Dog vaccination records for dog walkers and boarders

Before a new dog's first walk, day or stay, ask the owner for a vaccination record from their vet and check that the core vaccines (distemper, hepatitis and parvovirus) and leptospirosis are in date. If you board dogs or run a day care, you'll often want kennel cough cover too. Boosters run on different schedules, so go by the "next due" dates on the vet's record rather than a blanket rule, and set reminders so nothing lapses without you noticing.

This guide is for dog walkers, day cares and boarders. It covers what to ask for, how to check a record, and what to do when a vaccination runs out. It's general information, not veterinary advice: the right vaccines for any dog are a decision for the owner and their vet, and your licence conditions or insurer may set their own requirements.

Why should a dog business check vaccinations?

Dogs in your care mix with other dogs, share vehicles and visit the same places. Checking vaccinations helps protect every dog you look after, as well as your reputation. It's also often required:

Licensing. In England, the statutory guidance for licensed home boarding, kennels and day care says dogs (including your own resident dogs) must have current vaccinations against parvovirus, distemper, infectious hepatitis and leptospirosis, and that an up-to-date vet record "must be seen".
Insurance. Some policies expect you to check vaccination status, so read your policy wording.
Local law. In some places certain vaccines are a legal requirement. In Ontario, for example, owners must have dogs aged three months or over vaccinated against rabies.

Which vaccines should I ask about?

The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) says the core vaccines that all dogs everywhere should have protect against canine distemper, canine adenovirus (which causes infectious hepatitis) and canine parvovirus. Leptospirosis and rabies are treated as core where those diseases are present. Kennel cough vaccines are usually "lifestyle" vaccines, recommended for dogs that mix with lots of others.

Here's what you'll usually see on a record, with UK booster timings from PDSA as a guide. Intervals depend on the vaccine used and the vet's advice, so always follow the dates on the record.

Disease	Often written as	Usual booster (UK guide)	Notes
Distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus	D, H (or A), P, often combined as DHP	Usually every 3 years after the primary course	Core vaccines worldwide
Parainfluenza	Pi, as in DHPPi	Often yearly	One cause of kennel cough
Leptospirosis	L, L2 or L4	Usually every year	PDSA advises it for all UK dogs; elsewhere it depends on local risk
Kennel cough (Bordetella, sometimes with parainfluenza)	KC	Each year the dog is at risk	Often given as a spray up the nose, not an injection
Rabies	R	Every 1 to 3 years, depending on the vaccine	Needed for travel abroad from the UK, and required by law in some places

Different names in different countries

Vaccine names vary. In Australia, the three core vaccines are often given together as a "C3", and a "C5" adds parainfluenza and Bordetella bronchiseptica. RSPCA Australia recommends the extra cover for dogs that regularly mix with others, including on walks, at day care and in boarding. Elsewhere, ask owners to show you the vet's record rather than just telling you the name, so you can see exactly what was given.

Kennel cough

PDSA says kennel cough vaccination is "usually a requirement" if a dog goes to kennels, day care or has a dog walker. Many boarding kennels and day cares ask for it as standard, and English licensing guidance says it "may be required". It doesn't protect against every cause of kennel cough, and it takes a few days to work, so ask owners to check timing with their vet before a stay.

How often do boosters need to be done?

There's no single answer, which is why the "next due" date matters more than any rule of thumb. A few points to keep in mind:

Puppies usually have a primary course of two or three injections. PDSA says they're fully protected 2 to 4 weeks after the last one. English licensing guidance says primary courses must be finished at least 2 weeks before a dog is accepted into boarding or day care.
Core boosters are often every 3 years for adult dogs, but some vaccines and vets work differently.
Leptospirosis usually needs a booster every year.
Kennel cough protection usually lasts about a year.

If an owner says their vet has moved them to a different schedule, ask for that in writing on the record.

What counts as proof?

Ask for the vet's vaccination card, certificate or a printout from the practice. A clear photo or PDF is usually fine. Check that it shows:

the dog's name, and ideally its microchip number or a description
each vaccine given, by name or product
the date it was given
the date the next dose is due
the vet practice's details, stamp or signature

Some owners use titre tests instead of core boosters. These blood tests check immunity to distemper, hepatitis and parvovirus. English licensing guidance lets licence holders accept a recent protective titre test certificate in place of a booster, but it's the licence holder's choice. PDSA notes there's no titre test for leptospirosis, so that vaccine still needs to be current. The same guidance says homeopathic "vaccination" isn't acceptable.

How do I keep track of expiry dates?

Record each vaccine separately, with the date given and the date due, rather than a single "vaccinated: yes". Then:

Remind owners early. A message about a month before a booster is due, and again a week before, gives them time to book the vet.
Check again before long stays in case something lapses mid-booking.
Ask for the updated record once the booster's done, and update your file.
Keep the records. Licensed businesses in England must keep their records for at least 3 years.

Our free vaccination tracker can help you keep on top of due dates.

What should I do if a dog's vaccination lapses?

Decide your policy in advance, put it in your terms and conditions, and apply it the same way for everyone. Common approaches:

Let the owner know straight away, kindly, with the date it ran out.
Pause bookings for day care, boarding or group walks until you've seen an updated record. Some walkers offer solo walks in the meantime.
Ask the owner to speak to their vet. Depending on how overdue the booster is, the vet may give a single booster or restart the course. Manufacturer guidance for vets suggests a short delay of a few months may not matter much, but restarting is more typical after a longer gap.
Follow your licence and insurance rules. If you're licensed, you may not be able to accept the dog until it's back in date.

Dogs showing signs of illness, such as coughing, sickness or diarrhoea, shouldn't join other dogs until they've recovered, whatever their vaccination status.

A simple vaccination policy you could adapt

We need to see a vet's vaccination record before the first booking.
Dogs must be in date for distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and leptospirosis, or have a vet's titre certificate for the core diseases.
Kennel cough vaccination is required for day care and boarding.
We'll remind you before boosters are due.
If a vaccination lapses, we'll pause bookings until we see an updated record.

Adapt it to your licence conditions, your insurer's requirements and your vet's advice.

How Trusthound helps

Trusthound stores each dog's vaccinations with their due dates and sends owners reminders before they lapse. It sits alongside bookings, card and Direct Debit payments, daily care records and owner updates with photos and GPS routes. For licensed day care and boarding in the UK, you can export an inspection pack PDF. It helps you keep track, but the right vaccines for each dog are always a decision for the owner and their vet.

Sources

Checked 20 October 2026.

This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Rules vary between areas and change over time, so check with your local authority or an adviser.

Dog vaccination records: a guide for dog walkers, day cares and boarders