The most common reason a dog trip goes wrong is not something that happens on the road - it is something that was not done in the 48 hours before departure. The missed tick prevention. The vaccination certificate left at home. The hotel booking that was never confirmed by phone.

This checklist is organised by timeline, not by category. Use it by working backwards from your departure date.

2 Weeks Before: Health Preparation

  • Schedule vet visit if overdue for vaccinations
  • Check deworming date - if more than 3 months, do it now (not within 10 days of travel)
  • Book tick/flea treatment refill
  • Get fit-to-travel certificate if flying

1 Week Before: Booking Confirmation

  • Call your stay and confirm pet policy by phone
  • Research nearest vet to destination - save name, address and phone number
  • Check route for highway stops
  • Confirm road conditions on mountain routes

48 Hours Before: Preparation

  • Apply tick/flea spot-on treatment
  • Photograph your dogs - clear, recent full-body photo saved to phone
  • Check collar and ID tags - tag must show your current phone number
  • Pack dog bag
  • Print or save vaccination certificates digitally

Night Before: Car Preparation

  • Set up the dog space in the car
  • Check tyre pressure and fuel
  • Download offline maps
  • Set your stop alarms
  • Charge all devices

Day of Departure: Final Checks

  • Feed dogs their normal meal at normal time
  • Last bathroom break 30–45 minutes before loading
  • Check the dog bag is actually in the car
  • Water in the car and accessible
  • Leashes on and accessible

At Your Stay

  • Walk dogs on leash through property first
  • Identify potential hazards
  • Ask reception about garbage collection points
  • Confirm pool and garden access times

For the complete car travel guide, see How to travel with dogs in India by car. For the packing list, see Road trip packing list.

🐾

Have a Question?

If you have a question about travelling with dogs in India that this guide does not answer, submit it here - we add the most common questions to our FAQ sections regularly.

See all our verified pet-friendly places: Explore places →