Vacation With Your Dog: What to Sort Out Before You Go
Three risks are regularly underestimated on ordinary vacation checklists—and with the third, many owners rely on a vaccine that doesn’t protect against exactly that risk.
Michael Sauerwein · October 4, 2023
In brief
Three risks with especially serious consequences are often underestimated on ordinary vacation checklists.
Heat in the car, a dog that runs off in unfamiliar surroundings, and inadequate protection against travel-related diseases—the last often because owners rely on a vaccine that doesn’t replace other protection. Much of the rest is about comfort and organization; these three points, by contrast, can directly endanger your dog’s health and safety.
A vacation together can be a wonderful experience. To make sure it is for both of you, it pays to prepare in the places where things would otherwise get unpleasant.
1. Destination and accommodation
Not every destination is suitable. Dog-friendly regions with access to nature and surroundings that won’t constantly overwhelm your dog make sense.
When choosing accommodation, look for explicit permission, information on the number and size of dogs allowed, extra fees, space for exercise and reviews from other dog owners. Dog-friendly accommodations get booked up early in peak season.
A note on “off-leash trails” as a selection criterion: leash rules are almost everywhere set locally or by protected-area regulations, and they change with the seasons—during the spring breeding and nesting season, many places have additional leash requirements. What a travel website says is not reliable legal information.
What applies at home doesn’t apply everywhere
One frequently overlooked point: several European countries have breed lists or require a muzzle in certain situations—on public transportation, for example. A dog that is completely unproblematic at home can fall under a restriction in the destination country.
Before booking, find out which rules apply in the destination country and along the route. The EU’s pet travel rules do not cover breed lists or muzzle requirements; binding information comes from the authorities of the destination country, not from travel websites. And if a muzzle might be needed: it has to be trained beforehand. A muzzle that’s simply put on during the vacation can cause stress and is often pawed off.
2. The journey
Secure your dog in the car with a crate, a harness-and-seatbelt system or a cargo barrier. With dogs that aren’t used to car travel, practice with short drives beforehand, not on the day you leave.
Plan regular breaks—for many dogs roughly every two hours, and correspondingly more often for puppies, seniors, sick dogs or very restless dogs. Allow time to drink, relieve themselves and sniff around.
And the most important point of the whole journey: never leave your dog in a parked car. Not in the shade, not “just for a minute,” not with the window cracked open. The interior can heat up dangerously very quickly, and heatstroke can develop within a short time.
Plan your legs of the trip so they fall in the cooler times of day. In very hot weather, driving in the early morning, the evening or at night can be much easier on your dog.
👉 Recognizing heatstroke in dogs and responding correctly
A packing list helps with organization—but safety comes mainly from the right documents, preventive health care, identification and good management at your destination.
3. Health: what to sort out before the trip
The required documents
Status of the entry requirements: October 3, 2026, based on Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131 and the European Commission’s Your Europe portal. Entry rules can change—check the official information shortly before you travel.
For travel within the EU: an EU pet passport, a microchip and a valid rabies vaccination. After a first vaccination, there is a waiting period of at least 21 days. For Finland, Ireland, Malta, Norway and Northern Ireland, a tapeworm treatment within a window of 24 to 120 hours before entry is also required.
According to the European Commission, a pet passport is valid for life as long as the health entries, such as the rabies vaccination, are up to date; an existing passport does not need to be exchanged. For destinations outside the EU, the rules of the respective country apply.
Mediterranean diseases: why vaccination alone isn’t enough
When traveling to the Mediterranean region, several diseases transmitted by ticks and mosquitoes or sand flies are relevant—leishmaniasis, ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, heartworm. Pathogens, vectors and areas of distribution differ considerably: which diseases are relevant at a specific destination depends on region, season, length of stay and type of travel, and not every product protects against all vectors.
In Europe, a licensed vaccine against leishmaniasis is available. Two restrictions from the product information are an essential part of the picture:
First: testing for leishmaniasis is recommended before vaccination; only healthy, uninfected animals should be vaccinated.
Second—and this is the decisive sentence: according to the manufacturer, it is essential to take measures to reduce exposure to sand flies even in vaccinated dogs. So the vaccine doesn’t replace protection against bites; it supplements it. The European parasitology guideline ESCCAP likewise describes insecticides with repellent effect combined with vaccination as the best way to control leishmaniasis, and recommends keeping dogs indoors at dusk and dawn throughout the sand fly season (ESCCAP, 2024).
A central part of protection is suitable repellents, because they reduce exposure to the insects that transmit disease—collars or spot-on products, applied in good time before departure and renewed at the specified interval during the trip. A vaccine can supplement this protection but not replace it. That said, no repellent offers complete protection either.
Caution if you have cats at home: permethrin-containing products for dogs can be highly toxic to cats (ESCCAP, 2024). Cats must not come into contact with a freshly treated dog or with the application site while it is still damp; if dogs and cats share a household, choose and use these products in consultation with your veterinarian.
It’s best to discuss which combination suits your destination and your dog several weeks in advance—some measures need lead time.
After you get back
Testing for travel-related diseases makes sense, but not right away: several of these infections only become detectable after weeks to months (ESCCAP, 2024). Ask your veterinary practice about the right timing instead of testing immediately after the vacation and lulling yourself into a false sense of security.
First-aid kit
Bandaging material, wound disinfectant, a tick remover, disposable gloves, medication for motion sickness and diarrhea agreed with your veterinarian, plus the contact details of a veterinary clinic at your destination—looked up before you need them.
4. Identification: the point where many owners are caught off guard
A microchip alone isn’t enough for a quick reunion. What matters is that the number is registered in a pet registry or microchip database and linked to up-to-date contact details.
Check before the trip:
- Is the chip number registered, and are your phone number and address still correct?
- Can you add a vacation address or a second number where you can be reached? Many registries offer this.
- Does your dog wear an ID tag with a number where you can be reached while on vacation? Your landline number at home won’t help anyone.
As for tattoos: for travel within the EU, a tattoo is only recognized if it is clearly legible and was applied before July 3, 2011. As the sole form of identification, it is therefore no longer sufficient for most dogs.
A GPS tracker can be useful but replaces neither registration nor an ID tag.
On the day you arrive
Arrival day is one of the situations with a particularly high risk of a dog running off: new surroundings, lots of new impressions and doors left open while unloading.
On arrival day, keep your dog secured at first, even on properties that seem to be fenced in. Check doors, garden gates and fence height before you take the leash off. In unfamiliar terrain, a long line and a well-fitting harness provide extra security against startle and flight reactions.
5. Food, water and routine
A sudden change of food can cause digestive problems. So it usually makes sense to bring enough of your dog’s usual food and to make any necessary changes gradually.
Keep feeding times the same, bring a collapsible bowl and water for the road, and keep a daily routine similar to the one at home. Predictability helps your dog settle into the new surroundings.
6. Behavior at your destination
Local rules and leash requirements apply no matter how well your dog listens. Pick up after your dog, and be considerate of wildlife and grazing livestock.
One point with legal weight: a dog that chases wildlife abroad isn’t a training problem but potentially a serious legal one. The rules can be stricter than at home. In unfamiliar terrain with unknown wildlife, a long line is the smarter choice.
7. Activities—and rest
New impressions are tiring. A common mistake on vacation with a dog is packing every day full because, after all, you’re there.
Plan walks, outings and search games—and plan just as much rest. Set up a fixed retreat in your accommodation from the very beginning, with the blanket from home.
A dog that becomes restless after three days, sleeps poorly or overreacts to little things doesn’t need another hike—it needs a day with nothing planned.
👉 Before you leave your dog in someone else’s care: An emergency plan for your dog
8. Conclusion
The rest is planning, and most of it is enjoyable.
What really counts: heat is taken seriously, the registration is up to date and includes a number where you can be reached, and when it comes to Mediterranean diseases, nobody relies on the vaccine alone.
And the sentence that saves the most vacations: rest days aren’t lost vacation days.
References
- Delegierte Verordnung (EU) 2026/131 der Kommission vom 20. Januar 2026. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2026/131/oj
- European Commission. Your Europe – Travelling with pets and other animals in the EU. https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/carry/animal-plant/index_en.htm (official EU information; last checked by the European Commission: September 1, 2026)
- ESCCAP (2024). ESCCAP Guideline 05: Control of Vector-Borne Diseases in Dogs and Cats, 5th edition, December 2024. https://www.esccap.org/uploads/docs/32ir16g1_0775_ESCCAP_Guideline_GL5_20241203_1p.pdf (European guideline on vector-borne diseases, including leishmaniasis prevention)
- MSD Tiergesundheit. LETIFEND – Fachinformation. https://www.msd-tiergesundheit.de/produkte/letifend/
- Schäfer, I., et al. (2022). Ein Update zur Leishmaniose des Hundes. Tierärztliche Praxis Ausgabe K: Kleintiere/Heimtiere, 50, 431–445. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-1970-9590
About the evidence
The information on the leishmaniasis vaccine follows the product information of the licensed vaccine and a veterinary review article; according to these, protection against sand fly exposure is necessary even in vaccinated dogs. Experts differ in their assessments of effectiveness in the field and of the best approach—the decision belongs with your veterinary practice and depends on the destination, the length of stay and the dog.
Information on entry requirements reflects the status of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131 and the European Commission’s Your Europe portal as of October 3, 2026. Information on parasite prevention follows the current ESCCAP guideline on vector-borne diseases (5th edition, December 2024). Country-specific breed lists, muzzle and leash requirements are national or regional law and change over time; the binding information comes from the responsible authorities in the destination country. This article does not replace legal or veterinary advice.
Key takeaways on vacationing with your dog
What applies at home doesn’t apply everywhere. Leash requirements, muzzle rules and access bans differ considerably from country to country.
No vaccine alone protects against Mediterranean diseases. Protection against the insects that transmit them is the decisive part.
After you get back, keep an eye on a window of time—some diseases only show up weeks or months later.
A tattoo is no longer enough as the sole form of identification. For travel, the microchip is what counts.
A second reachable number in the registry matters more on vacation than at home—your landline won’t help anyone abroad.
Bring your dog’s usual food. A change of food while traveling can cause digestive problems when so much else is already new.
Don’t leave your dog in a parked car—not in the shade and not briefly.
A common mistake is packing every day full. New impressions are tiring, even the good ones.
Arrival day sets the tone: let your dog settle in, establish a routine early, don’t launch straight into the program.
Frequently asked questions about vacationing with your dog
Can every dog come along on vacation?
In principle, many dogs can travel with you, but not every destination and type of trip suits every dog. Age, health, susceptibility to stress and experience with transport and new surroundings should all be taken into account when planning.
What documents do I need to travel abroad with my dog?
For travel within the EU, the requirements usually include a microchip, a valid EU pet passport and a valid rabies vaccination. Depending on the destination country, additional requirements may apply, such as a tapeworm treatment or special rules for certain dogs. Since the rules can change, check the European Commission’s official information and the destination country’s authorities shortly before you travel.
How do I secure my dog in the car properly?
A dog should always be secured in the car, for example with a travel crate, a suitable harness-and-seatbelt system or a cargo barrier. With dogs that aren’t used to car travel, it makes sense to build up car rides gradually beforehand rather than practicing on the day you leave.
Can I leave my dog in the car in summer?
No. A dog should never be left in a parked car—not in the shade, not with the window open and not for a short time. The interior can heat up dangerously fast, and heatstroke can develop within a short time.
How do I protect my dog from travel-related diseases on vacation?
Protection depends on the destination. When traveling to regions where Mediterranean diseases occur, measures against disease-transmitting insects, veterinary advice and appropriate preventive care can be worthwhile. A vaccine does not automatically replace all other protective measures.
What should I keep in mind so my dog doesn’t run off on vacation?
New surroundings increase the risk of flight reactions. Especially on arrival day, doors, gates and restraints should be checked. A well-fitting harness, an up-to-date registration and a phone number where you can be reached on vacation improve safety.
Should my dog experience as much as possible on vacation?
No. New impressions are tiring for dogs. A good vacation consists not only of outings but also of rest periods. A fixed retreat and familiar routines help many dogs relax.
What leash rules apply when I’m on vacation with my dog?
The rules differ by country, region and protected area. Find out in advance about local leash requirements, muzzle rules and regulations for public areas. What’s allowed at home doesn’t automatically apply at your vacation destination.
Is a vaccine against Mediterranean diseases enough?
No, and this is one of the most consequential misunderstandings when traveling south. For some of these diseases there is no vaccine at all, and where there is one, it doesn’t necessarily prevent infection. The decisive protection lies elsewhere: in protection against the insects that transmit them—suitable products as agreed with your veterinarian, limiting time outdoors during the critical times of day, insect screens at your accommodation. And after you get back, keep an eye on a window of time, because some diseases only show up considerably later.
How do I plan a vacation that my dog will enjoy too?
With less on the schedule than feels right. New surroundings, unfamiliar sounds, different smells and strange people are a strain in themselves—even when nothing bad happens. It makes sense to treat arrival day as a rest day, to re-establish the familiar daily structure early and to limit outings to one per day. The evening is a useful guide: if your dog settles down and sleeps, the day was right. If it stays restless or eats less, it was too much.
