Shipping puppies

[Linda,Yankee & Finn]

OK, I would like to hear the pros and cons of shipping a puppy versus driving a long way with a puppy. I see some breeders refuse to ship puppies while some have no problem with it. Why is that?

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

It will be 2 years ago this July. Two hours before I was to get married I was standing in line at the airport in my husbands red boxer shorts with the palm tree print, no bra, but I did have on a bright orange extra large t-shirt. I had no hair brush ( the hotel did give me a comb )
Thank Gawd it was my wedding not my puppy!

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Opps Sorry. I was called away before I proof-read my post.

What I meant was the airline lost my luggage for weeks. They could not tell me where my bags were. How many times does this happen with live cargo?

[Linda,Yankee & Finn]

LOL, it took me a minute to figure out where you were going with the story.

[27cir57x69mpb]

We had a great experience with shipping our puppy from FL to NJ. However, I would worry if shipping during hurricane season or during winter months. Also, I would only ship a puppy on a non-stop trip, the shorter the better.

[Sally Rollins]

I do agree, the shorter the better, and if possible, straight thru flight.

[Kyoko]

I chose the breeder where I can drive to. Because I wanted to see where and how they are being raised, treated, etc... and wanted t meet the parents before I choose them as my puppy's breeder.

[Steve Drury]

I have only one experience. Our puppy was shipped from Portland to L.A. We had no problems. I don't know if this is how they all do it, but Alaska airlines puts live cargo in a separate climate controlled cabin; they brought the puppy immediately to the ticket counter for pick up. She got off the plane as fast as the passengers. In our case the gate was right next to the ticket counter. We watched her come off the plane. It's not like the puppies get handled in the same method as luggage.
I think the key to the best flight possible for the puppy is that it needs to be a non-stop flight---no stops; definitely no changing planes.
We're having another puppy being shipped in about 3 weeks from the same breeder. There are flights that take 4-5 even 7 hours from Portland to L.A. because they are not non-stop. Ours will be coming on a direct flight that will take 2 hours and 20 minutes.
Hope this makes you feel more comfortable with the concept.

[LuvMyAbby&Kaela]

I had a great experience with having Abby flown to me.

She was flown direct from Vancouver to Terrace on a small twin engine plane (Dash 8?) and was in the air for about an hour. She was in a crate....and I watched the plane land and her being unloaded. I could see through the crate and she was wagging her tail. A staff member carried the crate to me and she was all wags and kisses when I opened the door. So there is shipping - then there is shipping. My breeder drove the puppy from her home on Vancouver Island to the airport in Vancouver. So she drove the puppy an hour to the ferry, went on the ferry for 1.5 hrs and then another hour drive to the Vancouver Airport. Hand delivered to the plane , then flown directly to me, ....not too bad at all. (no chance at all of "lost cargo". The plane doesnt stop anywhere between Vancouver and Terrace.) Then we all drove home - 30 minutes from Terrace airport

[Sally Rollins]

I had one shipped from Florida to San Antonio, Texas with a stop in Houston last October, I could track her ware abouts with Continal Air Lines, he rode in a special climate controlled area under the plane next to cargo. Everything went fine. Then in January I had one shipped from Detriot to Austin, straight thru flight, with Northwest, and again I could track him, one thing, he took off an hour late because of snow in Detriot. I guess I was comfortable, because my daughter ships her dog when they move with the Military to my house, I keep him until they are settled, then I drive him to her place. We also shipped him to Hawaii and back. Again, we could track his where abouts. I just don't care to ship in hot weather to areas in the south, just incase there is a problem, They seemed to be okay in cooler weather. The first time is the hardest. Good Luck!

[Adina P]

I went back and forth on this when choosing a breeder...I was afraid of it then but would not be now provided I was 100% sure about a breeder I could not visit personally. For me the biggest factor was that there are NO direct flights into my town. They all go through Seattle (5 hour drive away) and I did not want my pup to have to switch flights. And flying a pup into Seattle only for me to have to drive there and back...well it was just as easy for me to make the 6 hour drive to Montana where my final breeder pick was.

[Holly St Pierre]

I did choose local only so I could see where my puppy came from. We live in PA, which is unfortunately known for puppy mills. I did go to a local breeder (not where I got my puppy) who ships worldwide. If anyone saw the conditions in which the puppies lived, they would have never gotten a puppy from this place. He was 1/2 the price of what I paid, but now I know why. Beware if you are not able to see the conditions in which your puppy came from. As far as shipping situations, I can't speak for that. Many believe its ok, many do not. Seems like a personal preference.

[Linda Karell]

My breeder was in Michigan and I'm in Montana, so I had no option except to ship. My breeder was diligent about finding a good flight, but my airport is small, and at first all we could find were 8-10 hour flights with layovers. I was beginning to consider cashing in frequent flyer miles and going to fetch her when we finally found a direct flight. It was really just luck (a very sporadic flight sponsored by a local resort for their big wigs), and I'd consider that next time. On the other hand, my breeder was fabulous (even asked me to call her when the puppy arrived, even though it was late at night), and it all worked out just fine. The puppy handled the trip with ease. The airline seemed to treat her very well, too. They brought her right out to the ticket gate as soon as the flight landed. And it couldn't have been too traumatic for her, because she slept happily in her travel crate until she outgrew it! (But truly, I was worried about shipping her and am just grateful it went as well as it did.)