Dove
DC Grandma
Has anyone ever flown with a small dog? Do they still allow you to carry one on a plane? Do they charge more for one to fly with you?
Marge~Dove
Marge~Dove
Flying with a dog?
- Thread starter Dove
- Start date
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Dove, I don't know for sure - but I have friends who have a little dog. He's part of the family. They flew with him last summer and had to "crate" him and he went in the cargo area. I'm sure they would have carried him on if they could have. He did just fine, though. Everyone loved him all along the way.
OP
OP
Dove
DC Grandma
They use to allow them in a small carrier to sit under a seat. No cargo area for Dove..she would have a heart attack..no kidding, she would.
Marge
Marge
Hopefully someone else here can answer you from personal experience. I know my friends went to the vet and the vet gave their doggie a mild tranquilizer so he would be less stressed for the flight. He did fine - but I couldn't ever do that to my dogs. 
tweedee
Head Chef
Dove,
So long as the plane is flying and not you they may allow the little doggie
So long as the plane is flying and not you they may allow the little doggie
OP
OP
Dove
DC Grandma
No chance of that..never touched the stuff.. I just went to American Airlines site..they do allow a small pet..$80.00 (each way I guess)
I just checked the Senior Ticket prices..darn! I can almost buy the plane for that amount...sorry Elf..
dove
I just went to American Airlines site..they do allow a small pet..$80.00 (each way I guess)I just checked the Senior Ticket prices..darn! I can almost buy the plane for that amount...sorry Elf..
dove
lindatooo
Head Chef
Marge I've flown with Jake (11 lb toy poodle) many times, cross country. As long as his carrier is airline approved (ie Sherpa) and it fits under the seat in front of you the airlines are ok w/that. It used to cost $75 for roundtrip but you need to book the dog ahead because they only allow so many on each flight.
A big part of your comfort during the flight is getting the dog used to the "crate". Jake would just put his nose out of the top zip to have a little treat and was very quiet - only once did a stewardess require me to leave him in the crate for the whole flight. They do require immunization records to the max but I'm sure you have those.
I would never let my dog go into the cargo area - I know it's done safely but I just couldn't do it.
Today, however, with it taking so much longer to get anywhere I'd only fly with Gidgett if I absolutely had to.
You need to restrict food and water the day before and a great med is just benedryl. Extremely safe and doesn't make them logy just takes the edge off. If I need to fly with Gidgett I will definately use that. Gave her one on 4th of July and there were no ill effects. Jake at 11 lbs got 1 pill. Gidgett at 5 1/2 lbs tolerates 1 pill well.
You must, of course, exprect to go back through security if you need to take her outside but that's a good decompressor for you and her if you have a long layover. I'd try for a direct flight though.
When you arrive be sure to give lots of little bits of food and water - they will be a bit dehydrated but if they drink or eat too much to fast tummy will react.
I don't know what they charge now - it's been about 5 years since I flew with Jake.
Good luck and let me know how it goes!
Hugs
A big part of your comfort during the flight is getting the dog used to the "crate". Jake would just put his nose out of the top zip to have a little treat and was very quiet - only once did a stewardess require me to leave him in the crate for the whole flight. They do require immunization records to the max but I'm sure you have those.
I would never let my dog go into the cargo area - I know it's done safely but I just couldn't do it.
Today, however, with it taking so much longer to get anywhere I'd only fly with Gidgett if I absolutely had to.
You need to restrict food and water the day before and a great med is just benedryl. Extremely safe and doesn't make them logy just takes the edge off. If I need to fly with Gidgett I will definately use that. Gave her one on 4th of July and there were no ill effects. Jake at 11 lbs got 1 pill. Gidgett at 5 1/2 lbs tolerates 1 pill well.
You must, of course, exprect to go back through security if you need to take her outside but that's a good decompressor for you and her if you have a long layover. I'd try for a direct flight though.
When you arrive be sure to give lots of little bits of food and water - they will be a bit dehydrated but if they drink or eat too much to fast tummy will react.
I don't know what they charge now - it's been about 5 years since I flew with Jake.
Good luck and let me know how it goes!
Hugs
mrsmac
Head Chef
We have flown with our Jack Russell a number of times but she was never allowed in the plane always in the cargo hold. She was fine even though it was a 5hour flight. When we went to Darwin in July we took Belle our 6 month old Staffy and she coped well in cargo we have never medicated the dogs either. My in laws have flown with their rottweiler too with no problems.
Claire
Master Chef
I've flown with my Jack Russell in the bagage .... but there used to be a couple of types of planes (at the time I knew) that didn't have pressurized baggage sections. I'd call ahead and make sure. Remember that in order to be legal, your dog has to be able to sit down, stand up, lay down, and comfortably turn around in his/her crate. YOU, or and least I cannot do that in a plane.
At one point (doggie flew from Hawaii to Virginia) we were in an in-between airport, waiting to catch a connecting flight. We looked out on the flight line and saw a baggage cart. Every single worker on the flightline stopped to talk to our dog (we had extra tags on her crate because we were coming from Hawaii). When we picked her up in Virginia, she had been very well cared for. Yes, you can take a dog of certain size in with you if she fits under the seat. But shipping her isn't as traumatic as you'd think. I wish I could sit up, lay down, stand ... when I fly!
I cannot emphasize enough ... if you're doing this, familiarize your dog with the crate!!!! When Fang (the JR) was a pup, a breeder friend told me to crate-train her. To this day I can pull up the crate from the cellar and my two old ladies will imediately go into it, because they love it.
Fang is now 15 years old. She managed to survive, somehow. She's lived in more states that most can name. She's tired and old. She's flown over half the globe, and driven the entire country (OK, OK, we drove, she rode). Dogs are wonderfully flexible, as are cats. Just give them love.
At one point (doggie flew from Hawaii to Virginia) we were in an in-between airport, waiting to catch a connecting flight. We looked out on the flight line and saw a baggage cart. Every single worker on the flightline stopped to talk to our dog (we had extra tags on her crate because we were coming from Hawaii). When we picked her up in Virginia, she had been very well cared for. Yes, you can take a dog of certain size in with you if she fits under the seat. But shipping her isn't as traumatic as you'd think. I wish I could sit up, lay down, stand ... when I fly!
I cannot emphasize enough ... if you're doing this, familiarize your dog with the crate!!!! When Fang (the JR) was a pup, a breeder friend told me to crate-train her. To this day I can pull up the crate from the cellar and my two old ladies will imediately go into it, because they love it.
Fang is now 15 years old. She managed to survive, somehow. She's lived in more states that most can name. She's tired and old. She's flown over half the globe, and driven the entire country (OK, OK, we drove, she rode). Dogs are wonderfully flexible, as are cats. Just give them love.
Barbara L
Traveling Welcome Wagon
I just read that one of the airlines (can't remember which one, but I think maybe United?) will no longer allow dogs in cargo after September. They will only allow them in the passenger area, in an acceptable carrier, and they will charge $100 one way.
Barbara
Barbara
mrsmac
Head Chef
Gosh thats expensive. Our Staffy flew to Darwin as part of our baggage and because we didn't go over the weight limit we didn't pay anything!
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
Dove:
Your best bet is to call the airline you plan to fly. Rules seem to be changing every day. Make sure you get the info from the source.
Your best bet is to call the airline you plan to fly. Rules seem to be changing every day. Make sure you get the info from the source.
Claire
Master Chef
We paid $50 per airport stop (in other words, $50 from Hawaii to Colorado, another $50 from Colorado to O'Hare, and another $50 from O'Hare to National. AND she counted as a peice of luggage (in other words, we'd have been allowed two suitcases each, four total, and only got to have three. Believe me, when you're PCS-ing and going to have to live out of those suitcases for heaven knows how much time, you're feeling the sacrifice). I still say I'm waiting for the day I can sit down, lay down, stand up, and turn around in MY airlines seat. She's 15, so this was about 13 or 14 years ago (she was about a year old). And yes, that very active breed. Even now in her old age, I cannot imagine her sitting calmly under the seat next to my feet. Every animal is different. And seriously, DO check with your airlines. Not matter what you've read, no matter what anyone has told you, check personally over the phone first. They first booked us into a plane that didn't have a pressurized cargo area. Which means she'd have been sitting around in a cargo area somewhere until the next flight, then at our destination we'd have been wondering where in the hades she was.
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