Short answer: For a boarding kennel, bring written proof from your vet of rabies, distemper, parvovirus and Bordetella vaccination, plus your dog's medications, feeding instructions, and your vet's contact details. For a new vet, ask your old clinic to send the full record, and bring a list of current medications and doses, allergies, past diagnoses, the microchip number, and what your dog eats. Call ahead: every kennel and clinic has its own list.
Most records problems happen at the worst moment: the morning of a trip, when the kennel will not take your dog without a certificate, or the first visit to a new clinic, when nobody can remember the name of the medication that stopped working last year. Both are avoidable with ten minutes of preparation.
For a Boarding Kennel
According to VCA Animal Hospitals, rabies, canine distemper, parvovirus and Bordetella (kennel cough) vaccines are required almost everywhere, and most kennels want written proof from a licensed veterinarian. Kennels also expect your dog to be up to date on parasite prevention.
| Bring | Why |
|---|---|
| Vaccination proof (rabies, distemper, parvovirus, Bordetella) | Usually required before check-in, from your vet rather than a handwritten list |
| Medications, in original packaging | With the dose, times, and how to give each one |
| Feeding instructions and food | Sudden diet changes are a common cause of stomach upset while boarding |
| Your vet's name and number | So staff can call if something changes |
| Emergency authorization and a backup contact | Someone who can make decisions if you cannot be reached |
| Known allergies and behaviour notes | Anything staff need to handle your dog safely |
Check the timing. Some kennels want Bordetella given a set number of days before boarding so it has time to work. Ask when you book, not when you pack. If your puppy is still in the middle of the vaccination series, our puppy first year guide covers the typical schedule.
For a New Vet
The single most useful step is to ask your previous clinic to send your dog's full medical record straight to the new one before the appointment. Clinic-to-clinic transfer is routine and gets you the lab results and notes you would not think to ask for.
Bring or have ready:
- Vaccination history, with dates and which vaccines
- Current medications and supplements, with doses and how often
- Allergies and past reactions to medications, vaccines, or foods
- Past diagnoses, surgeries, and test results
- Microchip number, and confirmation that the registration has your current phone number and address
- Diet: brand, amount, treats, and any recent changes
- Parasite prevention: which products and when the last doses were given
- Your questions, written down, because they vanish in the exam room
If your dog is older or has an ongoing condition, a short timeline of what changed and when is worth more than any single test result. Our senior dog care guide explains why that history matters so much.
For Travel, Daycare, and Groomers
Daycares and groomers usually ask for the same vaccination proof as kennels. If you are travelling across borders, requirements are stricter and set by the destination country, often including a rabies certificate and a health certificate issued within a fixed window before travel, so start with the destination's official government guidance and your vet, well in advance.
Keep a Working Copy on Your Phone
The signed certificates from your vet are the documents that count. Keep them together, and keep a working copy you can reach anywhere.
PawDex keeps that working copy in its Health Passport:
- Vaccinations and medications, with reminders for each medication
- Uploaded certificates and documents, such as a photo or PDF of a vaccination record, and PawDex can pull details such as the microchip number from an uploaded record
- Microchip number and custom fields for anything else a kennel or vet asks about
- Synced to your account, so it survives a lost or replaced phone
PawDex does not export records, so when a kennel needs written proof, ask your vet to send it. What the app gives you is every date, dose, and detail in one place when someone asks. Keeping an eye on things like tick prevention gets easier when the schedule lives in the same place.
Download PawDex free on Google Play, or read more care guides on the PawDex blog.
Sources
- VCA Animal Hospitals, Boarding Your Dog
This article is general guidance. Vaccine requirements vary by kennel, clinic, and location; confirm with them and with your veterinarian.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most boarding kennels require rabies, distemper, parvovirus and Bordetella (kennel cough), according to VCA Animal Hospitals, and usually want written proof from a licensed veterinarian. Some also ask for canine influenza or other vaccines, so call the kennel before you book.
Bring vaccination history, a list of current medications with doses, known allergies, past diagnoses and test results, your dog's microchip number, and what and how much your dog eats. The easiest route is to ask your previous clinic to send the full record directly to the new one.
Not always. Many kennels want written proof from a veterinarian, such as the signed rabies certificate or a record your vet emails them. Ask the kennel what it accepts, and ask your vet to send it before drop-off.
Keep the signed certificates your vet gives you, and keep a working copy on your phone. PawDex stores vaccinations, medications, uploaded certificates and documents, and the microchip number in its Health Passport, so the details are on hand when a new vet or kennel asks.