Question about taking your dog on a plane?

Question

I will be going to fla and would like to take my medium-large dog with me. Is there a size restriction that you can take on planes? I know they carry the dogs underneath, but for a huge dog, do they have some kennels down there to put your dog in, or do you have to provide your own?

Answer 1

I wouldn't fly with my dog with any other airline than Continental..they are absolutely wonderful! My dogs arrive with their kennels clean, and they are always bouncy and happy..Here is a site with all you need to know, and phone numbers> http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/animals/default.aspx
Continental's PetSafe program will allow pets that previously traveled as checked baggage to experience these safeguards when they travel as cargo, keeping them safe and their owners reassured:

* Dedicated 24-hour Live Animal Desk (1.800.575.3335 or 281.553.5052)
* Confirmed booking prior to departure
* Weather conditions constantly monitored at all points
* The ability to track and trace the animal from its origin to its destination
* Personal handling in climate-controlled vehicles for connections over Continental's hubs when the animal will be exposed to temperatures above 85°F (29.5°C) degrees for more than 45 minutes
* Continental recommends (but does not require) that SENIOR DOGS AND CATS (over 7.5 years old) receive a more extensive health examination (i.e. liver and kidney screens).

Answer 2

It depends on the airline. Some will allow dogs and others won't. Also, most will not allow dogs when it is too hot or too cold. Either way you must provide your own crate. You need to go to the pet store and make sure it has the seal of approval for flight. You will need to go to the vet to get a certification of health. Also, some dog breeds should never ride in the cargo area, because of health issues. The breeds are the ones with pushed back noses - like pugs, pit bulls, bulldog, spaniels....etc. Some airlines won't even allow those types of dogs on a plane...also dogs in heat or pregnant. Also make sure your pet will be comforatble - take him for a long run before the flight, and make sure you take his picture and have his tags on in case they lose him.

Most importantly, and something I found out when flying with my dog..is that they don't have to ride in the cargo area! As long as they are in the crate the WHOLE time you can bring the dog with you in the cabin (most airlines call it accompanied baggage). There is usually a limit on how many pets can ride in the cabin though, so be sure to tell the airline a head of time.

Answer 3

I once had an elderly lady for a friend. She had a wonderful little dog. A mix of some sort. She had the dog trained well and it behaved very well. Learn here https://tr.im/kZnns

She kept an uncovered candy dish on her coffee table with candy in it. The dog was forbidden to eat the candy. When she was in the room observing the dog he did not even appear to notice the candy. One day while she was in her dinning room she happened to look in a mirror and could see her dog in the living room. He did not know he was being watched. For several minutes he was sitting in front of the candy bowl staring at the candy. Finally he reached in and took one. He placed it on the table and stared at it, he woofed at it. He stared some more, licked his chops and PUT IT BACK in the bowl and walked away. Did he want the candy, oh yeah. Did he eat it? Nope. They can be trained that well but most, I'll admit, are not trained that well. When I was a young boy, maybe 5 years old. We had a german shepherd. He was very well trained also. My mom could leave food unattended on the table, no problem. She would open the oven door and set a pan roast beef or roast chicken on the door to cool. No problem. He would not touch it, watched or not. But butter? Whole other story. You leave a stick of butter anywhere he could reach and it was gone. He was a large shepherd so there were not many places he could not reach. Really, I think the number of dogs trained to the point they will leave food alone when not being supervised is very small indeed.
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Now if we are talking obedience training, not food grubbing, that is a different story. Way back when I was first learning obedience training one of the final exercises was to put our dogs in a down/stay and not only leave the room but leave the building for 15 minutes. The only person that stayed was our trainer, not the owners. Most of the dogs in my class did not break their stay, which would be an automatic fail. I'm happy to report my dog was one of the ones that passed.

Answer 4

We had a greyhound, and he had the largest carrier made- just so he could fly back from Europe to the US with us. You have to buy an airline approved carrier, basically big enough for the dog to be able to stand and turn around inside. All the airlines have different requirements for how they want the carrier labeled, etc- so it's best to check with the airline you want to go on. Not all flights/destinations/airlines will ship an animal. When we flew, we did fine on the major flight over. But when we got to JFK they weren't able to fit the carrier onto the aircraft we were supposed to take to Philly. Although we had booked to fly him and us months ahead, we still had to wait for a later flight and bigger aircraft. So be sure you check it all through and recheck on the day you actually fly with him.
By the way, it was easier to clear customs with the dog than it was with the 2 1/2 year old. They just looked in the dogs carrier- they made me unload and undress the little one, down to the pullup, and made him walk through the metal detector on his own. Crying, I might add. Couldn't get him a drink, but I was allowed to give the dog water! They took the snacks away from the toddler, but left the dog food alone. Go figure that one out!

Answer 5

most airlines require you to provide your own crate (wood or plastic). Also, most if not all require your dog to be muzzled before getting on the plane. This is to prevent worker mishaps. Also, most airlines require you to get a vet certificate that states that your dog does have all vaccinations up to date in perticular rabies and parvo. Sometimes, depending where you are flying from, they require the rabies shot to be withing 2 weeks of flying. Best bet, call the airline you will be flying on and ask them what their standards are. Then, call the airport and ask them what their standards are. Combine both to know what you are supposed to do. On a personal level, for large or giant breeds, i recommend wood crates with plenty of air holes jsut because workers and people can sometimes be stupid and try and pet the dogs or put their hands inside the gates or doors of plastic crates. If you can, talk to a true kennel and ask them how they import their dogs and where they get the crates from.

Answer 6

Normally, yes... You will need to buy your own kennel.

On commercial airliners, there are only two options, cabin and cargo. Only very small dogs are are allowed in the cabin with their owner (still in a kennel). Small dogs need to comfortably fit in a kennel or carrier that is approximately 8-9 inches high, 12-13 inches wide and 15-23 inches long. Carrier measurements vary by airline. Dogs must be able to stand and easily turn around in the carrier. If you are a dog owner that is lucky enough to have a small dog that will actually fit in the carrier required by most airlines and if your dog is more than 8 weeks old, you have it made. It sounds like your pup is bigger. So, that means he will be put with the luggage under the aircraft.

Now, while the cargo area has the proper ventilation, air pressure, and heating or cooling that is required for safe animal transport, sometimes things can go wrong. Stories range from pets getting loose on the runways because they broke out of their carriers to dogs overheating or freezing in the cargo hold. Most airline companies will not let pets fly in cargo during extreme hot or cold weather or during particular seasons. So, if you live in a Norther climate, it may not be safe to travel with your pup in the dead of winter... or, in the middle of the summer time when it can get extremely hot on the runways. The cooling systems may not be strong enough. Most, if not all, airlines will let you know. Call ahead... and plan ahead.

When you buy a kennel, don't go cheap. Buy a strong one, and ask for help at the pet store. Most pet stores will tell you the better ones to buy for travelling. Make sure the kennel is big enough for him to stand upright and turn around. It doesn't need to be huge, however.

If your dog has never been in a small kennel before, going in one for the first time can be stressful. There are lots of articles on the web around to help you get your dog accustomed to kennels. Don't leave this to the last minute. Travelling in the belly of an airplane is going to be stressful enough, you don't want to make it worse by cramming him into a kennel he hates because he's never been in one before.

Finally, some vets and people will advise giving your dog a tranquilizer so he sleeps and his nerves are settled. DO NOT do this. The American Veterinary Medical Association does not advise tranquilizers for pets placed in cargo because the effects of tranquilizers on animals at high altitude are unpredictable. Plus when you're in a cage, and getting bumped around, you want your dog to be alert and aware so he isn't tossed around like a bean-bag.

Overall... dogs on board an aircraft happen all the time. People take dogs on flights every day, and the airlines are very used to this. Call them, and get the advice directly from the airline you're using. Plan ahead, use some common sense, and be careful. In all likelihood, your dog will NOT enjoy the flight. Don't worry, it doesn't last long, and your fido will be out and running around in no time.


Good luck.

Answer 7

Check out this web site It will help answer this question and any others you may have about takeing your Dog with you on vacation www.flypets.com They will also ship your pet for you to aid in a smooth trip.

You should provide a kennel for your dog and get him used to it before you fly.

Answer 8

Yes you can. There is a fee but you are able to take dogs onto planes. Grats on getting a pug, by the way. I have a pug/jack russell mix

Answer 9

When I brought my German shepherd to the US from Germany, I had to have a Health Certificate stamped by a vet and proof of shots. (Rabies, most importantly) I had to purchase a crate for her. The crate had to be large enough for her to turn around without getting stuck. When she laid down on her side, she was supposed to be able to have her back against one wall and with her legs stretched out, her toes were not allowed to touch the other wall. The roof of the crate was supposed to have at least 6 inches clearance from the tip of her ears.

When we got to New York, she was supposed to be taken to Customs for inspection of her papers, but some yoyo put her on my connecting flight home. It took them forever to find her and how they found her on my connecting flight is a story in itself.

Had she been a puppy, I would have been able to take her into the cabin with me, but she would have had to have been kept in a carrier for the duration of the flight. Instead, because she was full grown, she was put in the cargo hold. It must have been a nightmare for her, because she almost ate her way out of the crate.

My advice to you would be, if you don't have to take your dog with you, don't. Leave her at home in good hands or drive to Florida. I had no choice but to take my dog on the plane. Once I got to the States, I wasn't going back to Germany.

Answer 10

I think you have to provide your own. Just call the airline and see what they require. Be careful - lots of horror stories out there about flying your dog in cargo! May not be worth it to take him with you.