How to Soundproof Your Kennel

Dog kennels are among the loudest commercial environments around — barking dogs, hard reflective surfaces, and constant echoes can push noise levels past 100 dB. That’s not just uncomfortable; it’s stressful for boarded animals and a real occupational hazard for your staff. If you’re searching for a soundproof dog kennel solution, you’re in the right place. NetWell’s acoustic panels are specifically designed for kennel and boarding environments — waterproof, easy to install, and proven to dramatically reduce noise. Use our free Room Analysis tool to get a panel count and quote for your space.

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Related Product Options for Kennel Soundproofing

Not every kennel is a candidate for ceiling-hung baffles. If your ceiling height is below 10 feet, or if lights, sprinkler heads, or ventilation runs make overhead installation impractical, VET Panels are the natural alternative.

VET Panels deliver the same high-performance sound absorption as VET Baffles — same material, same waterproof and Class A fire-rated construction, same colorful aesthetic — but are designed to mount directly to your walls instead of suspending from the ceiling. They’re available in a variety of standard sizes, making it easy to fit them into the upper portions of your kennel walls where they’ll do the most work. For doggie daycares, boarding facilities, rescue centers, and kennels with lower ceiling clearance, VET Panels are often the preferred solution.

In some larger facilities, a combination approach works best — VET Baffles overhead in the main play area, and VET Panels along the walls in kenneling runs or lower-ceiling corridors. Our Room Analysis tool accounts for your specific space and can help determine the right mix for your treatment.

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Dog Kennel Soundproofing:  Q&A

Why Are Kennels so Loud?

Dog kennels are built for cleanliness — hard, non-porous surfaces that can be hosed down are a health necessity. But those same surfaces are highly reflective, meaning every bark bounces back into the room rather than being absorbed. In an enclosed space filled with multiple dogs, that reflected sound compounds quickly, pushing background noise to levels that are stressful for animals and hazardous for staff. The louder it gets, the more anxious the dogs become — and the more they bark. Acoustic treatment breaks that cycle.

How Do You Design a New Kennel for Premium Noise Control?

For new kennel construction, surface selection for cleanliness should drive your primary design decisions — washable, non-porous materials are essential for animal health. The good news is that acoustic treatment doesn’t need to be baked into the structure itself. VET Baffles and VET Panels are good retrofit solutions that can easily be installed after construction is complete, so you can build your kennel the right way for hygiene first, then layer in your noise control treatment once the space is finished. If you’re in the design phase, the one thing worth planning ahead for is ceiling height — a minimum of 10 feet gives you the clearance needed for ceiling-hung VET Baffles; otherwise, go with wall-hung VET Panels.

How Does Kennel Noise Affect the Health of Boarded Animals?

Prolonged exposure to high noise levels is a documented stressor for dogs. In kennels where noise goes uncontrolled, boarded animals can experience elevated cortisol levels, disrupted sleep, reduced appetite, and increased anxiety — none of which reflects well on a facility that’s supposed to provide a safe, comfortable stay. For staff, sustained exposure above 85 dB — a threshold easily exceeded in an untreated kennel — requires hearing protection under OSHA guidelines. Acoustic treatment isn’t just a comfort upgrade; it’s a health and liability consideration for both the animals and the people caring for them.

How Loud Are Barking Dogs in a Kennel?

Studies have shown that noise levels in untreated kennels can exceed 100 dB — well above the 85 dB threshold at which OSHA recommends hearing protection for humans. The actual levels in your facility will vary based on the size of the space, the number of dogs, and the reflectivity of your surfaces, but no kennel should operate without some form of acoustic treatment. The risk to both animal welfare and staff health is too significant to ignore.

How Much Does It Cost to Soundproof a Dog Kennel?

The cost of acoustic treatment for a dog kennel depends primarily on the size of your space. Larger rooms require more panels to achieve the right level of coverage, and under-treating is the most common reason kennel owners don’t get the results they’re looking for. Rather than quoting a range that may not apply to your situation, we built our free Room Analysis tool specifically to answer this question. Submit your kennel’s dimensions and we’ll calculate the exact panel count your space needs and send back an itemized project quote — no obligation, no guesswork.

How to Lower Noise Levels in a Doggie Indoor Playland

Indoor playlands present the same acoustic challenges as kennels — hard surfaces, high energy, and constant noise. For rooms with a minimum ceiling height of 10 feet, VET Baffles are the ideal solution, suspending vertically from the ceiling to absorb sound without taking up floor or wall space. For rooms with lower ceilings, VET Panels mounted along the upper portion of the perimeter walls deliver the same level of noise reduction. Both options are waterproof, Class A fire rated, and available in a range of colors.

How to Lower Noise Levels in Your Kennel Exam Room

Kennel exam rooms are typically smaller, lower-traffic spaces, which means the acoustic treatment can scale down accordingly. VET Panels mounted on the walls are an effective and practical solution — same waterproof, Class A fire rated construction as VET Baffles, with custom sizes available to fit the tighter footprint of an exam room. Use our Room Analysis tool to submit the room dimensions and we’ll tailor the panel count and quote to that specific space.

How to Lower Noise Levels In Your Reception Area

Reception areas can fill quickly with noise from nervous or excited dogs, which creates a poor first impression for clients dropping off or picking up their animals. Wall or ceiling-mounted sound panels absorb those echoes and bring the noise down to a more welcoming level. Fabric Panels are available in a variety of color options and are a popular choice for customer-facing spaces where appearance matters. For something even more distinctive, PicturePanels allow you to print your logo, staff photos, or custom dog-themed artwork directly onto the panel face — turning your acoustic treatment into a branding opportunity.

What Are the Benefits of Using NetWell’s Sound Panels in Your Kennel?

Kennel noise control has measurable benefits that go beyond comfort. For the animals, lower noise levels mean less anxiety, better sleep, and a healthier stay. For staff, reduced noise exposure means less fatigue, lower turnover, and a safer working environment. For your business, a noticeably quieter kennel is a competitive differentiator — pet owners notice, and it directly influences whether they rebook or recommend your facility to others. Acoustic treatment is one of the few investments that improves animal welfare, employee retention, and customer satisfaction simultaneously.

What Is the Best Acoustic Panel for a Dog Kennel?

For most kennels, VET Baffles are the top recommendation — waterproof, Class A fire rated, colorful, and designed to suspend from the ceiling in rooms with at least 10 feet of clearance. For kennels with lower ceilings or where wall mounting is preferred, VET Panels deliver the same performance in a wall-mounted format. In larger facilities, a combination of both is often the most effective approach. Use our free Room Analysis tool to get a recommendation tailored to your specific space.

Are Acoustic Panels Safe for Dogs?

Yes. NetWell’s VET Baffles and VET Panels are non-toxic, waterproof, and Class A fire rated. They’re designed to withstand the demands of high-moisture, high-activity environments and pose no risk to the animals in your facility. Their smooth, wipeable surface also makes them easy to keep clean as part of your regular kennel maintenance routine.