Can a kennel refuse my dog if vaccinations are one day late?

Yes. Most kennels in Australia apply vaccination requirements strictly, particularly the lead-time rules for Bordetella. A certificate showing the vaccine was administered 6 days before check-in when the kennel requires 7 days is a legitimate reason for refusal. Contact the facility in advance if you're unsure about your dates — they will often tell you their specific policy over the phone.

What if my dog had a reaction to a previous C5 vaccine?

Tell your vet before the next C5 is due. For dogs with a documented adverse reaction, your vet may recommend pre-medication with antihistamines, a split vaccination approach, or in some cases a medical exemption from specific components. Bring any documentation of the previous reaction to the appointment.

Is a titre test accepted instead of a booster by kennels?

Rarely. Titre tests measure antibody levels for the core C3 components (distemper, parvovirus, adenovirus) and can confirm ongoing immunity. Some progressive kennels accept titre results in lieu of C3 booster documentation. However, titre tests do not apply to the Bordetella and parainfluenza components — those are not straightforward to titre — so annual kennel cough vaccination is still typically required. Always check with your specific facility.

My dog is too old or sick for vaccination. Can they still board?

This requires a conversation with your vet and your boarding facility. Some kennels will accept a vet letter stating that vaccination is contraindicated on medical grounds. Home boarding through TruePath may be more flexible in this situation, particularly if your dog is the sitter's only guest. Discuss the specific situation with potential sitters before booking.

Boarding

Vaccinations Required for Dog Boarding in Australia — C5, C3, and What Kennels Check

C5 vaccination is required by virtually all reputable Australian boarding kennels. Here's exactly what C5 covers, what kennels check at drop-off, and what to do if your dog's vaccinations are overdue.

By atticus · 8 min read · Last updated 17 May 2026

Virtually all reputable boarding kennels in Australia require an up-to-date C5 vaccination certificate as a condition of entry — without it, your dog will not be accepted, regardless of how healthy they appear.

C3 vs C5 — what's the difference

The numbers refer to how many disease components are covered.

C3 (the core vaccine) covers:

Canine distemper virus (CDV)
Canine adenovirus type 2 (CAV-2) — protects against both infectious canine hepatitis and adenoviral respiratory disease
Canine parvovirus (CPV)

Every dog in Australia should have a current C3 regardless of lifestyle. These three diseases are severe or fatal, and the vaccine is highly effective.

C5 adds two kennel cough components on top of the C3 core:

Bordetella bronchiseptica — the primary bacterial agent of kennel cough
Canine parainfluenza virus (CPI) — the primary viral agent of kennel cough

The "C" simply stands for "combination" — it's a descriptor of the number of antigens in the product, not a standardised product name. Different manufacturers produce their own C5 products (Nobivac, Protech C5, Duramune) but all licensed C5 vaccines in Australia cover the same five components.

Feature	C3	C5
Canine distemper (CDV)	✓	✓
Hepatitis / adenovirus (CAV-2)	✓	✓
Parvovirus (CPV)	✓	✓
Bordetella bronchiseptica	—	✓
Canine parainfluenza (CPI)	—	✓
Accepted for boarding	— (most kennels)	✓

C3 vs C5: what each vaccine covers and boarding acceptance

The 7-day and 14-day pre-boarding rules

The Bordetella and parainfluenza components of C5 are not instantly protective. Kennels require a minimum lead time because a vaccine administered the day before check-in has not had time to build meaningful immunity.

The standard rules, consistent with manufacturer guidance and applied by most Australian kennels:

Intranasal Bordetella vaccine: must be administered at least 7 days before the first boarding day
Injectable C5: must be administered at least 14 days before the first boarding day

The intranasal route delivers vaccine directly to the mucosal surface where Bordetella first adheres, stimulating local IgA antibody production faster than an injectable vaccine. This is why intranasal has a shorter lead time — it starts working at the site of infection sooner.

If you're booking boarding and your dog's C5 is current but administered via injection, count back 14 days from check-in to confirm the window is met. If the dates are marginal, call the kennel — most will check the certificate dates carefully at drop-off.

Tip

Book a vet appointment at least 3–4 weeks before boarding, not the week before. This gives you time for the vaccine to reach full efficacy (particularly if using the injectable route), for the vet to issue the certificate, and for you to confirm it meets the kennel's specific requirements before it becomes an urgent problem.

What kennels actually check at drop-off

At a reputable boarding facility, a staff member will review your dog's vaccination certificate before accepting check-in. Here is what they're looking for:

The certificate must show:

The veterinary clinic's name, address, and phone number
The attending vet's signature or practice stamp
Your dog's name, breed, and date of birth
The specific vaccine product name (e.g., Nobivac KC, Protech C5)
The date each component was administered
The date the next booster is due

Some larger kennels have moved to digital certificate systems (e.g., a PDF emailed directly from the vet clinic) — both are generally accepted, but confirm with your specific facility.

What they will reject:

A handwritten note from you stating your dog is vaccinated
A certificate where the booster due date has passed
A certificate that's missing vet details or a signature
Vaccination administered fewer than the required days before check-in

If the Bordetella component of your certificate was administered less than 7 days ago (intranasal) or 14 days ago (injectable), the kennel is within its rights to refuse boarding — and most will.

What to do if your dog's vaccinations are overdue

An overdue C5 does not mean you need to start the puppy vaccination schedule from scratch. For adult dogs, your vet will typically:

Administer a single C5 booster
Issue an updated certificate with the new dates
Advise whether titres testing is appropriate for any component (less common in practice)

Book this appointment the moment you realise the lapse — do not wait until the week before boarding. A vaccine administered at short notice may not meet the kennel's lead-time requirements.

For dogs that have never been vaccinated (acquired as adults, or with an unknown history), your vet will typically run a primary course of two vaccinations 2–4 weeks apart before issuing a C5 certificate. This extends the timeline to 6–8 weeks minimum before boarding is appropriate, so plan accordingly.

Annual vs triennial boosters

Some vaccine components (notably CDV, CAV-2, and CPV) are now known to confer immunity lasting three years or longer in many dogs, and triennial boosters are an accepted approach for the core C3 components. Several Australian clinics offer a triennial protocol for C3 alongside annual administration of the kennel cough components.

For boarding purposes, what matters is whether the full C5 — including Bordetella and parainfluenza — is current within 12 months. A dog whose C3 boosters are given every three years still needs an annual kennel cough component to satisfy most boarding facilities. Confirm the dates on your certificate cover the full C5, not just the C3 core.

Do TruePath home boarders require the same vaccinations?

The requirement varies by sitter. When booking through TruePath, the vaccination policy is stated on each sitter's profile. Most experienced home boarders require C5 within 12 months for exactly the same reason kennels do — they are accepting your dog into an environment that may already have other dogs, and an unvaccinated dog creates risk for all of them.

Some sitters are willing to board dogs on a C3-only protocol, particularly for dogs where a vet has advised against C5 components for medical reasons (for example, some dogs with immune-mediated conditions). If your dog has a specific medical reason for not receiving the kennel cough components, discuss this with the sitter directly before booking and provide a vet letter explaining the situation.

In-home sitting — where a sitter visits your home rather than hosting your dog at theirs — generally involves less cross-dog exposure, and vaccination requirements for this service type tend to be less stringent. That said, confirming any requirements with your sitter before booking is always good practice.

Frequently asked questions

Find a TruePath walker near you

Background-checked walkers, GPS-tracked walks, and live photo updates. Most owners book their first walk within an hour.

Find a walker

Keep reading

boarding

Kennel Cough in Australia — What Owners Need to Know Before Boarding

Kennel cough is a highly contagious respiratory disease that spreads easily in boarding environments. Here's what Australian dog owners need to know about symptoms, vaccination, and when to see a vet.

boarding

Dog Boarding Cost in Australia (2026) — Kennels, Home Boarding, and What to Compare

Dog boarding in Australia ranges from $35/night at a budget kennel to $88/night for in-home overnight sitting. Here's a city-by-city breakdown of kennel rates, home boarding prices, and how to compare your options properly.

boarding

Dog Boarding for Puppies Under 6 Months — What's Safe and What's Not

Boarding a puppy before their vaccination course is complete carries serious risks. Here's what's safe, what's not, and what options exist for Australian owners who need care for a young puppy.