Dog fairs 2026 - 5 things you should know as a visitor

No valid pet passport, no entry. That sounds harsh, but it is the case at almost all German dog fairs - from Dogs & Fun in Dortmund to the CACIB in Rostock. What is always required: a current rabies vaccination, at least 21 days old, in the blue EU pet passport.

I have seen families who had an hour's drive and had to turn back at the entrance. That is heartbreaking - and completely avoidable.

My tip: Put the ID in your handbag right when you buy your ticket. Then it cannot be forgotten on the day itself.

Little bonus check: Puppies under 3-4 months are not allowed at many fairs for infection control reasons. It is worth checking the website of the respective fair briefly beforehand.

Dog fairs like Dogs & Fun (May 8-10, Dortmund) or the World Dog Show (June 3-7, Bologna) attract tens of thousands of visitors. Anyone who only arrives at midday fights against traffic jams, full parking garages and queues at every popular stand.

My insider tip as an exhibitor: Friday morning, right at the opening. The halls are still quiet, your dog can sniff the surroundings in peace, and the exhibitors still have time for real conversations.

For activities where you can book an appointment in advance - such as a photo shoot - this applies all the more. With a booked time slot, it's your turn immediately without waiting a single minute.

I say this as someone who looks at hundreds of dogs per day at the fair from the outside: Many dogs are done after two hours. Not because they are weak - but because a dog fair is a sensory state of emergency. Hundreds of smells, strange conspecifics, announcements, music, crowds of people. This is sensory overload for a dog that is used to the quiet living room at home.

If you see this: out of the halls, short break outside, offer water. And then decide anew whether you continue or are done for today. It is not a failure to leave earlier than planned. Your dog will thank you - at the latest at home with a long, relaxed nap.

After feeling like a hundred days at the fair, I have perfected my personal packing list. Here are the essentials:

• Foldable water bowl + enough water (Exhibition halls are warm - even in autumn)
• High-quality treats (for good behavior and for moments when it would be cool to hold your dog still for a moment - for example for a photo 😄)
• Short lead instead of flexi lead - in narrow aisles with many dogs, control is everything
• Poop bags - yes, even at fairs. Please.

A day at the fair with a dog is nice. But a day at the fair with a moment that neither of you will forget is unforgettable.

I don't say that because I'm an exhibitor. I say it because I experience it again and again: People come to my stand, let their dog on the glass plate, see the photo - and can hardly believe it. "Is that what he looks like? Is that really my dog?"

Photographing dogs from underneath means: you see your animal from a perspective that you never have in everyday life. Paws, belly, snout - all at once, from directly underneath. This is not a trick. It is simply real curiosity, a glass plate and a dog standing on it for a moment.

I am Sandy from PETSPECTIVE, and that is exactly what I do at fairs all over Germany - spontaneously, without much fuss, with a mobile photo studio right at the stand.

Where you can meet PETSPECTIVE in 2026

If you are at one of these fairs - just come by:

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