When to Book Dog Boarding for Christmas, and the Vaccine Record

When to book dog boarding for Christmas: as soon as you know your travel dates, and for the last two weeks of December, ideally before Halloween. Boarding facilities fill their holiday weeks months ahead, and winter break goes first because it is the longest. The second thing that holds up a booking is paperwork: most facilities want proof of current vaccines before check-in, and some want the shots given at least a week ahead. For 2026, with Christmas on a Friday, that means a vet visit in early December and a booking in October. Here is the order to do it in.

How early holiday boarding fills

There is no national booking calendar for dog boarding. Every facility has its own capacity, and the holiday weeks fill at different speeds in different towns. What facilities say about their own calendars is consistent, though.

Partners Dogs, a boarding and training business in Scottsdale, Arizona, puts it plainly on its holiday page:

Winter break fills first and fastest, because it is the longest and most common break of the year. For the last two weeks of December, it tells customers to call before Halloween.
Thanksgiving fills close behind, in a shorter window. Its advice is to book as soon as flights are booked, ideally by late summer.
Both fill months ahead, not weeks.

That is one facility, but the logic holds anywhere: the weeks everyone travels are the weeks every kennel is full. In 2026, Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26, Christmas is Friday, December 25, and Halloween is Saturday, October 31. If you are reading this in October and have not booked December yet, call this week.

When to book, by holiday

Holiday 2026	When to book	Why
Thanksgiving, Nov 26	As soon as flights are booked	Short window, fills close behind winter break
Christmas, Dec 25	Before Halloween for late December	Longest stay, fills first
New Year's Eve, Dec 31	Same as Christmas	Falls inside winter break

If your usual place is full, ask to go on a waitlist and ask whether a different drop-off or pickup day has room. A stay that starts a day earlier or ends a day later can be the difference. Some facilities are closed on certain days, so check that your drop-off and pickup days line up with your flights.

The vaccine record most facilities ask for

Each facility sets its own list, so ask yours for theirs when you book. Most ask for the same three:

Rabies. On the list at every facility we checked.
DHPP, the combination shot for distemper, hepatitis (adenovirus), parainfluenza and parvovirus. Some lists call it "distemper/parvo".
Bordetella, the main vaccine against kennel cough, which spreads easily where many dogs are together.

Both facilities we checked, Partners Dogs and The Dog House, list exactly these three. Some facilities ask for more than these three, so get the list in writing. Your vet knows which shots your dog is due for; the facility knows what it requires. You need both answers.

When to send it, and why a week matters

The record usually has to be in before you arrive, not at the counter. Partners Dogs asks for vaccines given at least a week before check-in, because some vaccines need time to take effect, and says this is the most common reason a booking gets held up. It also suggests booking the vet visit at least ten days before drop-off if a booster is due, since vet offices get busy before the same holidays.

So the order is:

Book the stay, and ask for the facility's vaccine list.
Check your dog's record against that list. Look at the expiration date of each shot, not just the date it was given. A shot that runs out before your pickup date can count as expired.
Book the vet at least ten days before drop-off if anything is due.
Send the record a week ahead, the way the facility asks: its client portal, email, fax, or directly from your vet's office.
Keep the confirmation and the record together, on your phone, for drop-off day.

If a friend or a sitter is looking after your dog instead, they need different things: feeding, walks, the vet's number. Our pet sitter instructions template covers that version.

Let Tracy keep the dates and the paperwork

Holiday boarding comes with a handful of dates spread over two months: the booking, the vet visit, the day the record is due, drop-off and pickup. Tracy, the assistant in dEssence, keeps them for you. Send her a screenshot of the booking confirmation email, or share the email into Telegram, and a photo of your dog's vaccine record. She reads the stay dates and the expiration date of each shot.

Ask her to remind you a week before check-in to send the record, and she does. If one of the shots expires before your pickup date, she points it out so you can book the vet in time. At the counter, ask her for the record and the confirmation, and she sends them back to you.

She does not book the kennel or the vet, and she does not send records to the facility for you. You make the calls; she keeps the dates and the paperwork in one place.

Frequently asked questions

How far in advance should I book dog boarding for Christmas?

As soon as your travel dates are set. Winter break fills first because it is the longest stay of the year. One Scottsdale facility tells customers to call before Halloween for the last two weeks of December.

What vaccines does my dog need for boarding?

Usually rabies, DHPP (distemper and parvo) and Bordetella (kennel cough). Some facilities ask for more. Ask your facility for its list when you book.

How long before boarding does my dog need the Bordetella vaccine?

It depends on the facility and the type of vaccine. Many ask for vaccines to be given at least a week before check-in, so they have time to take effect. If a shot is due, book the vet at least ten days before drop-off.

What if dog boarding is full for Christmas?

Ask to join the waitlist, ask whether a different drop-off or pickup day has room, and call other facilities nearby. A friend or a pet sitter at home is the other option, with written instructions.

When should I book dog boarding for Thanksgiving?

At the same time as your flights. Thanksgiving fills right behind winter break, in a shorter window.

When to Book Dog Boarding for Christmas, and the Vaccine Record to Send First