Scandlines operates the two main short ferry crossings between Denmark and Germany — Puttgarden to Rødby and Rostock to Gedser — and both are a genuinely easy way to drive a pet into Germany from Scandinavia without flying. According to travel guidance describing Scandlines' own terms, pets travel free on both routes, with no separate booking required for the animal itself.

A dog can stay in the car for the crossing, which is the simplest option, but the car decks are closed to passengers during the sailing, so once you've boarded there's no visiting the dog mid-crossing — worth deciding before boarding rather than after, and worth bringing the dog up on deck first in warm weather if the plan is to leave it in the vehicle.

On the passenger decks, a dog must be leashed or kept in a closed crate, carrier or basket and supervised throughout, and the same guidance states a muzzle is required for a dog anywhere outside the vehicle on these routes, with officially marked assistance dogs exempt. Because this detail comes from third-party travel guidance describing Scandlines' terms rather than an English-language page on Scandlines' own site, it's worth confirming the current muzzle and leash rules directly with Scandlines before travel.