Documentation Required to Travel with Your Dog

Make Sure That All Documentation is in Proper Order When Travelling with Pets

The gorgeous weather experienced across Southern Ontario this fall has certainly been a hot topic of conversation (pun intended) among friends and strangers alike; the brilliant sunshine and high temperatures that extended over many consecutive days undoubtedly left local residents wondering why such conditions had been virtually non-existent during a significant portion of the traditional summer season.

Regrettably, this streak of nice weather will soon come to an end (sorry about that) with the return of winter’s bitter conditions. Luckily, some individuals have plans in the offing to head south for the winter, perhaps to Florida or Arizona, where they may continue to enjoy warm sunshine and comfortable temperatures for several more months; many of these so-called Snowbirds are also dog owners who fully intend to have their pets travel south with them as well.

However, this is not a matter of simply taking the dog along for the drive or flight to that southern destination. In the same way that people must have a valid passport to enter the United States, a pet accompanying their owner needs proper travel documentation to cross the border; in essence, the dog should have its own pet passport.

When travelling with their pets to the United States, dog owners should make sure that the following are implemented satisfactorily for their dogs:

• A general health certificate completed and signed by their veterinarian
• Rabies vaccination administered at least 30 days prior to the travel date
• Valid rabies vaccination certificate completed by a veterinarian, including:
  • Name and home address of the dog owner
  • Breed, gender, age, and colour(s) of the dog
  • Date of vaccination and vaccine product information
  • Veterinarian’s name, address, license number, and signature
• Up-to-date core vaccinations (DHLPP):
  • Distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus, parainfluenza
• Microchip identification (recommended) linked to the registered dog owner

In addition to the above measures, there is some other rather important information that dog owners should bear in mind when travelling with their pets; this would include:

• Rabies vaccines are not given to puppies less than three months of age
  • Therefore, dogs must be at least four months old to enter the U.S.
• The United States does not restrict entry to any specific breeds of dog
  • However, individual cities might have enacted bylaws to this effect
  • Snowbirds should research this as part of their pet’s travel itinerary

Last but not certainly least, there remains an indisputable reason why dog owners would be well-advised to fully investigate and abide by all pet travel policies and documentation needs – not only do they want their pet to accompany them during the time spent out of the country, they must have matters in order to assure the dog’s re-entry to Canada too.

Dog Obedience Training and Its Positive Impact for People Travelling with Pets

Along with the health, immunization, and legal stipulations for travelling with pets, a key dynamic to guaranteeing a mutually-enjoyable trip for a dog and its owner would be the appropriate behaviour of the dog during its time abroad. As the dog will likely encounter some unfamiliar people and some new and different environments, it would be especially important for the owner to have the confidence that their dog will behave and interact in an acceptable manner at all times throughout their stay.

While this could be true for all dogs, it is particularly applicable to puppies/younger dogs that might be travelling out-of-the-country for the first time; thus, to establish this level of sureness/certainty, dog owners might want to consider the Puppy Pre-School Training Program offered by the professional trainers from Alpha Paws in Newmarket. The team from Alpha Paws is skilled in delivering the type of training and positive reinforcement needed to ensure that dogs respond and act politely and obediently both at home and in public, wherever those locations happen to be at any point in time.

For further information on the Puppy Pre-School Training Program offered by the experts at Alpha Paws, please check our Puppy Pre-school training page.

For older dogs that may benefit from the obedience training expertise of the Alpha Paws professionals, owners can learn more about these programs and their various formats on our website.

To ensure that you and your dog enjoy your time away in the sun this winter, consider a dog obedience training program to instill or refresh the behaviours you expect from your canine companion. Call the professionals from Alpha Paws toll-free at 1-647-694-4584 today to discuss your specific needs and to arrange an in-home assessment of your dog.