Flying with dogs [Archive] - ConstantChatter

MLA

10-04-2005, 03:51 PM

I just flew with my 2 cats (both tranquilized), and it wasn't fun. First, cats aren't as good at travelling as dogs. But the real problem was that there's really very little room under the seat in front of you for them. It's very cramped, and I felt awful that they had to be there. Are your dogs good travelers? If not, then you may want to consider getting them a low dose tranquilizer.

Have you notified the airline that you're bringing the dogs? Most airlines have a limit to the number of animals allowed in the cabin (and some don't allow them at all) and will charge you a fee for bringing on your pets.

You'll need to get a health certificate for your dogs within 10 days of your flight. Your vet will know what you need.

That's all I can think of right now. . . HTH

MES in Chicago

10-04-2005, 03:59 PM

We have notified the airlines when we made our reservation and know all about the fee and health certificate. The dogs are fine in the back seat of the car and sleep most of the day. I will have to ask the vet what he thinks of meds.

Keep the tips, stories, etc coming.

nylons73

10-04-2005, 05:31 PM

Melissa - Before I stopped flying, I flew home once with my Yorkshire Terrier puppy. He was a good boy the whole flight (3 hours.) :) I bought him a softside carrier with vents and flaps that can velcro up or down. This was helpful for walking through the airport as I could keep the side flaps down so he wouldn't be freaked by all of the crowds, etc. When we got on the plane, I put the flap in front of his face up, so that he could at least look out at my feet. :) My mom (who was travelling with me) and I unzipped the top of the carrier now and then to offer him water, but mostly, he just wanted to lie down in his carrier and chill. He was good on the whole flight and he didn't bark even once. He was so quiet, in fact, that when I got off the plane, the stewardess was amazed that I had had a dog on the plane without her even realizing! I do have to say that we were in First Class so we had lots of leg room. I don't know about the room situation in coach. It might be a tighter fit back there.

The carrier I bought is called 'Pet Voyage' and I ordered it off of the Drs Fosters and Smith website. I use the carrier now to transport the dog in my car. He is very used to travelling in it and he loves it.

Good luck! :D

Amuse Bouche

10-04-2005, 06:23 PM

When we moved from NY to CA we had our 13 lb. mellow dog in the cabin with us. I gave her a low dose of tranquilizer from the vet about an hour before the flight, and I let her out of the carrier in the airport before we boarded. She just hung out in her carrier for the entire flight -- basically slept the whole way and didn't move. I had no leg room, and she was probably a bit cramped, but she was really good, no problems, no lasting trauma as far as we could see.

ManteoChik

10-04-2005, 06:36 PM

We flew our lab at 7 weeks from the breeder in NY to FL. She had to go on two flights and did wonderful. Rob's mom flew her and went sent her the carry on bag in the mail and some toys to keep with her. Our carrier was similar to this one:
http://www.petsmart.com/media/ps/images/products/detail/large/July04/lg_55903_39a25.jpg

we got it at Petsmart and it is soft so it's comfy for the dog. His mom actually took Duchess out of the case while in the airport and she unzipped the top of the bag during the flight. She said the flight attendants were *really* nice and even let her hold Duchess on her lap. That might have only been cause she was only 7 weeks old and VERY mellow, she mostly slept during the flight.

I would suggest taking your dogs to the petstore and checking out some carriers and see what fits them best. If you have a Petsmart or PetSupermarket near you, you are allowed to take your pets inside as long as they are on a leash.

We picked the one we did b/c you could carry it like a handbag or wear it like a backpack (the one we bought wasn't on wheels).

Roxygirl

10-04-2005, 06:52 PM

We flew with our dog when she was a puppy. The vet just told us to give her a small dose of benadryl to calm her down. We waited until we boarded and gave it to her and she slept most of the way.

Becki1010

10-06-2005, 11:42 AM

I used to travel all the time with my 9lb dog. I was lucky in that I never had to give her any tranquilizers or benadryl.

She started flying with me when she was 5 or 6 months. I bought her a soft bag with mesh on the sides so that she could see. I got her used to the bag in the beginning by putting treats and her favorite toy in her bag so that she go right into it and then asking her if she wanted to come with me. Then i'd drive somewhere and end up someplace fun so she knew that by getting in the bag it meant someplace fun.

During my first flight adventure with her (and i saw that you already know about telling the airline-aka paying for them- and getting a health certificate) i just kept one of my hands in there for her so that she'd be comforted. During the flight, whenever my ears would start to pop i'd give her a small treat for her to chew on. Through the security i had to take her out and put her bag through but she was fine with getting back in- her bag became her safe place for flying.

I only had a problem on one flight from the attendent. The FAA says that the dog must remain in the bag at all times- but that the bag only has to be under the seat during take off and landing. So, in between, i would put the bag on my lap so that she could be closer to me and the attendent told me that wasn't allowed. On the next flights, i never had any problems, but i carried the FAA rules with me just in case.

Unfortunately i got her in the habit of having my hand in there for her so she would slightly panic when i would take it out.
Good luck with the flights- i'm sure that they will be fine...make sure that the dogs are used to being in the bags before hand.

honeygirl

12-09-2005, 12:26 PM

Our petsitters fell through and so we decided to take Dante with us on our Christmas vacation. It will be a 4 hour ride :( , and we already made the arrangements. Our airline (AWA) doesn't require a health certificate, but we're going to get one from the vet just in case.

So is it alright to have the dog on a leash in the airport? Do you have to go to a special area? I imagine every airport could differ, but what has your experience been?

What is the best time to tranqualize for a 4 hr flight, before the airport, right before the flight, etc?

Thank you!

CityGirl

12-09-2005, 07:46 PM

jesvet

12-09-2005, 11:07 PM

ManteoChik

12-11-2005, 10:08 AM

City Girl-
I would call the airline and check (they all are different). If your avatar is any indication, and you have a Boston, I would not put them in cargo under any circumstances, especially during winter.

Me either.... Just the other day I was telling someone about how I wasn't looking forward to doing the 12 hour drive home from FL to NC for Christmas with my 70 pound, 1 year old lab. She said to me, "well why don't you fly?" and I answered, "Because Rob hasn't bought the new airplane yet "(BF is a pilot and just sold his airplane for a new one). She actually said to me "Well why don't you just fly commercial and put her down below? :eek: :eek: :eek:

Yeah right, I could *never* do that to my dog ever. All this girl has is a cat so she doesn't get it. She can leave her cat and go on vacation and the thing can fend for itself (with someone checking on it of course)....lol. And whenever she flies she can check her cat on with her.

honeygirl

12-11-2005, 02:52 PM

I've been wondering about flying with my dog as well. He's just over most airlines' limit at 21 pounds, but could easily fit in one of the soft-sided carriers laying down. My questions is this: Did anyone ever check or inquire about your dog's weight or height? The airline guidelines also say that the dog must be able to stand up and turn around inside the carrier. I know he couldn't do that while under the seat, but he could certainly lay in it comfortably.

When I called to check with the airline the first time they said that the dog needs to be comfortable, so they want them to be able to stand up and turn around.

The second airline guy I talked too said that the stand/turn rule is to keep big dogs off planes. That people brought 30 pound dogs that were squeezed into bags and tried to bring them on.

Honestly, my dog is 9lbs 2 oz and I feel bad having him in the carrier. I can't imagine having a 21 lb dog in one of those (soft-sided) comfortably.

We went to the vet on saturday and got some sedation pills. He said to try them out ahead to see how long it takes to kick in. So I guess we'll have a practice run this week.

CityGirl

12-12-2005, 03:04 PM

Thanks for the additional info. I would never check our dog down into cargo. There's no way he could take the heat/cold/separation.

honeygirl- I totally understnad your feelings. Some dogs sincerely dislike being crated. However my dog loves his crate & small spaces, and though he weighs 21 pounds, it is all muscle, and he's really not that big. I guess I'm curious as to whether the airline trusts its passengers to assess the comfort of their pet, or if they have hard and fast rules.

We have family all over the country, and tend to travel a lot. So far we've either taken him with us (on a 32 hour drive, yikes!) or found a doggie sitter at home. But I just know one of these days we're going to want to fly.

honeygirl

12-25-2005, 12:21 PM

We just got back from our flying trip with little Dante.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y11/anneg/70ebd704.jpg

First of all I recommend looking at this site for flying information: http://www.petflight.com/ They have info on all the major airlines.

We flew American West Airlines (AWA) and had Dante carried on with us. We had a health certificate but NO ONE asked for it. Upon check-in for the first flight the man asked if we had a dog or cat, but didn't ask to see him. We paid $80 to take him on, and he counted as a carry-on. To go through security we took him out of the bag and carried him through the metal detector. No problems in either airport with security. They were very friendly in fact.

In the first airport we were nervous about having him walk around (not sure if it was allowed), so we kept him in a secluded part with us. We gave him a sedative, so he was calm.

The plane we flew on had plenty of space underneith for our soft-sided carrier. The plane going back on the other hand was a little cramped, but he fit. We had a off-duty flight attendant sitting next to us, so we didn't try to take him out of the carrier. We just put him in our lap (in the carrier) during the flight.

One of the airports had family bathrooms which were perfect for having him go to the bathroom (on paper).

All in all it was no problem. We did see a few other small dogs around the airports, so for the trip back we felt free to have him walk around on a leash.

We learned that some airlines have weight restrictions (bag and dog together can't be over 15 lbs)and that most have fees around $80-$100 each way. I'd recommend keeping a low profile on the plane, and giving the dog something to chew while taking off and landing (ear pressure).

We'll probably take our dog on a trip again if possible. It was wonderful having him with us!

Good luck to all travelers!

ETA - photo

Tanya

03-06-2006, 01:37 PM

Bump for a question.

We have to fly with our 20-lb beagle. We've never flown with her before. Am I deluding myself that it's possible for her to ride in the cabin? I've looked at the airlines' website and most just say if she fits into the carrier requirements (and can move around) then it's fine. I have a feeling it will be tight--~10hx11wx20l. Can they be soft- or hard-sided carriers? The websites don't say.

Here are the airlines I have to choose from:
Air Tran Airways, American Eagle Airlines, Continental Express, Delta/Delta Express Airlines.

Are there any you'd recommend over another for pets, especially if I have to put her below-deck? It looks like only Delta and American allow them as baggage, and Continental allows them only as cargo (or in-cabin). But, I don't understand cargo vs. baggage--do they go in a different, safer area than baggage, or do they not use passenger flights for cargo? I understand about the health certificate and sedative, she's a fairly calm dog who doesn't bark. Is there anything else I should be looking into? I would love if she could ride in the cabin, as any other way makes me nervous. But, it will be in April where the weather shouldn't be so bad.

ManteoChik

03-08-2006, 07:14 AM

Tanya If you see my post on page 1, I posted a picture of the carry bag that we used for our dog (when she was a puppy....now she's 70 pounds..lol). I would go with something that has soft sides (but it needs to have a hard bottom) so she is comfy. You should also put a puppy pad in the bottom "just in case". Like I suggested to another poster - you should take your dog to the local petsore, Petsmart and Pet Supermarket are great places with lots of choices, and try the bags out to see which one your dogs fits in best. Most of the bags will list on the tag if it's FAA approved.

Knowing the habits of Beagles I would suggest getting a sedative from your vet since Beagles are known to be somewhat hyper and bark.

I would NEVER "check" my dog. There is no way I would put my dog in the belly of an airplane under any circumstances. I would either drive, or find a sitter to watch my dog. The temperature in the belly can be extream colds (winter) and extream heat (summer) and there is nothing to change that.

Tanya

03-08-2006, 08:40 AM

Tanya Knowing the habits of Beagles I would suggest getting a sedative from your vet since Beagles are known to be somewhat hyper and bark.

I would NEVER "check" my dog. There is no way I would put my dog in the belly of an airplane under any circumstances. I would either drive, or find a sitter to watch my dog. The temperature in the belly can be extream colds (winter) and extream heat (summer) and there is nothing to change that.
Thanks for your response. Believe it or not, she doesn't bark, ever, unless we are fixing her food. Very odd for a beagle. Not even at other dogs.

Regarding the "checking": AFAIK, the baggage area of the plane by "law" always stays between 50-70 degrees. They have to keep it climate controlled to some degree, because it gets to -40C up at 30,000 ft. So I do think it's a myth that it's dangerous temps at that level. The only thing I know to worry about it not to fly when the ground temps are extreme, because the dogs can stay in the belly on the ground (w/ no climate control) for longer periods due to delays, etc. Apart from the dog being away for so long, I really don't get the danger in checking a dog (issues like altitude that would be an issue in the cabin as well). I do know the airlines don’t always treat animals well, so that’s also a danger I’m aware of.

Anyway, this time we have decided to drive, but I'd like to know for future reference if this ever comes up again.

I think we could "squeeze" her into a soft-sided carrier, but she's 12" to her shoulders and the bags only go up to 11" high. Of course she'd be fine sitting down, but I don't know how upset she'd be with no room. What's the lesser of two evils? Smushed in the cabin or by herself in the belly? The vet said we could do a mild sedative, but she'd prefer nothing. She's been fine with sedatives on the ground, but is it the combo of altitude/sedative, or just the issue of the sedative itself?

honeygirl

03-08-2006, 09:54 AM

Tanya - We have a little guy (9lbs), but he's tall and skinny (I posted a picture a couple posts up). We got some slack for bringing him on (from the vet), even though he was fine laying down. Reason being they want the dog to be comfortable, and if they can't stand up and turn around then they're uncomfortable. That's what the airline told us also. Fortunately our dog can turn around in his bag, he just has to slouch a bit when standing up.

I know that some airlines would refuse your dog b/c of his weight. Most do not allow over 15 lbs total weight (bag and dog). You'd want to do lots of specific research ahead to make sure you weren't turned away at check-in.

Glad that it worked out for you to drive her! :)

flygirl

03-08-2006, 10:11 AM

Tanya, I take my cats (yes, both of them) on planes all the time, in a large carrier from Sherpa (http://www.sherpapet.net/index.php). They were originally designed by a flight attendant and are now the officially approved soft-sided carriers for in-cabin use on Air Canada, Alaska, American, America West, Continental, Delta, Northwest, TWA, United and US Airways.

I use this one, and even though it says it's for pets up to 11", your little guy will want to lay down anyway. I say it's better to be a little smushed for a few hours *with you* than in the cargo hold, alone.
http://www.sherpapet.net/images/product_images/mediums/11671.jpg

Tanya

03-08-2006, 10:41 AM

Thanks, honeygirl and flygirl! Flygirl, I was looking at those (and similar) at Petsmart and was going to pick one up. There's a larger one that's 11.5" high but the biggest max by any of the airlines was 11". I figured it was soft so it would probably be ok if it had to smush a bit.

Honeygirl, yeah, Continental is out since they do have a weight limit of 12lbs. But Delta said they don't have a weight limit, just a restriction on the carrier size. According to www.petflight.com, no others have a weight limit listed.

honeygirl

03-08-2006, 11:29 AM

Tanya - Great. See it pays to do research. You are right about the bags smushing. In my experience (flying with a dog twice and with a cat once), it depends on the seat as to how much you have to smush. If you do take your dog have him walk around before and after the flight, then he can just take a nap during the flight and all will be fine. :)

I think you said you don't give sedatives to your girl, but just in case you do (and a FYI for others) practice ahead. The dosing can be different for different dogs, so start with a smaller dose and see how she reacts. We ended up giving Dante a 1/4 of the prescription amount. By practicing ahead we knew how long it took to work, how long he was sedated (quiet, not sleeping), his reactions, etc. We wanted the vet to be near in case he had a weird reaction.

MES in Chicago

03-12-2006, 06:37 PM

Just an update on our Christmas flying trip. We flew United, they didn't weight them which is good since Crouton is 21 lbs. In Chicago we were able to walk them around, take them to the bathroom in the bathroom on paper and hold them on our laps. We did sedate them with the lowest dose our vet gave us. They were totally mellow and only whined a bit. In Savannah on the way back some security gaurd informed us they were not allowed out of the carrier and was quite rude about it, but they went back in their bags and sulked. The flight was delayed and we felt terrible, but they managed. We were so glad to have them with us and it was much better than having them in the kennel for 10 days. Let me know if you want any other details.

kari

12-11-2006, 08:37 AM

I tried a search and didn't see anything (besides journals). Please if there was a thread like this, let me know.

DH and I are finally going to his home of Alaska for a visit (I've been promising for like 5 years now!). We are renting a R.V. and driving around sightseeing and fishing. We have 2 German Shorthair Pointers and I don't really want to leave them at home for so long (2 weeks). So I was thinking about bringing them with us.

Has anyone flown with their dog and I don't mean in the cargo hold either. I think Alaska airlines will let you bring the dog in the cabin with you. I need to call them and find out the 411. Meanwhile, I wanted to get some of your experiences.

TIA!

Hello Kitty

12-11-2006, 09:01 AM

Flying with dogs (http://www.constantchatter.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7914&highlight=) has good info.

lovebugs2003

12-11-2006, 12:38 PM

So I am curious to hear from people who have put their dogs in the cargo area.

My dog is 75 pounds, we don't foresee flying with him any time soon, but I am curious to hear the experiences.

ManteoChik

12-11-2006, 06:25 PM

So I am curious to hear from people who have put their dogs in the cargo area.

My dog is 75 pounds, we don't foresee flying with him any time soon, but I am curious to hear the experiences.

I would never ever ever ever ever put my dog in the belly of an airplane. No way no how. There really is never a good time to put a dog (or any) pet in there. During the winter its cold, and during the summer its hot. I also have a big dog, 75 pound lab thats only 2...and if we don't drive (or fly ourselves, SO is a pilot) we either get a dog sitter or don't go.

Hello Kitty

12-11-2006, 07:01 PM

Yep, I agree - there's NFW (pardon the language) I would put my dobe in the cargo hold of an airplane. Not only would I worry about her physical safety/health, but she's really sensitive, and I think it would cause her extreme mental distress. :( I've thought about getting her certified for something so that she could fly, but that would just be kind of excessive.

So, if she ever needs to go somewhere with us, we'll be driving.

ManteoChik

12-13-2006, 07:31 AM

Seb's Kitty That's the same with our lab. She is very sensitive and it would totally mess her up to be in the cargo hold. We're in the process of moving, and just seeing the boxes and things around is upsetting her.

Hello Kitty

12-13-2006, 08:30 AM

Oh, maybe we should start a 'sensitive dog' thread ;) It sounds like our girls are identical. We've got all of our attic storage stuff sitting out right now, and she hates it. She stays in one room and won't go anywhere else unaccompanied. Those paint cans may attack, you know?

kari

12-13-2006, 09:15 AM

I think it sucks and is discrimination that us bigger dog owners can't fly with our dogs in the cabin. I am pissed! I would never put my dog in the cargo hold and that means I cannot fly with my dog. B.S.!!! :( :mad: :(

lovebugs2003

12-13-2006, 09:42 AM

kari

12-13-2006, 12:02 PM

I hear you on that Kari.

My DH and I were discussing that, and i guess our vacations are going to consist of a lot of camping and a winnebago maybe and go cross country or something. Which to be honest, sounds awesome to me.

Sounds awesome to me too, which is what we are doing - in Alaska. We do not want to drive there from California though. So we have to leave the dogs home, which sucks, cuz it would have been fun.