# HELP flying with my dog



## rozporter (Apr 12, 2008)

I've made reservations to fly to my daughter's for Christmas and I'm taking my dog with me. I've never taken a dog on a plane before and my fingers are crossed that he won't gain any more weight so he will fit in his carry case. I bought a stroller that folds flat and the case comes off the top so that's the planned mode of transportation in the terminal. 

Can anyone tell me what happens with the stroller and dog in his case when you go through security? My vet is going to give me tranquilizers for him because he hates, hates, hates to ride in a car and I've never taken him as far as I have to go to get to the airport, let alone spending half a day in his carry case which he isn't really fond of. (I'm riding him around in the stroller a little each day and will be increasing that time as we get closer to the flight time.

Honestly I think it might be easier to just put him in a hard case under the plane but it would kill me to think of how scared he'd be so I can't do it.

Any advice would be appreciated.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

You take the dog out of the carrier for security. The carrier goes through the x-ray machine. You walk through the metal detector holding the dog (metal leash/collar will set it off so carry the dog and remember to take off the leash/collar). The stroller will go like any child's stroller - they will take it as you get on the plane and you will get it when you get off. 

Be sure you call and make a reservation for your dog. They limit the number of dogs allowed on each flight. Be aware there is an addition (usually $100 each way) charge. Also find out the dimensions for carriers under the seat and be sure yours will smush under.


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## rozporter (Apr 12, 2008)

Thanks, I did call the airlines after I made the reservations. They told me all was well with the flights I picked but they charged me $150 each way so the expensive flight turned out to be $300 more. GRR! On the Today show this morning they said that planes are being way overbooked and people are being cancelled right and left and they expect it to be a nightmare by Christmas and that the airlines don't have to put you up if they cancel you, all they have to do is give you your money back because they can't put you on a later flight, it will be overbooked as well. I decided to pick a flight home that stopped at a smaller airport so I could rent a car and drive home if I have to. I'm now awaiting my new GPS.


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## MissMelanie (Feb 13, 2006)

I'll tell you what, IF I made a reservation and paid for a seat on a flight and that airline tried to cancel me, they would have second thoughts by the time I was done with them. B) I am so sick of airlines over booking and doctor's over scheduling. MY time is just as valuable as their's is, how dare they think otherwise.

Anyway, good luck with your flight... I have flown with Wookie several times and believe me, it may seem like a chore but really it's worth it.

I hope your visit with your daughter is lovely,
Melanie


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## wooflife (Aug 8, 2007)

Just make sure to be at the gate early. Even if they say last boarding call is 10 minutes before departure, be at the gate at least 30 min early. I was told I missed a flight because I walked up to the gate immediately after they said this is the last and final call for flight ###. I was furious. The doors were still open and they were still boarding.

Leslie


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## karebear (Nov 4, 2007)

I think the most stressful part is going through the metal detectors. I've had a screener ask me to take Tesla's little football jersey off once, so I would recommend no clothes. No one's ever asked to see Tesla's ticket though.. just mine. 

At the gate when boarding the plane, I keep Tesla in his bag (mine's a sherpa bag and it looks just like a duffel bag) and no one even knew I had him. I just made sure to have his health certificate and ticket with mine.

On the plane, I just put him under the seat in front of me and put my foot up against the bag so he knows I'm there. He's always just fallen asleep. If your dog gets antsy, you can let him stick his head out (but some flight attendants will call you out.. some are really nice and will just tell you to zip the bag up until the plane's taken off)

Happy flying!


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## Malteze (Mar 31, 2005)

QUOTE (rozporter @ Sep 8 2008, 06:07 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=632023


> I've made reservations to fly to my daughter's for Christmas and I'm taking my dog with me. I've never taken a dog on a plane before and my fingers are crossed that he won't gain any more weight so he will fit in his carry case. I bought a stroller that folds flat and the case comes off the top so that's the planned mode of transportation in the terminal.
> 
> Can anyone tell me what happens with the stroller and dog in his case when you go through security? My vet is going to give me tranquilizers for him because he hates, hates, hates to ride in a car and I've never taken him as far as I have to go to get to the airport, let alone spending half a day in his carry case which he isn't really fond of. (I'm riding him around in the stroller a little each day and will be increasing that time as we get closer to the flight time.
> 
> ...


Buddy just made his first flight to the NCMR picnic in WI in Jun and loved the flight. Buddy is a service dog, so he had a couple of exceptions, he flys free and can sit on my lap, He loved the airplane and had fun with the people. He was in a carrier I got from Walmart some of the time, it had a shoulder strap so I used that, I would think a stroller would be a hassel, so if you can find a soft sided bag you can handle that might be better. There are baggage carts you can rent at the airport that help a lot, they will even take your depit card if you don't have the change, I would reccomd that you use one of them. One hundred and fifty seems like a lot of money, check around you might be able to fly him for as little as $75. Another thing to keep in mind is some airlines will let you up grade to 1st class for as little as $50 and flying 1st class with a dog will be so much better.

I would take your Maltese on more car rides in the next few days and give him lots of treats while traveling this way you might be able to get him to like travel.

Maltz


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## rozporter (Apr 12, 2008)

Thanks for the answers, I have another question. What do you do in the airport if the dog has to pee? I'm hoping mine will sleep with the tranquilizers the Vet is giving me but just in case??? Someone told me that they've seen dogs walking around airports, I'm guessing that's service dogs. I think I read somewhere that the dog is to be left in his case the whole trip, even in the airport changing planes.

If I get bumped, I made sure that the flight both ways is at an airport close to home. They said on the Today show that you won't get another flight like they used to do because all the flights are overbooked so you get your money back. I'll take the money, rent a car and drive home. Going my flight leaves South Carolina and changes in Atlanta. That shouldn't be too bad, and I can certainly drive home from there. The flight home leaves Madison WI and changes in Memphis. I could drive home from there too if I had to. I do have a GPS to help me find my way out of a fishbowl. 

The reason I have the stroller instead of a carry bag is because Biscuit is 12.5 lbs. He's heavy enough that carrying him from the house to the road is a long way, I can't imagine carrying him around an airport although the cart things sound like a good idea, I don't remember seeing any of them when I change flights though. It will be an experience...better me than him being worried and stressed.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

When we fly cross-country, as soon as we get off our connecting flight I take just the dog, my ticket, and ID and take the dog outside. You then have to go back in through security. If your dog does pee pads, you can go in a bathroom stall and put it down and your dog ON LEASH. My dogs pee on concrete sidewalks so that works for us. 

If its a shorter flight, I don't bother taking the dog out. 

Most airports require dogs to be in their carriers in the airport unless it is a service animal. I've seen a few airports that do not enforce this. I leave the dog in the bag unless we're going through security. I find my dogs tend to just quiet down and sleep if they are left alone and not stimulated.


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## Yummy (Sep 5, 2008)

QUOTE (rozporter @ Sep 8 2008, 05:07 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=632023


> I've made reservations to fly to my daughter's for Christmas and I'm taking my dog with me. I've never taken a dog on a plane before and my fingers are crossed that he won't gain any more weight so he will fit in his carry case. I bought a stroller that folds flat and the case comes off the top so that's the planned mode of transportation in the terminal.
> 
> Can anyone tell me what happens with the stroller and dog in his case when you go through security? My vet is going to give me tranquilizers for him because he hates, hates, hates to ride in a car and I've never taken him as far as I have to go to get to the airport, let alone spending half a day in his carry case which he isn't really fond of. (I'm riding him around in the stroller a little each day and will be increasing that time as we get closer to the flight time.
> 
> ...



Bless his little heart! (For his stress in the car.) Perhaps just take baby steps with him... just place him in the car not running and when he is well behaved (sitting on your command) then give him a treat. Take him out of the car and repeat. Don't over do it. Just a couple times then call it a day. 

Then work it up where you start the car so he hears it and have him get in. Have him sit on command and then give him a treat. Take him out of the car and take him into the house and wait a minute and then take him back to the car that's running. (Keep the garage door open! Good gravy we don't need a tragedy here!) :-D

Another day, take him into the car and take him for a short ride. (Depending on the level of anxiety...not yours silly!) Stop the car and wait until he is calm (don't woo him and cuddle him, in "doggy language" you are encouraging his anxious behavior. Then give him a treat when he is calm. 

Wish I was there to help you out with this issue! 

On a different note, if you ordered a Garmin by chance please take a map with you as well. I have one and several family members have one. They are not reliable in rural and big cities. I am speaking from experience. My husband new where we were going in Chicago and thought we would take it for a test ride...I would have gone on the wrong freeway! Ironically they have headquarters in Chicago! I called them and found out that they update once a year and that they hire another company to do their maps. Just an FYI, (hugs) because your already stressed so I want to warn you ahead.

Also, don't forget the check in luggage fees! Twenty Five Smackaroos! So, I say just wear it all! Five pairs of socks (check!) Five sweaters (check!) Oooh I'm being silly aren't I?  Seriously though, don't forget the tranquilizer on the return flight. :-D Hugs to both of you and have an awesome trip!!!!

I prayed for you!


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## rozporter (Apr 12, 2008)

Then work it up where you start the car so he hears it and have him get in. Have him sit on command and then give him a treat. Take him out of the car and take him into the house and wait a minute and then take him back to the car that's running. (Keep the garage door open! Good gravy we don't need a tragedy here!) :-D

HA! Poor little Biscuit, he has been afraid of a car ever since I brought him home several months ago. It was a long way, it was one of the hottest days we had had and although the air conditioner in the car was on, he was hot. I did bring him water and stopped the car a couple times to give him some but he got sick when we got to the mountain roads (lots of people do too).
The next couple days I took him to town and he got sick those days too so the 4th day I had to take him to the vet for IV fluids. No wonder he hates the car. 

Once he stayed away from the car for a couple weeks I started sitting in it with him. He hated it so bad he wouldn't even get off the porch if he saw me opening the garage door. After sitting in it for about a week I started the car. Whew! Stressful for him. Then I started driving him to the end of the road. A breakthrough came when people camped about 3 houses down from me every weekend. They had small dogs so I would take him in the car to the camper. He would jump out and run like a banshee to them. He loved those people and their dogs and seemed to know we were going to see them. 

Since that time I take him with me on short trips to the Post Office and have a couple times taken him about 30 miles to visit relatives and then home again. As long as he is on Dramamine he doesn't get sick but without it, even that trip to the PO makes him sick. I've put his car seat on EBay, he just can't ride in it without getting sick. he does much better in the back of the SUV where he has all the room he needs to wander around although I notice he spends most of his time right behind my seat watching out the window (so what's the difference with that and a car seat?)

I haven't give him his tranquilizer because I'm waiting till its closer to flying time and then I'll give it a try to see how he reacts with it and how long it lasts. 

The GPS does have problems finding its way occasionally but usually corrects itself and tells me to turn around or whatever to get back on track. It broke and I had to send it back for repairs. Its a Magellan, they couldn't repair it so are sending me a new one. Supposedly it wil have a more up-to-date map on it since the other one was just over a year old. (I'm impressed they are replacing it at a lower cost given the warranty is up on it).

Pee Pads. So you're allowed to put a Pee Pad down in the bathroom and let him out to pee? On the first flight I won't have time to do that because we only have just over an hour between flights but on the second flight I might have to depending on his tranquilizer and whether or not it will make him sleep through. We rode in the stroller yesterday to the neghbor's and he stayed in it even thought their dog (who he loves) came up to inspect and sniff him. I was truly pleased with his behavior in it.
Its a great stroller, it folds flat after you take the carry case off. It also does well over grassy and rocky terraine. Since it was on clearance for $69, its one of the best things I've bought yet. From ( www.radiofence.com ) Maybe I should take my bath mat, he has taken to peeing on it if I forget and leave it down <G> He likes to tear up Pee Pads. Maybe we need to practice peeing on them again :wub: 

Keep the hints and thoughts coming, I guess you can see I'm a bit stressed about this trip since I've never flown with a dog before and my dog does NOT like to be confined although he does stay in his wire crate when I'm not home.


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## rozporter (Apr 12, 2008)

I hope this link takes you to the post I wrote a couple weeks ago:

http://spoiledmaltese.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=37754


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