--- title: Bordetella Vaccine for Dogs and Boarding | Happy Paws, Dixon url: https://happypawskennels.com/vaccines/bordetella/ business: Happy Paws Kennels address: 6677 Midway Road, Dixon, CA 95620 phone: 707-678-6600 hours: drop-off and pick-up every day 7:30-11:30 AM and 2:00-5:00 PM type: Dog and cat boarding kennel on about 10 country acres; caring for pets in Dixon since 1971 rates: 2026 rates, effective for reservations made on or after Jan 1, 2026 (dogs from $52 a night, cats $35 a night) --- - [Home](https://happypawskennels.com/) - [Vaccines](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccines/) - Bordetella vaccine # Bordetella vaccine for boarding dogs The Bordetella vaccine helps protect dogs from one of the bacteria behind kennel cough, and Happy Paws Kennels requires it for every dog. It comes as an injection, a nasal vaccine or an oral vaccine, and it does not cover every respiratory illness. [Book a stay](https://happypawskennels.propetware.com/customerLogin)[Call 707-678-6600](tel:+17076786600) Bordetella is the vaccine most people connect with boarding. This page covers what it does, what it leaves out, and what the kennel expects to see on your dog's record. ## What the kennel requires Bordetella is one of the three required vaccines on the kennel's list for dogs. The kennel's vaccination page says it can be given by injection or intranasally, and that an oral vaccine has been developed more recently. Any of the three methods is recorded the same way: a date, a product and a veterinarian's signature or stamp. Booster frequency differs between the types, so the kennel leaves that to your veterinarian. What the kennel needs is a record that is current on your pick-up day. ## What it does and does not cover Kennel cough is the everyday name for a group of airborne respiratory infections. The kennel's own page says several different viruses and bacteria cause it, a few are included in canine vaccines, and many are not. Bordetella bronchiseptica is the bacterium the vaccine targets. The American Animal Hospital Association classes the Bordetella vaccine as noncore, meaning it is chosen by lifestyle and exposure, which is why boarding and group care are the usual reasons to give it. A vaccinated dog can still catch a respiratory illness, and the kennel says so openly. When a cough does turn up, the kennel notes that it normally goes away on its own and the dog recovers in a few days. Anything that worries you belongs with your veterinarian. ## Injection, nasal or oral Your veterinarian chooses the method based on your dog, and the choice does not change what Happy Paws asks for. The [intranasal and oral comparison](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccines/intranasal-vs-oral-bordetella/) goes into the differences owners ask about. If your dog has never had the vaccine, ask your vet how far ahead of the stay to give it. The [timing page](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccines/timing-before-boarding/) covers how the kennel looks at dates. ## Sending the record Upload the record to your ProPetware account with your booking request, email it, or bring a copy to the first check-in. Check that the Bordetella date will not lapse before pick-up, and send an updated record after any booster. For the wider picture, read [boarding and kennel cough risk](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/boarding-and-kennel-cough-risk/). ### Sources (checked October 19, 2026) - [Happy Paws Kennels vaccination requirements](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccination-requirements/) - [AAHA 2022 Canine Vaccination Guidelines](https://www.aaha.org/resources/2022-aaha-canine-vaccination-guidelines/recommendations-for-core-and-noncore-canine-vaccines/) - [American Humane: kennel cough](https://www.americanhumane.org/public-education/kennel-cough/) ### Before your first stay - [Vaccination records](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccination-requirements/) current through pick-up day - A signed [boarding agreement](https://happypawskennels.com/boarding-contract/) - Pets 16 weeks or older - [Bring nothing but your pet](https://happypawskennels.com/what-to-bring/) ### Visit or call 6677 Midway Road, Dixon, CA 95620 [707-678-6600](tel:+17076786600) | Drop-off and pick-up, every day | 7:30 to 11:30 AM and 2:00 to 5:00 PM | | --- | --- | | Tours, every day (no appointment) | 9:00 to 11:00 AM and 2:00 to 4:00 PM | [Book a stay](https://happypawskennels.propetware.com/customerLogin) ### Related - [Vaccination requirements](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccination-requirements/) - [Kennel cough](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccines/kennel-cough/) - [Intranasal vs oral bordetella](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccines/intranasal-vs-oral-bordetella/) - [Bordetella](https://happypawskennels.com/glossary/bordetella/) - [Boarding and kennel cough risk](https://happypawskennels.com/guides/boarding-and-kennel-cough-risk/) - [Vaccines](https://happypawskennels.com/faq/vaccines/) ## Is my pet ready? Who is staying? Dog Cat Both Pick-up date Dog vaccines (three required, one recommended) Rabies Good until Distemper/Parvo (DHPP) Good until Bordetella (kennel cough) Good until Canine Influenza (H3N2 - H3N8) - recommended, not required Good until Cat vaccines (required) Rabies Good until FVRCP Good until Tick each vaccine your pet has had. Add the date it runs out to check it against your pick-up day. This checks our boarding requirements, not your pet's health. Your veterinarian decides which vaccines your pet should have and when. Upload records to your [ProPetware account](https://happypawskennels.propetware.com/customerLogin), email them, or bring a copy at check-in. ## Read next - [Intranasal vs oral bordetella](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccines/intranasal-vs-oral-bordetella/) - [Canine influenza](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccines/canine-influenza/) - [FVRCP for cats](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccines/fvrcp/) - [Leptospirosis vaccine](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccines/leptospirosis/) - [Heartworm prevention in the Delta](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccines/heartworm-prevention/) - [Flea & tick prevention before boarding](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccines/flea-and-tick-prevention/) - [Kennel cough](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccines/kennel-cough/) - [Kennel cough symptoms](https://happypawskennels.com/vaccines/kennel-cough-symptoms/) Answers ## Questions people ask Still have a question? Call [707-678-6600](tel:+17076786600) (every day 7:30-11:30 AM and 2-5 PM) or see the [boarding FAQ](https://happypawskennels.com/faq/). ### Is Bordetella required at Happy Paws Kennels? Yes, for dogs. It is on the list with rabies and distemper/parvo; canine influenza is recommended. ### Does the Bordetella vaccine prevent all kennel cough? No. Many viruses and bacteria can cause kennel cough and the vaccine covers only some of them. ### Do cats need Bordetella? No. Cats need rabies and FVRCP for a stay. ### Which method does the kennel prefer? Injection, nasal and oral all appear on records. Your veterinarian picks the one that suits your dog.