No matter how prepared I felt, I was still nervous when flying with my black Labrador Tasha to Colorado. Is it too cold? Will she be thrown about? Does she have to go to the bathroom? These and other similar thoughts of concern floated about my mind until I finally saw her come out of the oversize luggage area. Her tail was wagging—we had made it!
Flying with your dog can be a stressful situation. Being unprepared to take a flight with Fido, where he will be placed down below as cargo, can add unnecessary stress when taking a trip. Here are ten checklist items to keep the stress level down and both you and Fido happy!
There may be more to add with each specific case, i.e. going to a different country, having more than one dog, etc. But here is a good starting point.
1. Kennel = Den
First: have an airline-approved crate, and be sure that Fido thinks of this crate as his den. You may need to spend time getting your dog comfortable with being in his crate for long periods. There will also be many loud noises on the plane and strangers walking around in the cargo loading area. Here is a suggested exercise to get Fido crate-trained for air travel:
Depending on the size of your dog, you may need two strong people to help with this exercise. Have Fido inside his crate, pick the crate up, and walk it a little ways. Place the crate inside your car. While he is still inside the crate, drive to a park or busy location. Again, have two people carry the crate out of the car with your dog still inside. This way, Fido can get used to loud noises and a busy environment while being handled inside his crate.
2. Outfit the Crate
There are certain items that you will want to place on the outside and inside of the crate to make it ready for travel. Place a few bright orange LIVE ANIMAL stickers on the outside of the crate. Most airlines will do this as protocol, but it doesn’t hurt to have them on the crate before you arrive at the airport to let people know there is a dog in the crate. The next thing is to type up a one-page profile of your dog that includes your contact information with cell phone number. You would want to include a letter that states something to this effect: Hi, I’m Tasha. I am a nice Labrador retriever, and I don’t bite. Please contact my parents if I am lost, and I’ll probably need to be fed and walked if our flight is delayed so I can relieve myself. I’ll be forever grateful! Tape this to the outside of the crate, and title it something like: If I’m lost or delayed. Make sure water and food dishes are attached to the inside of the crate. You may want to include a couple of soft toys that your dog loves and maybe a T-shirt that has your scent. Be sure to tape a small bag of food and a leash to the top of the crate.
3. Flight Time
Check the length of the flight and try to book a direct flight when at all possible to avoid plane changes or delays, not to mention lost luggage. It is important to match the length of the flight with that of your dog’s temperament and what he can handle. Whether Fido is being shipped as cargo or is riding in the cabin will help determine what Fido will experience during the flight. Consider whether Fido can be in his crate for six hours or for whatever length of time will be necessary to arrive at your destination.
4. Different Birds
Each airline has different requirements and policies where flying Fido is concerned. Check with the airline’s policies when flying with Fido regarding the following: appropriate feed times; when to arrive at the airport; kennel requirements; required veterinarian records; costs involved; and weight limits. There may be more requirements for different airlines.
Check with the airline to make sure that where Fido is placed is climate controlled and pressurized. Most airlines will do this, and if they do not then you will want to choose another airline that does pressurize and control the climate where your dog will be located. Also, when flying in certain weather, you will want to know if your dog will be exposed to the elements or sheltered before the flight.
5. Clearance Clarence
This is one of the most important steps: get a clean bill of health certificate from your veterinarian for Fido to fly.
