Pups on planes

[Carrie]

Does anyone have advice about flying a puppy home - airlines, carriers, other tips? She will be 11 weeks old and is a medium sized doodle puppy. Thanks in advance.

[Ginny Nightingale]

With you or are you getting one shipped from a breeder? How far does the pup have to go? Is it within the US?

You can go online and see what you need to fly the pup--there are lots of websites and the airlines have info too--you will need a special crate and other stuff for cargo--I am sure the pup is too big for the cabin by now--they have to be really tiny. You can also get super-absorbent puppy pads for the crate.

I do know that Houston has a kennel facility, so if the pup has to go cross country with connecting flights that is the way to go--the pup can get out and get watered and fed there but must have at least a 3-4 hour layover.

[Carrie]

I would happily go pick her up from the breeder if she could travel with me in the plane. Otherwise, the breeder will ship her. It is just a short 1.5 hour direct domestic flight. She is a little puppy, but the breeder will let me know if she grows too fast for an under the seat journey. I was thinking of traveling on Southwest and buying a medium sherpa carrier - if she will fit.

[Lynda Kamrath]

A 1.5 hour direct domestic flight should be no problem at all - especially this time of year.  If the breeder delivers her to the airport and you pick her up at the destination, everything should be just fine.  You could, however, fly down, meet the breeder, pick her up and bring her home with you in the cabin for about the same price as having her shipped.  What nice baggage to have on the trip!

[Diane, Baker & Oskar]

We paid the breeder's adult daughter to fly here with our 7 week old puppy so he could be in the cabin.  She had him in a soft carrier under the seat.  How far does the puppy have to fly?  If you can't fly to bring the puppy home or arrange for someone to accompany it, make sure it is a non-stop flight.  If you look on the airline websites, there is a lot of information about carrier types, rules about health certificates (if the pup is flying between states), weather rules, etc.  We used Alaska Airlines & they seemed quite tuned in to the safety of the puppy.  Contact "cargo" if your puppy will be flying alone.  Good luck :)

[Carrie]

I am hopeful that she will still be small enough at 11 weeks, but that may be foolish. I am happy to fly and get her (I am returning from another trip through Chicago - the other trip is why I need to wait a few more weeks to get her.) I guess I was just interested to hear stories good and bad about particular airlines and pet carriers. She will definitely fly non stop regardless.

A long shot idea. Some airlines seem to allow companion pets on laps if the passenger has a certificate from a mental health professional that a companion dog (not a service dog) is needed. I am not sure that a puppy would ever qualify for this though.

[Diane, Baker & Oskar]

At 11 weeks, she should be fine traveling in cargo.  My friend just flew her new Sheltie from Atlanta to Seattle very successfully.  We met Adina's Boca at the airport when she flew from Texas to Seattle.  There were several crates lined up, all dogs seemed to be happy & calm.  It's done all the time...maybe your breeder can make you more comfortable with the idea.

[Lynda Kamrath]

I wouldn't push it.  Companion dogs are usually therapy dogs and needed for the passenger to be comfortable on the flight.  A puppy under the seat should be quite acceptable to everyone.

All of my puppies have been shipped and from much further areas, 3 to 5 hour flights, and all arrived safe and sound, but a little anxious to get out of their shipping crates.  I feel that Continental is the best airlines for shipping animals and the seeing eye dogs (adult trained dogs) are shipped with them.

[Diana Erhart]

My daughter flies with her little dog, a maltese, on many occasions.  There are standards that must be met to fly in the cabin.  The bag must be a certain size and the total weight of the dog and the bag cannot exceed a certain weight.  Each airline is slightly different.  She usually flies American and their weight limit is 20 pounds.  American makes you put the dog in the carrier and they weigh it to make sure it does not exceed the limit.  Also, the dog/carrier counts as a carry on.  On American I believe they charge you $125 each way.  You must call and add the dog to your reservation beforehand.  When you go through security you must take the dog's collar off, sending it through the x-ray machine, and you carry the dog through the metal detector with you.  You will not go through those newer machines but the older metal detector.  Supposedly you are to keep the dog in the carrier once you get through security but we have kept her dog on our lap until we boarded the plane and as long as she is behaving no one has said anything.  My daughter does get a pill from the vet to give her dog so that she does not get airsick as she has tended to get motion sickness in the past.  Not sure you can do that with a young puppy.  The other thing we do is...if it is possible we try to upgrade to first class using miles when making the reservation.  The added room under the seat is worth it if you have miles you can use and it is possible to ugrade.  But flying in coach works fine too.  If you are going to do this and fly American, let me know and I will ask my daughter which seats are the best.  I can't remember off hand if she said there was more room in the window, aisle or middle seat, I just remember that there was a certain seat that she didn't like because of something being in the way.  I was very nervous the first time I flew with my daughter's dog on my own but it was pretty easy.  Good luck and if you have any questions please let me know!

[Ginny Nightingale]

I had a 12 week old pup that flew from here in NY to Vancouver Canada and he was fine--I was much more nervous about sending him than he was! 1 1/2 hours should be easy. I doubt that a medium LD at age of 11 weeks would be small enough for the cabin, but if breeder will ship the pup on such a short flight, I think it will be fine.

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

I did a search (upper right with the magnifying glass) of "flying puppy" and found many discussions on this. Here is one with lots of good responses.

http://www.doodlekisses.com/forum/topics/has-anyone-flown-a-doodle-...

Always try starting there for your questions, you may get the answers you are looking for without having to wait and wonder.

Good Luck.