Flying With Dogs - Travelling Dog Tips

People love their dogs so much and say they will do anything for them, but when it comes time to travel and go on a vacation…I have heard every excuse in the book (and then some) for not taking their dog with them.

Some Excuses:

-Our friends going with us don’t like dogs

-there are other dogs going and they might not get along

-we are flying

-it’s a long drive and our dog isn’t good in the car

-I don’t want him/her to run away at the cottage

-we are staying in a hotel

…and they go on.

I find it funny that we include our dogs as part of our family when taking family pictures, signing cards and even have birthday parties for them. But when it comes time to go on vacation and have a holiday we find an excuse to leave them out just because it’s easier.

Today I want to talk about “Flying With Dogs”

To most people and myself include before I tried it, I was a little nervous about putting my dog on a plane.

What if my dog doesn’t make the flight? Will my dog be scared? How will I find my dog? Should I drug my dog, I don’t want to…etc

Booking Your Flight:

1. When booking your flight find an airline that takes pets. A lot of airlines will fly animals but space is limited so it’s important to see if there is space for your dog on the flight.

2. Try to get a direct flight and avoid long layovers and plane switches. Although I have done this before and my dogs have been fine, you want to make sure that they are not in the crate for to long. If it’s a long layover you can sometime get to your dog to let them out for a pee. Sometimes it is better to not go to your dog if you can only be with them for a couple minutes because they will get so excited and then you have to go through the process of leaving them again.

3. Make sure you know the size of crate the airline can accommodate and the maximum combined weight of dog and crate they allow.

4. Write your information on the crate, Your name, Dogs name, phone number and email. The airline will put a sticker on it that will have all of your flight information.

Preparing Your Dog For The Flight:

This is the most important part of flying with your dog and it starts 2 days before the flight. While most of the time we are a little stressed with getting everything done before leaving and making sure we pack everything we need, you still have to take the time to exercise your dog.

2 days before flying your dog take them for at least a 2 hour walk/hike, not 2 one-hour hikes, and keep your dog moving. Repeat this on the day before and/or the day of your flight if you fly later in the day.

The idea is to tire your dog out as much as possible so your not putting a hyper dog in a crate and/or car if your driving.

I’m not a fan of the drugs that some vets and people suggest for the simple reason that you don’t know how your dog is going to react to them.

What Happens To My Dog After I Check In:

When you check-in at the airport you will be instructed where to take your dog. Typically it is by the oversized luggage area. When we fly we always ask when the latest we can drop the dogs off so that they aren’t in the crate as long. Some airlines give you zip-ties to secure the dog just incase it happened to un-latch. I suggest bringing some with you incase they don’t have them.

If you have a small dog that can be carried on you don’t have to worry about this. Check with the airline for restrictions on taking dogs with you in the cabin.

The dogs are loaded underneath at the front of the plane, this section of the plane is pressurized and the same temperature as the cabin. If you are sitting at the front of the plane you can hear dogs barking sometimes.

Before The Plane Takes Off:

Some airlines now have boarding passes for the dogs, which are a great peace of mind. When you check in it gets placed on the crate and when the crew load your dog onto the plane they rip it off and bring it to your seat so you know they made the flight.

If they the airline doesn’t have dog boarding passes then just as the flight attendant if your dog made it. They will then radio down to the crew to ask what dogs are on the flight.

From this point, there is nothing you can do but to try and relax!

A cocktail or a glass of wine should do the trick! Haha.

When you land…

…don’t rush as it takes time to get the dogs off. From my experience, the luggage arrives before the dogs come out most of the time. The dogs will come out at the oversized luggage area.

When you get your dog make sure you take them outside right away so they can relieve themselves. Don’t make a big deal about the situation, and don’t be surprised if your dog gives you a bit of a cold shoulder for a bit. It will be okay; they will love the adventure, new sights, sounds, and smells.

I like to take them for a 5-10 minute run just so they can stretch their legs before moving on to your destination.

If this has helped please comment and share so we can get more dogs going on vacations.

PS: Discover how we make an income travelling with our dogs and blogging about our adventures. CLICK HERE

Resources:

-Westjet is my favourite airline to fly with the dogs, incredible service.

-Dog Friendly Hotel Guide www.thefriendlydog.com

#flyingwithdogs #flyingwithyourdog #tipsforflyingwithyourdog