How to travel with your dog

Travelling with your dog. Walking with the Lagotto

The first journey of the Lagotto is certainly that of the puppy that leaves our breeding. Afterwards it will surely happen to plan a holiday with the dog. The choice of the means of transport is certainly linked to the destination to be reached. The age of the dog or a trip abroad requires specific documentation and health certificates for different situations. Let’s try to see some of them.

Travelling with your dog: Documentation

• Passport: This is done at the ASL (Local Health Authority) where you can also find the dog registry office. We will have to have the Lagotto Romagnolo with us for the microchip reading and we will have to pay an amount that may vary from region to region. A prerequisite for obtaining the passport is simply that the dog is equipped with a microchip.
• vaccination booklet: This is the booklet that we deliver on the day of the puppy’s foster care and it is regularly updated by the vet every time we do the vaccine booster.
• rabies vaccination: It is a NON COMPULSORY vaccination in Italy. In fact, Italy is not a country at risk. It can only be done after the puppy has turned three months of age.
• certificate of good health: This is a certificate issued by the vet who, after a general examination of the puppy’s state of health, issues a certificate.

Contact with wild: It is a self-declaration made by the owner of the puppy. When the puppy has not yet reached the 12 weeks necessary for rabies vaccination.

Travelling with the Lagotto Romagnolo as a puppy and as an adult: Car, airplane, ship, train

• By Car: The first journey, that of the puppy leaving our kennel, generally takes place on a blanket and on the legs of a child of the family that welcomes the puppy. Even rather long journeys are well tolerated by small Lagotti. After the first few bends the puppy generally spends the time sleeping. A little stress, a little the new situation, better to sleep on it. Afterwards the journey should be done in extreme safety using safety belts like the one of the Lagotto in the picture or with suitable carriers. Some Lagotti are immediately at ease with the car, others take some time to accept it. In these cases it is important to make positive associations to go by car: some prize or a destination to go for a nice walk.
• By plane: Using the plane as a means of transport is a solution to be considered when we really cannot do without it. As long as the Lagotto is a puppy and its weight allows it can be accompanied with us in the cabin. At the end of the day it’s not even too bad, as the transfer by car would actually be very long. The airlines each have their own rules. In general three months of age are required and the total weight must not exceed 8 Kg. The puppy must have the vaccinations certified by the health booklet. A suitable ATA carrier must be used, and the puppy must have a ticket. The certificate of good health can simplify the checks even when not explicitly required. When the destination is abroad things get a bit complicated as we will see later.
• By Ship: Some companies provide a cabin suitable for travelling with your dog. Three months of age, vaccinations and sometimes a certificate of good health are required. Also in this case if we are heading abroad we will have to take into account the rules of the country of arrival.
• By Train: Travel by train is generally comfortable and well accepted by the puppy. Comfortable and easily manageable even with an Adult Lagotto Dog. There are no particular controls on the certification of the dog to board. I report the link to the state railways for detailed information on the transport of pets.

Travelling with the Lagotto Romagnolo: In Italy, in the European Community, outside the EU

To travel in Italy it will be sufficient to respect the rules described above. It is necessary to inquire with the reference company if we travel by ship or plane.

In the European Community puppies up to 12 weeks old can circulate without rabies vaccination. Certainly not by ship or plane as all companies require the puppy to be three months old. After 12 weeks the puppies must also be vaccinated for rabies for at least 21 days. In other words, puppies between the 12th and the 15th cannot leave Italy. For the adult dog, the annual rabies booster will be sufficient, or 21 days if it is the first time.

It will therefore be necessary to have a passport, vaccination booklet in order.

To enter Switzerland, a puppy under 12 weeks must also have a declaration that it has not had contact with the wild and a certificate of good health drawn up by a veterinarian.

To travel outside the European Community we are likely to talk about aeroplane or ship, in any case we will certainly have to wait at least 15 weeks for the rabies issue described above. At this point we will have to check with the embassy of the country of destination for any necessary certification. Sometimes blood tests or specific controls or vaccinations for diseases typical of the country of destination are required. A fairly frequent half is the USA, and to be in good standing with the documentation becomes essential to avoid quarantine isolation for our dog for lack of proper certification.

There are agencies specialised in the transport of pets that can be of valuable help for important journeys. BLISSPET or IPATA

A holiday in a motorhome with your pet is a positive experience and with many benefits, the documents will certainly have to be in order, but over the bureaucratic part….. the Lagotto Romagnolo is an excellent travel companion.