is in order before arrival.
Arrange the arrival
Settle on a drop-off time, or book pick-up and drop-off if you would rather not drive.
Current boarding rates
View our current published boarding rates, then send us your holiday dates. The team will confirm availability, the applicable rate for your stay and any holiday-period transport arrangements.
The questions we get asked in December
Do you offer dog boarding over Christmas and New Year?
Send us the dates you need over Christmas or New Year and we will confirm whether a suitable stay is available. Holiday-period availability can vary, so send your dates through the enquiry form and the team will confirm the options for your dog.
How early should I enquire for Christmas boarding?
Holiday periods can book earlier than normal, so sending your dates sooner gives the team more time to confirm suitable options. There is no cost or commitment in asking.
Can I send my dates before I book?
Yes, and that is the way we would prefer you did it. The enquiry is just your dates and a bit about your dog. Nothing is locked in until we have confirmed the stay suits your dog and you have completed the booking requirements.
Where does my dog actually stay?
At the farm at 173 Muan Rd, Degilbo, Queensland. Dogs sleep indoors in the homestay with the family and spend the day across the 160 acres. There is no separate facility in any other town.
Do you take dogs from Hervey Bay, Bundaberg and Gympie?
Yes. We welcome boarding enquiries from Hervey Bay, Bundaberg and Gympie. Dogs stay at our Degilbo property rather than at separate boarding facilities in those towns. You are welcome to drive your dog up, or arrange pick-up and drop-off. For local detail see dog boarding Hervey Bay, dog boarding Bundaberg and dog boarding Gympie.
Can pick-up and drop-off be arranged over the holidays?
Pick-up and drop-off is offered as a standard service across the areas we serve. How it runs over the holiday period, and what it costs for your trip, is confirmed together with your dates, so send those through and the team will come back to you.
What are the drop-off and pick-up times?
The standard windows published on the site are drop-off between 8:00am and 10:00am and pick-up between 3:00pm and 5:00pm, Monday to Sunday except Wednesday. Arrival and collection times over the holiday period are confirmed with your booking, so check them with the team when you send your dates.
What should I send with my dog?
Their own food if you would rather not change their diet, any medication with clear instructions, and their vaccination records. A familiar bed or blanket helps a nervous dog settle, though it is not essential.
My dog is nervous or reactive. Is a holiday stay a bad idea?
Not necessarily, and the farm suits a lot of dogs who do not cope in conventional kennels. It depends on the dog. Call on 0450 439 555 before you book and we will talk through their triggers and history. If the farm is not the right fit we will say so rather than take the booking.
Where can I see the current boarding rates?
The full list is on the rates page. Send your holiday dates and the team will confirm the rate that applies to your stay.
Send us your holiday dates
Tell us when you are away and a little about your dog. We will come back to you on whether the farm can take the stay, what it will cost, and how to get your dog here.