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Boarding vs bringing your dog over the holidays in 2026: the real cost
Boarding a dog in Toronto averages about $346 a week on Rover's own published figures, and holiday rates run higher. What a week of boarding costs next to what it costs to bring your dog along, with every number sourced.
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WayFur answer
Boarding a dog in Toronto averages $345.73 a week on Rover's published Toronto figures (accurate as of September 2025), with a typical one-week stay running $280 to $413 and holiday rates higher. Bringing a small dog in the cabin on an Air Canada flight within Canada costs $50 to $60 each way, and driving costs only what your stays charge for pets. For a large dog over Christmas, Air Canada accepts no pets as checked baggage or cargo from December 18 to January 4, so if you were planning to fly Air Canada, that might stop your trip, so we recommend driving instead.
What boarding actually costs over the holidays
Say you live in Toronto and you are spending the week between Christmas and New Year's at your sister's place in Montreal. You have one dog, a seven-year-old Lab mix who hates being left. The first question most people ask is what a kennel or sitter would cost.
Dog boarding prices from Rover's own published city pages, in Canadian dollars. Toronto accurate as of September 2025, Kitchener as of May 2026.
Rover puts a typical one-week stay in Toronto at $280 to $413, so for one dog over a holiday week, you are realistically looking at the upper part of that range. For two dogs, you are past $400 before you leave the driveway.
Where this comes from
Boarding figures are Rover's own published averages, not WayFur data. Rover's Toronto figures are dated September 2025 and may have moved since. The two-dog total is our arithmetic from Rover's Toronto figures ($345.73 plus seven nights at about $37.25).
What it costs to bring your dog instead
If you drive, the dog rides for free and the cost moves into stops and overnight stays. Toronto to Montreal is a single day's drive, and staying with family means no hotel at all. On a longer drive, the cost is pet fees at the places you sleep. Those vary a lot: some properties charge per night, some per stay, some per pet, and some publish nothing at all, so read the pet policy of each place before you book.
If you fly, the airline fee is the main cost. Air Canada charges $50 to $60 CAD or USD each way for a pet in the cabin within Canada and between Canada and the US, and $105 to $126 for a domestic cargo pet. Our guide to what it costs to travel with a pet has the full fee breakdown by airline, including US carriers such as American and United that charge $150 USD each way.
The catch for the Lab mix: a cabin pet has to fit, with its carrier, under the seat in front of you. A large dog would normally fly as checked baggage or cargo.
Easy to miss
Air Canada accepts no pets as checked baggage or cargo from December 18 to January 4. WestJet says holiday restrictions apply to checked pets during heavy travel periods, but does not publish the dates.
For a big dog over Christmas on Air Canada, that makes the drive the realistic way to bring them.
The costs people forget on both sides
Boarding has extras that are easy to miss: the drive to drop off and pick up, and any vaccination records the facility asks for.
Bringing a dog has extras too. Crossing a border means paperwork. A dog driving from Canada into the US needs a free CDC Dog Import Form receipt, a microchip and to be at least 6 months old, per the CDC. A dog coming back into Canada needs a valid rabies vaccination certificate, per the CFIA. The vet visit that produces those records has a cost your own clinic sets, so we will not guess at it.
Neither list is long. The difference is that the boarding costs are known in advance and the travel costs feel uncertain. For some households, that uncertainty is what tips the decision toward boarding a dog they would rather bring.
Where this comes from
Airline fees and border rules come from WayFur's verified policy data: Air Canada's pet policy (verified 2026-10-09), American (2026-10-11) and United (2026-10-05), CDC entry requirements for dogs from low-risk countries (2026-07-21) and CFIA's rules for a pet dog entering Canada (2026-09-19). The Air Canada holiday dates and WestJet's holiday note were re-read on each airline's page on 2026-10-06.
Check your own trip
Put in your route, your date and your dog's breed, weight and age. A free readiness check tells you what the border asks for and what paperwork applies, plus breed law where the trip starts and ends, before you decide between the kennel and the car. Readiness checks are included with a free account, with no card needed.
We are not a booking platform and earn no commission from airlines or properties, so the answer does not depend on where you book.
Sources
- Air Canada: Travelling with pets
- WestJet: Travelling with pets
- American Airlines: Pets
- United Airlines: Traveling with pets
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Entry requirements for dogs
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency: Bringing pets into Canada
Common questions
How much does dog boarding cost for a week?
In Toronto, Rover's published average is $345.73 a week, with a typical range of $280 to $413 (accurate as of September 2025). Kitchener averages $329 a week (accurate as of May 2026). Rates over holidays and for a second dog run higher, so check the sitter or facility you are considering.
What is the cost of flying with a dog?
It depends on the airline and where the dog flies. Air Canada charges $50 to $60 CAD or USD each way in the cabin within Canada and between Canada and the US, and $105 to $126 for a domestic cargo pet. American and United charge $150 USD each way for a cabin pet.
Is it cheaper to board a dog or travel with them?
For a small dog flying in the cabin on a domestic Air Canada route, the airline fee of $50 to $60 each way is less than a week of boarding in Toronto. Driving with a dog to stay with family can cost nothing extra. For a large dog that would need the hold, check the airline's dates first: over Christmas, Air Canada does not accept pets in the hold at all.
Can I fly my dog in cargo with Air Canada over Christmas?
No. Air Canada accepts no pets as checked baggage or cargo between December 18 and January 4. WestJet says holiday restrictions apply to checked pets but does not publish the dates, so ask the airline before you book.
Should I travel with my dog or board them?
It depends on the dog, the route and the date. If your dog can legally and practically make the trip and you would rather have them with you, bringing them is a real option. If you are unsure, a readiness check tells you what the border asks for before you commit either way.