Vacation with dog

Traveling with your dog is a wonderful experience. You can spend time together and build a deep relationship and at the same time create a close bond through shared new experiences. If you are planning a vacation with your dog, you will probably travel by car. We have in the article Tips for long car journeys with a dog We have put together recommendations for you on how to make a long car journey pleasant for you and your dog. You can also download our free packing list for dogs in this article. 

We personally travel a lot with our Bulli within Europe. We have to research entry regulations again and again. For listed dogs, like our dog breeds, separate or even stricter regulations sometimes apply. In some countries, some breeds are not allowed to enter at all.
With this blog we will help you find the right entry requirements for Denmark in a nutshell and to the point.

Entry requirements for Denmark with dogs/listed dogs Denmark is a beautiful country consisting of several islands. It lies between Central Europe and Scandinavia. This means it is located right on the water and surrounded by nature. Denmark borders the North Sea in the west and the Baltic Sea in the north and northeast. Almost two thirds of Denmark's area falls on the Jutland Peninsula. The remaining third consists of around 480 islands. The climate is similar to that of the sea with rather cool summers and mild winters, but high humidity. It is therefore an ideal country for all those people and dogs who do not like it particularly hot or particularly cold. The Danish lifestyle of Hygge is particularly well known. Hygge is part of the Danish way of life and describes a cozy atmosphere and the enjoyment of life. Sounds inviting, right? It's that simple for dog people Not a vacation – at least not for all dog breeds.

Denmark regulates the entry requirements for dogs in the Danish Dog Act. The entry requirements apply to both tourists and other people who bring dogs with them. The current and very strict dog law has been in effect since June 2014 (as of January 2022). On the one hand, stricter entry regulations were defined here, but also stricter requirements within Denmark were drawn up. Dogs that attack a human or other dog are euthanized by the police. The Danes do not differentiate whether it is a local dog or a tourist dog. In such a case, however, as the owner you can request an assessment from an independent expert. This fact is quite frightening. Denmark itself advertises on the website of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries that only since then 622 Dogs were affected. We still find it uninviting: 

“Since the law came into force in 2010, a total of 465 dogs on the banned list have been euthanized and 157 dogs have been euthanized after attacking other animals or people. In total, 622 dogs were euthanized due to the provisions of the Danish Dog Act. However, this number must be seen in relation to the total number of dogs living in Denmark, which, according to recent data from the Danish police, is more than 585,000.”

- Danish Veterinary And Food Administration

Denmark also prohibits the breeding, keeping and importing of 13 certain breeds of dogs, as well as mixed breeds containing these breeds. The following 13 dog breeds and their mixed breeds are banned in Denmark: American Pitbull Terrier Tosa Inu American Staffordshire Terrier Fila Brasileiro Dogo Argentino American bulldog Boerboel Coil Central Asian Ovcharka Caucasian Ovcharka South Russian Ovcharka Tornjak Šarplaninac

As a result, the Danish Dog Law excludes vacationing in Denmark with one of the above-mentioned breeds or a mixed breed containing one of the above-mentioned breeds. The police may request official proof (with traceable ancestry) that determines the race. A DNA breed test or a breeding pedigree is considered official proof. Especially if your dog resembles one of the breeds banned by Denmark, we would recommend that you provide written proof or advise against a holiday in Denmark. 

Checklist entry requirements 

✅ Valid EU pet passport

✅ Microchip with transponder number in the EU pet passport 

✅ Valid rabies vaccination (at least 21 days before entry)

✅ No puppies younger than 15 weeks (initial rabies vaccination at the earliest at 12 weeks of age, then another 21 days until effective vaccination protection is developed) 

✅ None of the 13 breeds and their mixed breeds from the Danish banned list

Dogs from non-EU member states must have one "Travellers Point" be imported into Denmark. Dogs from Switzerland can enter Denmark via any border crossing and are not subject to any document checks by the responsible authorities. 

Traveling through Denmark with a listed dog

Vacationing in Denmark with a dog is not possible for every breed of dog. However, if you want to go from Sweden to Germany or vice versa, transiting through Denmark is the shortest route. Transit through Denmark is permitted for all dog breeds, regardless of whether they are a listed dog or a breed from Denmark's prohibited list. If it is a dog that is one of the above 13 prohibited dog breeds or a mixed breed that contains one of the above breeds, then the dog may only leave the means of transport (car) on a leash and for short breaks to loosen it. Longer stays are strictly not recommended.

We personally recommend that you simply carry proof of your hotel for Sweden or Germany for the same day if you are traveling through with a dog of the 13 banned dog breeds. So you are on the safe side. If transit is too difficult for you due to the law, you can skip Denmark and use a ferry. 

Our personal experience

We traveled via Denmark on our trip to Sweden with our two dogs. Since Vito is an American Staffordshire Terrier mix and Amalia is an American Pitbull Terrier, both are forbidden breeds. With a hotel reservation for the same day in the Swedish city of Malmö, we had proof that we were just passing through. We were stopped at the Danish border, but were not asked any further about the dogs. We stopped at a rest stop for a short pee break and let the dogs come off the leash. Since it was dark and we only stopped for a very short time, there were no further incidents on our trip. On social media reads However, there are always different horror stories. We personally don't know enough about the background of these stories and can't research them sufficiently. From our own experience we can describe the transit as unproblematic.