Shuttle service available to our two kennel locations.
Bel Air is the population center of Harford County — most of the county’s residents live in or around town, and most of the county’s dog owners are looking for the same thing when they travel: a place close enough to be convenient, good enough to trust, and run by people who actually know what they’re doing with dogs. Country Comfort Kennels & Camp for Pets is located in Jarrettsville, about 20 minutes north of Bel Air, and has been boarding dogs for Bel Air families for years. We’re not a chain pet store with a boarding add-on. We’re a purpose-built boarding and camp facility where your dog gets supervised play, real exercise, and individual attention.
When Bel Air pet owners call us about boarding, the questions are almost always the same. How much time will my dog spend in a run versus actually doing something? Who’s watching the dogs at night? What happens if my dog gets sick? These aren’t unreasonable questions — they’re the right ones to ask, and the answers reveal a lot about what a boarding facility actually prioritizes.
A lot of kennels in the area offer what amounts to a safe place to sleep. Your dog gets a clean run, food, water, and a brief outdoor break a couple of times a day. That meets the basic welfare threshold. What it doesn’t do is give your dog an active, engaged day — which is what most Bel Air dog owners are actually hoping for when they drop off. Dogs who spend 20 out of 24 hours in a run come home wound up, not rested. The energy didn’t go anywhere; it just built up for five days.
Country Comfort is structured around the camp model. Dogs aren’t kenneled waiting for their next bathroom break — they participate in play groups, camp activities, and structured socialization throughout the day. The boarding side and the daycare/camp side are the same operation, so the same staff who run the play groups are also checking on overnight guests.
Every new boarding guest at Country Comfort goes through an assessment before they’re placed in a group play situation. We want to know how your dog does with other dogs, whether they have any food guarding habits, how they handle stress, and what their energy level is like. This information shapes how we handle your dog throughout the stay — which group they go in, how we approach feeding, whether they need more one-on-one time or thrive in a crowd.
If you have a dog who has never boarded before, the first stay can go a few different ways. Some dogs settle in by day two and are clearly having a great time. Others take a couple of days to relax and find their footing. We expect the adjustment period and build it into how we approach new guests. What we watch for is a dog who genuinely isn’t coping — that’s rare, but when it happens we call.
During the day, boarding dogs participate in play groups alongside our daycare guests. Groups are organized by size and temperament, not just by breed. A 60-pound dog who plays gently belongs in a different group than a 60-pound dog who plays rough — we account for style, not just weight. Groups rotate between indoor and outdoor spaces, and supervision is continuous during group play.
Dogs who aren’t group-appropriate for any reason — health issues, age, temperament, or owner preference — still get individual attention and exercise outside of group settings. Not every dog is a pack player, and we don’t force it.
Overnight, boarding dogs are in their individual runs with bedding, water, and their normal food (bring their own food — a sudden diet change during boarding stress is a recipe for digestive upset). Staff do evening rounds before the facility closes for the night. For dogs with health issues, anxiety, or special needs, discuss your situation with us when you book — we can often accommodate specific requirements.
Boarding dogs at Country Comfort aren’t just running in play groups — they participate in the same camp activity programming as our daycare guests. This includes structured enrichment, skill reinforcement, and nose-work type games that give dogs something to think about. A dog that has been both physically exercised and mentally engaged during the day is a genuinely tired dog at lights out.
To make your dog’s boarding stay go smoothly, bring:
Don’t bring anything you’d be devastated to lose or have damaged. Toys sometimes get destroyed or go missing in group play environments. Your dog’s favorite stuffed animal from childhood probably stays home.
From most Bel Air neighborhoods, Country Comfort is about 20 minutes north on MD-23 toward Jarrettsville. If you’re coming from Bel Air South or the Route 24 corridor, you’re looking at roughly the same time, maybe a little longer. The drive takes you out of the suburban density of Bel Air into the rural Harford County landscape around Jarrettsville — which gives you a sense of the environment your dog will be in. It’s open, quieter, and a different world from the commercial strip along Route 24.
For Bel Air families who travel regularly for work or vacations — and Harford County’s proximity to Baltimore, DC, and Philadelphia means a lot of people are in and out of the area frequently — the 20-minute drive is worth it for a facility where their dog is actually active and engaged rather than just contained.
We board dogs from throughout the Bel Air area, including:
Our Jarrettsville facility is approximately 20 minutes north of Bel Air via MD-23. The exact drive time depends on where in Bel Air you're coming from -- residents in the northern parts of Bel Air or in Jarrettsville, Norrisville, and Street are even closer. Call 410-692-5055 if you want directions from your specific neighborhood.
Boarding rates depend on the size of your dog and the length of the stay. Call 410-692-5055 for current pricing. We'd rather give you an accurate quote over the phone based on your specific dog than post a rate that ends up being different from what you're quoted at check-in.
Most first-time boarding dogs have one of two reactions: they settle in quickly and clearly enjoy the play group environment, or they spend day one or two close to a staff member while they figure out what's happening. Both are normal. Dogs who are used to being home with their person all day sometimes take until the second day to really relax -- once they do, they're usually fine. The dogs who don't adjust well at all are a small minority, and we'll call you if your dog is genuinely struggling.
Yes, for most medications. Bring clearly labeled medication with written instructions that include the medication name, dosage, and timing. If your dog has a complex medical regimen or a condition that requires close monitoring, talk to us before you book so we can confirm we're the right facility for that situation.
Rabies, DHPP (distemper/parvo), and Bordetella (kennel cough) are required. Bordetella is especially important in any boarding or group dog environment -- canine Bordetella spreads through respiratory droplets, and even a fully healthy dog who's been around other dogs at a park can carry it without showing symptoms. We require it to protect all the dogs in our care. Bring your vet's vaccination records or have your vet fax them ahead of your stay.
Many dogs with separation anxiety do well in boarding because they're in a busy, stimulating environment with people around most of the day rather than home alone. The dogs who struggle most with boarding are often the ones whose anxiety is specifically triggered by separation from their owner -- for those dogs, a pet sitter who stays in the home is a better fit. If your dog's anxiety has specific triggers or requires medication, let us know when you book and we'll work with you on the best approach.
A deposit of 25% of the total boarding charges, subject to forfeiture, is required to review and accept your reservation.
Unlike many other boarding facilities, CCK allows your pets to be picked up or dropped off anytime during our Boarding hours. Charges begin the day your pet arrives. If your pet is picked up before 12:00 pm on the day of departure, no Boarding charge will be incurred for that final day.
Not all types of accommodations may be available at all locations.
We will gladly administer medications for an additional fee. Please see our Medication Policy.
Call Country Comfort Kennels at 410-692-5055 to reserve your dates. We serve dog boarding clients from Bel Air, Forest Hill, Fallston, Churchville, Jarrettsville, and surrounding Harford County communities.
