What is it like for big dogs to fly on an airplane? 2 hour flight? Experiences?

Question

dogs, labrador, fly, airplane, treatment of dogs on airplanes,

Answer 1

they get put with the baggage. as far as i know there have not been any deaths reported due to mistreatment. 2 hours is fine, just make sure and have big bright sticks on the outside of the kennel that says live animal. my biggest concern would be your pet getting lost like the rest of the baggage. the only circumstance that i would not suggest flying would be if your pet was insulin dependent. you will not have any access to your pet during the flight.

Answer 2

I must be the only one that would not fly a dog again. I didn't like the way she was neglected during a 7 hour layover when they were supposed to let her out of her crate (we paid an extra $400 for that service). She was stuck in that crate 27 hours with no food or water or potty breaks. She was treated well at the airport in L.A. . We had to reboard for another 3 hours in the air & was treated terribly at the airport in Omaha, Nebraska. They shoved her cage through the oversized baggage slot & if I hadn't been there to catch her before she hit, she would've been hurt. The airport heard about it for a very long time. Needless to say, I will not fly another dog anywhere. And by the way, they do not sedate dogs before a flight. It lowers their body temp too much.

Answer 3

We have shipped a total of 4 dogs very long distances via the airlines...last one being our Golden from Germany. He did fine. No food before the flight. The airlines give them water beforehand. The only restriction is that the tarmac cannot be over a certain degree in order to fly. Summertime is tricky for flying your pet. The airlines were great with our dogs. Crate must be large enough for them to stand up and turn around in. Fido will do just fine :) Be prepared, he will stink when you pick him up - will probably pee in the kennel but he'll survive.

Answer 4

I would guess no problem.
I will add a funny story though.
When my wife came back from Hawaii she had her little Beagle fly back in the cargo hold with the baggage. Well that was a 5 hour flight and everyone on the plane could hear the dog howling the whole time. He did not like it down there. She was a bit embarrassed about her pup.

Answer 5

DO NOT give him tranquilizers!! Bad, bad, bad.

I moved from South Florida to Seattle and my 100 lb Newfie/Lab was in cargo for about eight hours and was just fine. He did bark, though, the last two hours of the flight. We got in 30 mins early - I think the pilot was tired of hearing him lol

Also make sure the crate you get is airline approved and big enough for your dog to stand up. www.drsfostersmith.com has really good prices on crates.

Good advice about the type-they-need-to-lick water bottle as I had an attached bowl in Jake's and as were were boarding the connecting flight one of the baggage handlers was asking a flight attendant for a bottled water as this "big black dog" had knocked the bowl off the inside of his cage and spilled the water - my big black dog!

Answer 6

A two hour flight should be fine. Do NOT give him any tranquilizers before the flight- it is very cold under the plane and tranquilizers will cause your dog not to be able to regulate his body temperature. Just don't feed your dog, I and don't leave any water in the crate either. When I flew my dog- i left inside the crate her favorite blanket- don't know if that would help.
Good luck.

Answer 7

EZ! no sweat. i work for a cargo airline to korea in NYC, & we ship a bunch of different animals & that about a 16 hr flt. if ur dog is going on a pax flt even better. the captain will know before take off that there is a live animal in cargo & will adjust the temperture so he will be comfortable. for 2 hrs food is really not needed but just to relax ur nerves & bc its getting hot outside attach a small PLASTIC water bottle in it's cage u know the kind thats turned upside down that they have to lick to get the water out.

Answer 8

Sometimes they fly up front with the pilots in the cockpit, can be like watchdogs in case of trouble on plane. If a retriver, the pilot can take the dog in first class a throw a ball and have them retrive, that is why they close the curtains in first class because they don't want everyone to know what is going on.

Answer 9

big crate , no water or food ,they fine ,make sure you .let him do his stuff before he travel s.

Answer 10

2 hours? That should be fine, give him tranqualizers before.