Puppy Shipping

[Janel and Sophia]

I am sure that some of you had your fur babies shipped to you, rather than picking them up. Sophia will be shipped mid-August.  Are there any special concerns in doing this?  I am nervous about it but, due to time and distance there is just no other choice.   Some sites say they are so traumatized that they are sick for weeks, other web sites say they just sleep.  Would like to be prepared and hear what thoughts you all have?  Thanks

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I drove 600 miles to pick up our Fudge and 400 to pick up Vern. I know some members have had their puppy shipped to them, and will probably be responding, but I did not want to go that route for our dogs. I would be very concerned with shipping a puppy in August when it is so hot. I know there have been other discussions about this topic, so you might want to search and see what comes up.

[Coco Chanel and Cheryl]

My breeder drove her hear to MD from Ohio. She did great with it but she was on a car trip. I didn't do shipping!!

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

The ONLY way that I might even consider letting a puppy be flown would be if there is NO layovers, stops or plane changes.  In other words a direct flight - then it might be o.k.  August is a problem given the heat, not sure where the puppy is coming from and where you live.  Could this perhaps become your vacation and then pick up the puppy yourself?   

[Tina, Clover, Plus 5 More]

I agree with Jane, August is a very hot time of year. 

[Lindsey]

Mollys breeder was local, so we were fortunate enough to just go and pick her up.
However, I lived in Hawaii at the time we got our little dog, Ali (brussels Griffon).
He was around a year old when DH was told he would be redeploying to Iraq.
We were in the middle of preparing for his deployment, my return back to SC while he was deployed, packing, moving, crying...etc. etc. We decided it would be a good idea to go ahead and send Ali to SC ahead of us. That way we could tie up the loose ends in HI and then he would be there and settled when I got to SC.
We shipped him to my inlaws. He did GREAT!
He had a three hour layover in Chicago, but I found a very sweet lady that actually goes to the airport to meet dogs that have been shipped solo. She lets them out, waters and feeds them and just loves on them until they are to make their next flight. She then makes sure he got on his next flight.
We didn't give him any meds to calm him, we put ice in a little cup that hung on his door for him to lick on.
The flight from HI to SC is longgggggggggggg...but when he arrived, my inlaws said he was excited to see them, wiggling around and doing just fine. He had had no accidents in his crate and didn't even act like the flight had happened.
So...I really think it depends on the dog. Just like some people, flights can be scary to them, they can get air sickness, and it can cause them to be a little timid. However, some dogs (like ali) do just fine.
I will say, they will not and SHOULD not ship a dog in hot weather! We were in March, when we shipped Ali.
They go into the cargo area, so there isn't a way to cool them there...so just make sure your breeder is aware of that fact and doesn't try to ship your pup in the heat of the day!! A red eye flight would probably be fine.
Good Luck!!
Can't wait to hear all about the homecoming!

[Angie, Hudson and Lily]

Hudson was shipped from Oregon to Michigan, which is a long flight. He came in the month of December, so heat wasn't a concern. He arrived happy and in great shape and did not show any signs of being traumatized. I think it will be fine as long as there are no lay overs and it isn't too hot. Can the pup fly in the evening or really early morning so that heat won't be a concern?

[Jill Crenshaw]

Hi there - pickup is always preferable but not always possible.  Every new family has the same concerns for shipping that you do.  I only use Continental as they have the BEST kennel facilities, AC trucks to and from flights and they have special considerations for pets.  They have kennel facilities at their major hubs (which you should fly your puppy through) if you can't get a direct flight.  If there is a problem with temperature or the plane you can trust that they will be kept securely and safely at these kennels.  Try to avoid small airport pickup, although Continental do this all the time.  Puppies are last on first off.  They may well be the only carrier now who can ship mid-august with the soaring temperatures - but I have never shipped at this time of yr, only in the deep cold New England winter where many of the same concerns exist.  I love Continental they are now the ONLY airline I will use.

 

I never get reports from my customers of sickness from travel, just some pee (never poop - phew!).  I only ship using pee pads and small fleece blankets for comfort - never cotton.  They arrive perky and ready to play. 

 

Saying that - as a breeder it is important to invest a lot of time in travel preparation - training the puppy to the travel crate - preferably having them sleep in them over night for several nights before the trip.  I also make sure they have a belly full of plain, full fat yogurt before the flight and have peed and pooped and are comfortable. Just before they go back in the shipping crate they have a long snuggle on my lap at the airport check-in while they get used to everything, I always arrive early just for this! The yogurt settle young tummies for travel.  My puppies water bowls have frozen water in to stop spills and to make sure it last for the flight and they have a full cup of food - per allowances.

Hope this helps - take care and good luck with your new baby.

[Amy, Dexi & Oreo]

We had to have our doodle flown from Ohio to Washington and she did just fine.  We were really concerned that we were going to traumatize our poor baby, but she didn't seem to mind.  She needed a bath when she got home, but otherwise was a happy, playful little girl the second we introduced her to her new home.  Good luck!

[Stephanie and Jellybean]

We had our puppy shipped to us in late October. It was still warm where we live at that time of year; she had about an hour or more drive to the airport from where the breeder lives, and then another hour or so flight to Los Angeles. She was fine, although she defintely needed a bath when we got her home, which was another 45 minute drive. She was ready and waiting in her kennel at cargo pickup. The airlines have strict rules about the temperature inside the cargo of the planes, and they will not allow the puppies in there if the temps are going to exceed the limits. Just be sure if your pup does come to you by plane, that you bring plenty of water, paper towels, 409 or something similar, and wet wipes for your car in case there was any kind of air sickness or car sickness in the crate. Our puppy was not sick after she got home or sleepy or anything else. She was puppyish! Hope it all works out for you!

[Jane Smith]

We had both of ours shipped (from Iowa and Kentucky) during the hottest months.  Because of this we had to drive to the Phoenix airport from Tucson to get them, because the flights only allowed so many pets, and they had to arrive at night when the temperature was low enough.

 

Lucy came direct, but Ethel had a layover.  I hated thinking that she was locked in a crate for several hours waiting to get here, but once we saw her it was all worth it and she certainly didn't seem traumatized. 

[Jennifer and Jack]

I had my puppy shipped to me in SC in May. actually the first day of May. I had no concept of any danger at that time and I am so glad... He came off the plane, cool, happy and wagging his tail. The airlines do have stricter regulations about flying animals in the summer.

 

We are getting our second puppy on August 6th. I was very concerned about flying her because  we have had consistent temps over 100 every day, the last few days up to 114 degrees with the heat indext.

 

I was going to bite the bullet and pay for myself to fly along with my oxygen which is very expensive to fly with, and go pick her up. To me, I have learned too much but also, there is no way that they would be able to fly them out anyway, we would have to go find some other nearby state that was cooler

 

There is also an airline that caters just to pets and all animals fly in the cabin and all animals are escorted to the plane via an air conditioned van.. That was another option we were considering.. Though again we would have to go to a different state  because that airline did not come to SC.

 

As the grace of God would have it, on the exact day that our girl is turning eight weeks old, the exact day our breeder is taking a very long car ride and going on vacation to GA. She is willing to drive our puppy to Ga for us and we will get to pick her up there.. It is an incredible story.

 

I would be really nervous about flying because of the heat not because of the trauma to the dog...

[Bonnie and Kona]

This is wonderful, Jennifer! I'm so excited for you and your mom.