Holiday with dog

Traveling with your dog is a wonderful experience. You can spend time together and thus build a deep relationship and at the same time create an intimate bond through shared new experiences. If you are planning a holiday with your dog, you will probably travel by car. We have in the article Tips for long car journeys with a dog We have compiled recommendations for you on how a long car journey can be 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 always have to research new entry regulations. For list dogs, like our dog breeds, separate or even stricter regulations sometimes apply. Some breeds are not allowed to enter some countries at all.
With this blog we will help you to find the right entry requirements for Denmark in a nutshell.

Entry requirements for Denmark with a dog / listed dog Denmark is a beautiful country made up of several islands. it lies between Central Europe and Scandinavia. This means it is right on the water and surrounded by nature. Denmark borders the North Sea to the west and the Baltic Sea to the north and northeast. Almost two thirds of Denmark's surface falls on the Jutland Peninsula. The remaining third consists of about 480 islands. The climate is similar to the maritime climate with rather cool summers and mild winters, but high humidity. It is therefore an ideal country for all those people and dogs who don't like it particularly hot or particularly cold. The Danish way of life of hygge is particularly well known. Hygge is part of the Danish way of life and describes a cozy atmosphere and enjoying life. Sounds inviting, doesn't it? It's that easy for dog people for the No vacation - at least not for all dog breeds.

Denmark regulates the entry requirements for dogs in the Danish Dog Act. The entry regulations apply to tourists as well as other people who bring dogs with them. The current and very strict dog law has been in force since June 2014 (as of January 2022). On the one hand, stricter entry regulations were defined here, but also stricter requirements within Denmark were worked out. Dogs that attack a human or other dog will be euthanized by the police. The Danes do not distinguish whether it is a local dog or a tourist dog. In such a case, however, the owner can request an assessment from an independent expert. That fact is frightening. Denmark itself advertises on the website of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries that since only 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. A total of 622 dogs were euthanized under the provisions of the Danish Dog Act. However, this number should be seen in relation to the total number of dogs living in Denmark, which is more than 585,000 according to the latest figures from the Danish police.”

- Danish Veterinary And Food Administration

In addition, Denmark prohibits the breeding, keeping and importing of 13 specific dog breeds, as well as mixed breeds containing these breeds. The following 13 dog breeds and their mixed breeds are prohibited in Denmark: American Pitbull Terrier Tosa Inu American Staffordshire Terrier Brazilian queue Dogo Argentino American bulldog Boerboel Coil Central Asian Ovcharka Caucasian Ovcharka South Russian Ovcharka Tornjak Šarplaninac

As a result, the Danish Dog Act excludes holidaying in Denmark with one of the above breeds or a crossbreed containing one of the above breeds. The police may require official proof (with traceable parentage) identifying the breed. A DNA breed test or a breeding pedigree is considered official proof. Especially if your dog resembles one of the breeds banned in Denmark, we would recommend that you provide written proof or advise against a holiday in Denmark. 

Entry requirements checklist 

✅ Valid EU pet passport

✅ Microchip with transponder number in the EU pet passport 

✅ Valid rabies vaccination (no later than 21 days before entry)

✅ No puppies younger than 15 weeks (first vaccination against rabies at the age of 12 weeks at the earliest, then another 21 days until the development of an effective vaccination protection) 

✅ None of the 13 breeds and their hybrids from the Danish Prohibited List

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

Passing through Denmark with list dog

A holiday in Denmark with a dog is not possible for every breed of dog. However, if you want to travel from Sweden to Germany or vice versa, passing through Denmark is the shortest way. All dog breeds are permitted to transit through Denmark, regardless of whether they are listed dogs or a breed from Denmark's prohibited list. If the dog is one of the 13 prohibited dog breeds mentioned above or a crossbreed containing 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 discouraged.

We personally recommend that you simply carry proof of a hotel in Sweden or Germany for the same day when passing through with one of the 13 prohibited dog breeds. So you are on the safe side. If transit is too delicate for you due to the law, you can skip Denmark and use a ferry. 

Our personal experience

We traveled via Denmark with our two dogs on our trip to Sweden. Since Vito is an American Staffordshire Terrier mix and Amalia is an American Pitbull Terrier, both are prohibited breeds. With a same-day hotel reservation in the Swedish city of Malmo, we had proof that we were just passing through. We were stopped at the Danish border, but we weren't asked about the dogs. For a short pee break we stopped at a service area and let the dogs loosen their leashes. Since it was dark and we really only stopped for a very short time, there were no further incidents on our trip. On social media reads but you always get different horror stories. Personally, we know too little about the background to these stories and cannot research them sufficiently. From our own experience we can describe the transit as unproblematic.