Bearden, West Knox, Sequoyah Hills, Farragut, and UT-area pet parents drive south for a reason — small-batch boarding with a real trainer on-site, not a 100-dog warehouse
204 Five-Star Reviews | NePoPo® Graduate | Woman & Veteran Owned
15-dog cap means we book 30–60 days out
If you live in Knoxville, you have plenty of boarding kennels closer to home — most of them on Kingston Pike, Northshore, or near downtown. They share a common problem: volume. Big-box and chain facilities are designed for 60–100+ dogs at a time, with rotating staff who often don't see the same dog twice in a stay. That works for some pets. It doesn't work for the dogs who get reactive in noisy kennels, the seniors with medication schedules, or the puppies who need actual structure.
We're 20–30 minutes south of most Knoxville neighborhoods on Tomotley Road in Maryville — easy run down Pellissippi Parkway (I-140) from West Knox/Farragut, or Alcoa Highway (US-129) from Bearden/UT/downtown. We cap at 15 dogs total. Owners live on-site. Our head trainer David Van Fleet is a NePoPo® Graduate (one of the only in East TN), so the dogs other places call "too much to handle" are usually fine here.
The largest "luxury" facilities near Bearden hold 60+ dogs in peak weeks. We don't. Your dog isn't a number.
NePoPo® Graduate–led care means anxious, reactive, or recovering dogs (post-surgery, behavior modification) get someone who actually knows what to do.
Real photos of your dog, every day. No "we're too busy to update" excuse.
$20 round-trip pickup and drop-off from most Knox zips. Bearden, West Hills, Sequoyah, Farragut, Hardin Valley — we can come to you.
Two clean routes south depending on where you live:
Most Knoxville clients tell us the drive is similar to (or shorter than) crossing town to a "closer" facility on Kingston Pike during rush hour.
Big kennels are loud — sound bounces off concrete, dogs feed off each other. Our facility is intentionally calm: smaller groups, more rest, less reactivity at pickup.
Same small team, every visit. Rey doesn't have to re-introduce himself every time you book.
Insulin, joint meds, special diets, post-surgical recovery — handled at no extra charge. Not every Knoxville kennel will take seniors with complex needs.
$55/night includes meals, exercise, meds, photo updates. Some Knoxville facilities advertise low base rates and bill $15+ per "play session" or "cuddle time." We don't play that game — see pricing.html.
$55/night
$45/night second dog
Full breakdown including holiday surcharges and discount stacking is on our canonical pricing page.
"We're in Sequoyah Hills and tried three different boarding places in West Knoxville before finding Paws & Applause. Our shepherd mix is reactive in groups and every Knoxville facility either turned us away or sent her home worse than she went in. David's training background means she's actually better after a stay here. The drive down Alcoa Highway is nothing compared to what we used to deal with."
— L. Henderson, Sequoyah Hills, KnoxvilleHolidays and UT football weekends fill 60+ days out. Spring break, fall break, and June–July are also peak. Don't wait.
Pellissippi Parkway (I-140) south to the Maryville exits, then a short jog to Tomotley Road. Most West Knox/Farragut clients clock in under 20 minutes off-peak. From Bearden or downtown, take Alcoa Highway (US-129) south past McGhee Tyson — a clean 25-minute drive.
Yes. Round-trip pet taxi is $20 for most Knox zips — Bearden, West Hills, Sequoyah, Farragut, Hardin Valley, Cedar Bluff, and the UT/Fort Sanders area. North Knoxville and Halls may run slightly higher; just ask when you book.
Materially, yes. We cap at 15 dogs total — not 15 per group, 15 total. Reactivity is usually a noise/density problem; reduce both and most dogs settle within hours. Our head trainer David is also a NePoPo® Graduate, so dogs that need structure or behavior support during their stay get it from someone qualified to deliver it. Many Knoxville clients come to us specifically after a bad experience at a high-volume facility.
Yes — fall break, Thanksgiving, winter break, spring break, and summer all see UT students boarding with us. Book early (these dates fill fast). Bring vaccination records from your home or campus vet, and we'll handle the rest.
Absolutely — we're about 10 minutes from the airport. Drop off the night before so you don't have to deal with a sleepy dog at 5 AM. Many Knoxville business travelers and military families flying out of TYS use this exact pattern.
Yes — and it's not because we work harder, it's because we have 15 dogs instead of 80. Volume is the enemy of cleanliness. See our full health and safety protocols for vaccine requirements, sanitation, and incident response.