Buying & import
Importing a Miniature Bull Terrier to the USA: CDC Rules, Step by Step
The six-month minimum age, the free CDC Dog Import Form, how to check whether the breeder's country is low-risk, and a realistic timeline from reservation to arrival.
In short: under its current rules the CDC requires every dog entering the United States to be at least six months old, carry a microchip readable by a universal scanner, arrive healthy and have a CDC Dog Import Form receipt. The form is free. If the puppy has only been in countries that are not on the CDC's high-risk list for dog rabies, that is the whole CDC requirement, and it can land at any US airport. In practice, a mini bull bought from abroad flies at six months or older, never at ten weeks.
We ship miniature bull terriers abroad, and the United States is the destination where buyers are most often told something that isn't true: that a puppy can fly over at eight or ten weeks. Under the CDC rules it can't.
This guide walks through the federal rules as they stand today, what the six-month minimum means for your plans, and a realistic timeline from reservation to arrival. We quote the official pages directly and link each one, so you can check them yourself.
The rule most breeders don't mention: six months minimum
The CDC's wording is short: "Dogs must be at least 6 months old at time of entry or return to the U.S." The CDC FAQ lists no exception to this age limit.
The rule is about the dog's age on arrival. It doesn't matter who brings it. A breeder shipping the puppy, a pet transport company, or you flying out to collect it in person: all of them need a dog that is six months old or more on the day it lands.
For a buyer, that changes three things:
- The date. A mini bull born today can land in the US in six months at the earliest, and usually a little later once paperwork and flights are arranged.
- The puppy's early months. Most of its socialisation will happen with the breeder, not with you. Who does it, and how well, matters more than usual.
- The budget. Several extra months of food, vet care and attention. Our guide to the full import costs shows how to ask for this in a quote.
If a seller abroad offers to fly a ten-week-old mini bull to the US, treat it as a red flag. Either they don't know the rules, or the puppy is not meant to arrive at all. Fake "shipping" and "customs" fees are a classic of puppy scams that use invented shipping fees.
What the CDC requires
The requirements depend on where the dog has been in the six months before arrival. For a puppy that has only lived in countries not on the CDC's high-risk list, the CDC page for dog-rabies-free and low-risk countries sets out four conditions.
| Requirement | What the CDC says | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| Age | At least 6 months old at entry | Plan the flight for after the puppy's six-month birthday. |
| Microchip | Detectable with a universal scanner | Check the chip number matches every document. The CDC FAQ says it can be any brand. |
| CDC Dog Import Form | Free; receipt valid for 6 months unless the dog visits a high-risk country | Fill it in online before travel. The CDC recommends doing it well in advance. |
| Health | Must appear healthy on arrival | A vet check shortly before the flight is common sense, and airlines often ask for one. |
| Port of entry | Any airport, seaport or land border | Choose the route by flight quality and your home, not by CDC restrictions. |
What the CDC does not require on this route
The CDC page for low-risk countries does not list a rabies vaccination as a CDC requirement for these dogs. That doesn't mean the puppy travels unvaccinated. The exporting country, the airline and your state can all require rabies vaccination, and a responsible breeder vaccinates anyway. For reference, the CDC's own rule for the rabies vaccine, where it applies, is that the first dose is given on or after 12 weeks (84 days) of age.
If the dog has been in a high-risk country
Different, stricter requirements apply to a dog that has been in a high-risk country in the last six months. The CDC says a dog that "is not vaccinated against rabies and has been in a high-risk country for dog rabies in the past 6 months" will not be allowed in. The CDC's dog import pages include a navigator that tells you which set of rules applies to your case.
Does the breeder's country count as low-risk?
Check it yourself, for any breeder, ours included. The CDC publishes a list of high-risk countries for dog rabies and states: "If a country or political unit is not listed below, it is not considered high risk for importing dog rabies into the United States."
Most of Europe is not on the list. The European and neighbouring countries that are listed, as of the CDC's April 2026 update, are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine.
Three practical checks:
- Ask the breeder which country the puppy is born and raised in, then find it on the CDC list. Don't take their word for "low-risk".
- Ask where the puppy will be in the six months before the flight. A dog raised in a low-risk country that spends time in a high-risk one falls under the stricter rules.
- Look at the flight route. The CDC FAQ does not spell out how an airport connection in a high-risk country is treated. The simple way to avoid the question is a route that doesn't connect through one; if it does, ask the CDC before you book.
What happens between choosing and six months
On our side, puppies are chosen at forty days, in waiting-list order, as described in how our export process works. For a US family, that means a long stretch between choosing your puppy and meeting it.
Much of a puppy's socialisation happens in those months, so ask any breeder to put in writing:
- Where the puppy lives during those months, and with whom.
- What socialisation it gets: people, other dogs, noises, car trips, time in the travel crate.
- Which vaccinations and vet checks it receives, and when.
- How often you receive videos or join a call to see it.
- Whether the extra months are included in the price.
- What the contract says if the puppy falls ill or something changes before the flight.
We'll answer each of these for your case on the video call, before you pay anything.
USDA APHIS: does it add anything for dogs?
For a dog you are buying as your own pet, usually not. The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has two sets of rules to know about:
- Dogs imported for resale or adoption. APHIS Animal Care regulates these. They must be at least six months (180 days) old, vaccinated against rabies at least 30 days before entry and against distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, parainfluenza and leptospirosis, travel with a health and rabies certificate in English, and have an APHIS import permit. APHIS is explicit that its Animal Welfare Act rules do "not apply to privately owned dogs not intended for resale". APHIS, commercial dog import
- Dogs from screwworm- or foot-and-mouth-disease-affected countries. These need extra steps, including, for screwworm, a certificate from a full-time salaried veterinary official. APHIS publishes which countries are affected on its pet dog import page. Check the breeder's country there too.
If you plan to breed from the dog and sell puppies, or to rehome it, talk to APHIS before import: that is the "resale" territory.
State rules on top of federal rules
Federal entry is only half the picture. Once the dog is in the US, your state and city rules apply, typically rabies vaccination and a local dog licence. Ask your future vet what they need to see.
Hawaii is the clear exception to plan around. The state "operates a quarantine of all dogs, cats, and other carnivores, to maintain a rabies-free status", with a shorter programme available only after a qualification process that takes months. If you live in Hawaii, read the Hawaii Department of Agriculture's animal quarantine rules before you reserve a puppy anywhere.
Flying: cabin vs hold, and the crate
By six months a mini bull is too big for most airline cabins. IATA says: "Only small dogs and cats can go in the cabin. Some airlines may not even allow them in, and will transport them as special baggage in a heated and ventilated hold." In practice, most mini bulls travel in the hold, either as accompanied baggage (the dog is booked on a passenger's ticket) or as cargo (booked through the airline's cargo service or a pet shipper).
| Option | How it works | Things to check |
|---|---|---|
| Cabin | Dog under the seat in a soft carrier | Rarely possible at six months: weight and carrier size limits are airline-specific. |
| Accompanied, in the hold | Dog travels on the same flight as a person, checked in as special baggage | Someone has to fly with the dog. Airlines limit the number of animals per flight. |
| Cargo | Dog shipped through the airline's cargo service or a pet transport company | Written quote, who handles the arrival, and what happens if a flight is cancelled. |
Whichever option you choose, IATA advises contacting the airline to confirm "that they accept your pet on the day and flight that you prefer", because some airlines restrict the number of animals per flight. Ask too whether the airline has seasonal restrictions for animals in the hold on your dates.
The crate
IATA's minimum crate formula: length = nose to tail base + half the leg height; width = twice the shoulder width; height = natural standing height + bedding. Measure the puppy close to the travel date, because a six-month-old mini bull is still growing. On our side, the crate lives in the house for two weeks before the flight, so it is a bed and not a shock, and we drive the puppy to the airport ourselves.
Registering with the AKC after arrival
A puppy with a pedigree from a foreign registry recognised by the AKC can be registered with the AKC as an imported dog. The key document is the export pedigree issued by the breeder's national kennel club. Our guide explains how to register your imported dog with the AKC, and what to check on the pedigree before the puppy leaves.
Step-by-step timeline: from reservation to US arrival
This is the order of events for a mini bull bought from a breeder in a country that is not on the CDC high-risk list. Ages are approximate, except the one that is not negotiable: six months at entry.
| Step | When | What happens | Who |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Video call | Any time | You see the kennel, the mother and the parents' lab reports. Nothing is paid. | You and the breeder |
| 2. Waiting list | After the call | Your position is written down. Free, no commitment. | Breeder |
| 3. Contract and reservation | Before payment | Contract in your language, signed by both sides, including the months until travel. | You and the breeder |
| 4. Choosing | About 40 days old | The puppy that suits your home is matched to you. | Breeder, with you |
| 5. Raising to travel age | About 2 to 6 months | Microchip, vaccinations, socialisation, crate training, regular updates. | Breeder and vet |
| 6. Book the flight | Weeks before | Confirm the airline accepts the dog on that date; check the route avoids high-risk countries. | You or the shipper |
| 7. CDC Dog Import Form | Before travel | Submit online; keep the receipt with the dog's documents. | Importer (you) |
| 8. Vet check and flight | 6 months or older | Healthy dog, microchip matching the paperwork, IATA crate. | Breeder, vet, airline |
| 9. Arrival and registration | After landing | Local vet visit, state licence, AKC registration with the export pedigree. | You |
Based in the US?
Ask us for the full timeline for your state
On a live video call we go through the dates, the paperwork and the months before travel for your case. No payment at this step.
Book a video callFAQ
Can I import an 8-week-old puppy to the USA?
No. The CDC requires every dog to be at least 6 months old at the time of entry into the United States, and its FAQ lists no exception to the age limit. A puppy bought abroad has to stay there until it reaches six months.
Can I fly abroad and bring the puppy back myself at three months?
No. The age rule applies on arrival, whoever the dog travels with. A dog you collect in person must also be at least six months old when it enters the US.
Is the CDC Dog Import Form free, and how long is it valid?
It is free. The CDC says the receipt is valid for six months from when it is issued, unless the dog visits a high-risk country for dog rabies, and it can be reused for several entries within that time.
Does my puppy need a rabies vaccine to enter the US from a low-risk country?
The CDC's page for dogs from dog-rabies-free or low-risk countries does not list a rabies vaccination among its requirements. The exporting country, the airline and your state may still require one, and responsible breeders vaccinate. Where the CDC does require it, the first dose must be given at 12 weeks (84 days) or older.
Do I need a USDA import permit?
Not for a dog you are buying as your own pet. APHIS Animal Care requires a permit, and a minimum age of six months, for dogs imported for resale or adoption. Dogs from screwworm- or foot-and-mouth-disease-affected countries have extra APHIS steps.
Which US airport can my puppy arrive at?
A dog that has only been in countries not on the CDC high-risk list can enter at any US airport, seaport or land border crossing. Stricter rules apply to dogs that have been in a high-risk country in the previous six months.
Sources
- CDC, Requirements for dogs from dog-rabies-free or low-risk countries (last updated 22 July 2024)
- CDC, High-risk countries for dog rabies (last updated 15 April 2026)
- CDC, Dog importation FAQs and Bringing a dog into the United States
- USDA APHIS, Bringing pet dogs into the United States and Commercial dog import
- Hawaii Department of Agriculture, Animal quarantine
- IATA, Traveling with pets
General information, checked against the official pages above on 28 September 2026. It is not legal or veterinary advice. US import rules have changed recently and may change again: confirm the current requirements with the CDC, APHIS, your state and your airline before you book.