It has been an year when I brought home my pug puppy – we named him Kancha (marbles in English). Very soon I realised he wasn’t fond of car rides, his anxiety would kick in badly and even a small 15 minute ride felt like a torture for him. Cut to 8 months later, he’s grown used to 1-2 hour car rides & now we were planning to take him on a road trip from Delhi to Ajmer. Honestly, the idea of taking Kancha along on a trip felt more stressful than exciting. Are there any pet friendly hotels in a small town like Pushkar where we wanted to stay because of the lake? What about any nearby vets? Would he handle 8-9 hour car ride? What if he got sick on the way or wouldn’t eat anything? If you’ve asked yourself the same questions, this post is for you. Travel is really stressful for them, make sure you read till the end of post for the complete dog travel checklist for India, these are tips and tricks that actually work.
Travelling with a dog in India is far easier today than it was even five years ago — but “easier” doesn’t mean “we’ll figure it out as you go.” A little prep goes a long way toward a trip that’s actually fun for both of you, not just tolerable. Here’s the dog travel checklist we now use every single time, broken into prep, transport, and packing.
Dog Travel Checklist for India : Start Prep at Least 2 Weeks Before You Travel
The single biggest mistake pet parents make is booking the trip first and thinking about the fur baby second. If you love your dog like your child, flip that order and plan your dog travel checklist for India ahead of the trip.
Two weeks out:
- Make sure your pet’s vaccines are updated. If not, book a vet visit to confirm vaccinations are current, especially the Anti-Rabies and DHLPP (or DHPPi) shots.
- Ask your vet directly about your specific destination and mode of travel — altitude, heat, or a long train journey can matter more than people assume. Good doctors usually advice with tips as per your pet’s breeds.
- If your dog isn’t used to a crate or carrier, start short practice sessions now. Or get him/her used to in a dog car seat and secure with a leash, especially if he is used to sitting in front. Sitting on the back seat might not appeal him on a long road trip. On our first trip, I used to sit with him in the back seat when he wasn’t comfortable in the front seat.
One week out:
- Confirm pet policies directly with your hotel or homestay or Airbnb. “Pet-friendly” listed online can actually mean very different things in practice — some properties only allow pets under a certain weight, or charge a cleaning fee you’ll want to know about upfront.
- If you’re flying, call the airline and request a “pet booking” specifically. Most Indian carriers don’t let you add this online, and slots fill up. Small dog breeds can easily go in cabin, larger breeds pet parents, I feel for you, you still have to wait for rules to relax.
48 hours before:
- Get a “fit to fly” or fitness-to-travel certificate from your vet if required — for air travel, this usually needs to be dated within 24–48 hours of departure, not earlier.
- Pack (see checklist below) so you’re not scrambling the morning of the travel.
Choosing How You Travel in Planning Dog Travel Checklist for India
By Road
The most flexible and least stressful option for most dogs/cats. Plan for a stop every 2–3 hours for water, a bathroom break, and a stretch. My pug likes to snuggle in the foot area of front passenger seat.
On the first trip, he was extremely uncomfortable with the noises that comes with the high speed of our car on the expressway. On first trip, we only packed a shawl to cover him, but we end up using it as his base since the engine noise scared him a lot, he slept a lot on my lap. On the second trip, we decided it is best to pack his bed and he was much more comfortable and slept like a baby the entire trip. The only downside is that I had to remove my shoes as I didn’t want his bed to get dirty, but it was worth it.
Never let your dog ride with its head out the window for long stretches, especially on the expressways or highways. it is really unsafe at high speeds. Good trick for a few minutes if it this relieves their anxiety. Mine actually still doesn’t like to watch out from the window more than a minute or two.
If you’re driving alone, and your fur baby dog sits on the front seat, always use a harness with a seatbelt clip or a secured crate — an unrestrained dog in a moving car is a real safety risk, not just a comfort issue. If 2 or more people are travelling, and your dog sites on the back seat, securing him with leash/seatbelt clip is a security hack you shouldn’t avoid.
When choosing restaurants or dhabas, pick where there is open seating, and decent parking area. Open seating means the baby can actually sit with on the table. They’re family, we shouldn’t have to leave them behind, they can dine with us even during trips. Parking areas meaning walk opportunity for them, this further helps in relieving their travel anxiety.
By Train
Indian Railways does allow pets, but the rules catch people out. If you want your dog with you rather than in the luggage van, you’ll need to book an entire First AC coupe or cabin — you can’t share the compartment with other passengers when travelling with a pet. Carry your dog’s documents, and keep water and a collapsible bowl within easy reach rather than packed away. I always carry my pup’s travel water bottle, it brings him a sense of familiarity.
By Air
This is where the most planning is required:
- Pets typically travel in the cabin (if under a certain weight (usually 8-10 kgs, in an approved carrier) or in cargo, depending on the airline and dog’s size.
- Brachycephalic breeds — pugs, French bulldogs, boxers, Shih Tzus — face real respiratory risk in cargo holds, and many airlines restrict or refuse cargo travel for these breeds. If you have a pug like ours, cabin travel or an alternative mode is worth prioritising. I would never make my pug travel in cargo.
- Confirm crate specifications with the airline well in advance; a crate that doesn’t meet spec can mean being turned away at check-in.
What to Pack
Skip the generic 40-item lists. Here’s what consistently earns its space in the bag for my dog travel checklist for India:
Here is the actual Dog Travel Checklist for India
Documents
- Vaccination certificates (originals plus photos saved on your phone)
- Fitness-to-travel certificate, if applicable
- Recent photo of your dog, in case you’re ever separated
- A tag on dog’s harness/neck band with your phone number mentioned.
Food & Water
- Your dog’s regular food — don’t switch brands right before or during travel. I feed my pug home cooked meals, but it is not guaranteed. Even though boiled chicken/egg should be easily available, it really is not. I pack wet food packets, the duck and quinoa and some vegetarian ones from Sara’s are some of my pug’s favorites. Kitchen Kennel, Pedigree etc., also have good options. For small meal breaks, these are easy to give without getting spoiled. On the first trip we packed some home cooked food, assuming it can be stored in the restaurant’s fridge. Sadly, they kept it out of fridge to make space for other food items for restaurant meals.
- I also pack some treat packets with me. Salmon treats from First Bark and Cod fish from Chip Chops are really good and healthier options.
- A leak-proof travel water bottle with an attached bowl, in my opinion these dog travel bottles are an amazing invention.
- A few days’ extra food, in case your trip runs long or local options aren’t available. In places like Pushkar, we were not able to find even a boiled egg as this is a completely vegetarian town. We relied on packed wet food or roti/rice with curd easily available in most restaurants.
Comfort & Safety
- A familiar blanket or bed — scent matters more than you’d think for a nervous traveller. We packed Kancha’s bed as he likes to sit/sleep on foot of front passenger seat. This one trick worked like wonders.
- Harness and a seatbelt clip for car travel, or an airline-approved crate for flights
- A well-fitted collar with an ID tag showing your current phone number
- My puggy loved his toys, I never miss to pack this. Any one or two of his favorites will keep him not only engaged but also comforting to be around his toy in a new & unfamiliar place.
Health
- A basic pet first-aid kit (cotton, antiseptic, bandage, tick remover)
- Any regular medication, packed with a few spare days’ worth, betadin or savlon are a must.
- Contact details for a vet at your destination, not just your regular one. I am a member of Vetic Clinic, so their 24hours online consultation always helps.
- Any daily supplements which can be carried easily, like we use Carri pets Hip joint supplement and dental supplement, they are dry chewable tablets, easier to carry than liquid supplements.
Clean-up
- Poop bags (more than you think you’ll need). We pack extra always.
- Pet-safe wipes for quick clean-ups, or post food face cleaning, especially for pugs, this is a non-negotiable.
- Ear cleaning solution, dry bath shampoo, tooth brush & paste.
Miscellaneous
- Pack disposable plates for your meal breaks on the road.
- A dog carry bag is one of the things which comes in handy, in crowded markets. Good ones available on Amazon are a bit expensive. Since it was our first time, we didn’t want to spend a lot, so we got this one instead.
On-the-Road Tips We Wish We’d Known Sooner
Sometime when we plan for road trips with our dogs, some of the things which are routine, feel so obvious that we miss it right in our from of our eyes.
These are some of tips which we miss from our Dog Travel Checklist for India:
- Water is the real risk factor, not food. Especially travelling through summer, when temperatures across much of India cross 40°C, dehydration sneaks up fast. Don’t assume you’ll find clean water at stops — carry more than feels necessary.
- Routine beats novelty. Feeding and walk times don’t need to be exact, but keeping them roughly consistent helps your dog settle faster in a new place. Walk them in hotel premises, or alleys. Just beware of stray dogs if you’re taking them out of the hotel.
- Call ahead, every time. Even when a hotel or cafe lists itself as pet-friendly, a two-minute call to confirm details (weight limits, extra charges, which areas pets can access) saves an awkward conversation at check-in. Some hotels or Airbnb don’t even mention they are pet friendly unless you ask them.
- Build in buffer time. Your dog will need more bathroom breaks and settling time than you expect, especially on the first trip. Rushing raises everyone’s stress levels, pug included. On the first trip, we took first break in less than 2 hours.
- Pack at least 1 or 2 of their favorite toys. I pack sniff balls so it keep him engaged on finding treats but also tired him out on the journey so he sleeps peacefully after the game.
Tips For New Destinations for your Pet
- Indian Strays are extremely territorial – Make sure to keep your dog on leash, Indian stray dogs will not be welcoming for new dogs in the area.
- Make sure your pet eats curd, curd with rice/roti is one of the thing easily available almost every where, be it small town or big cities.
- I highly recommend avoiding milk for your dogs, it is easily available, but not a healthy option for your fur baby.
Final Thoughts on Dog Travel Checklist for India
None of this is about being overly cautious — it’s about doing the boring 20% of prep so the other 80% of the trip is just enjoying somewhere new with your dog next to you. Once you’ve done it once, the next trip gets dramatically easier. Ours certainly did.
Have questions about a specific route or destination on my dog travel checklist for India? Drop them in the comments — happy to help you plan around your dog’s specific needs.
Suggested Read – How to reach Sangla Valley from Delhi?
Do you have any other tip you think is useful on a road trip with your dog? Do share with me and I’ll add it to my Dog Travel Checklist for India 🙂
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