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The Traveling Dog– Keeping
Your Dog Safe When Traveling by
Plane
Submitted By:
Kelly Marshall
When you have to fly your
pet by plane in order to travel
during vacation or when moving,
the last thing most of us want
is to stuff him in a box while
he sits in the cargo area during
the entire flight.
Unfortunately, if you have no
other choice but to use the
airlines for your travel needs,
your dog will more thank likely
be placed in a crate for the
flight.
Your job here is to make
certain your dog is as
comfortable as possible. Below
are a few suggestions to help
you prepare him for the flight:
1. Purchase in a USDA
approved kennel that is designed
for traveling. The kennel should
be custom fit to the size of
your dog or puppy. Make certain
that the kennel unit is sturdy
and provides enough room for
your pet to stand up in, as well
as offers the ability for him to
turn around if he needs to.
2. Avoid waiting until the
day of your flight to put your
dog inside the kennel. Its true
that dogs do adapt easily,
however, it is best to get him
comfortable with the crate so
that he will be a little more at
ease. You can do this by having
your dog sleep inside the kennel
each night before your travel
date. Three nights of this
preparation before the day of
the flight is enough time.
3. If your flight will be
longer than 10 to 12 hours, make
certain to tape a small bag of
dog food outside the crate,
complete with meal instructions.
4. For your own peace of mind
and to avoid the small chance
that your dog could miss his
destination, simply write the
destination of your flight on
the top portion of the crate in
big letters. Make certain to
include your full name and
address, as well as a valid
phone number where you can be
reached.
5. It is best not to feed
your dog at least six hours of
the flight. This will help
reduce the chances of him having
him accidentally using the
bathroom inside of the kennel.
6. In case your dog does have
a bathroom accident while
flying, prep the kennel with a
light layer of paper and bedding
so that the urine and stools can
be soaked as best possible.
7. To avoid your dog from
becoming thirsty during the
flight, place two bowls inside
the kennel, one filled with a
small amount of water, and the
other filled with ice. The ice
bowl will actually melt away bit
by bit – this will provide him
with plenty of fluids hours
later.
8. Lastly, if you own a small
dog like a Chihuahua or a toy
poodle, see if you can arrange
to have a small crate to put
your dog in that can fit
underneath your chair …But do
not wait until the last minute
to talk with the airlines about
this arrangement.
Find out if
boarding the flight with your
small dog under your seat is
allowed as soon as you possibly
can
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