6 must-know tips for flying with your dog

A long-haul flight is never easy for any dog, even for the most experienced air travelers. There’s indisputably more anxiety for dogs than humans when it comes to travel; it’s simple — dogs don’t necessarily have a choice when it comes to traveling. It can be daunting since the road ahead of us is oftentimes unknown. Therefore, the more you prepare your dog for air travel, the smoother the journey will be. The bark-worthy news is that I’ve sniffed out 6 easy ways to make in-cabin air travel easy and healthy for our 4-legged companions. Here’s the scoop…

#1 Ease Their Way In

Be a savvy traveler! First things first, don’t book a flight and expect your dog to wing it, especially if she has never flown before. Unless your dog is already highly experienced, chances are she needs to be eased into air travel. Road trips and train rides are great ways to get dogs comfortable with the motion of being on a plane. Once your dog has gone on a couple road trips or even train rides, she can advance to quick hour-long domestic flights to get acquainted with the airport, and of course, the plane itself. Gradually increase the flight duration until your dog is familiar and comfortable with the entire process. As for me, I went on several 6-8 hour long road trips and several shorter flights before my I felt comfortable flying with my dog from San Francisco to NYC.

#2 Choose The Right Dog Carrier

Choosing the right dog carrier is key.  When shopping around for a dog carrier, bring your dog with you for a “test-sit.” Make sure there’s enough room for your dog to turn around completely, sit, and lay down in it. If your dog appears tense, she is very likely uncomfortable; so, do your homework and search diligently until you find the right fit. Having soft durable padding within the carrier is also important to help Fido feel comfortable. Keep in mind that airlines (especially if you have connecting flights) may differ in acceptable carrier size so always check the airline website for their required dimensions before purchasing your dog carrier. Some airlines also have a total weight limit (which normally includes the weight of your dog, too). It’s a matter of finding comfort and meeting the airlines’ requirements at the same time.

As a frequent traveler, I have two dog carriers depending on the airline that I’m flying; the first one is a pretty spacious roller bag/backpack that fits perfectly under most U.S. airline seats. As it comes with multiple features, it weighs approximately 3.4 lbs.

My second carrier is your average soft lightweight carrier that weighs a little over 1 lb.; although it offers an opening in the front, it doesn’t offer as much space than my other carrier so I only use it if I have to meet a strict weight limit. I once flew an airline that had an 11 lb. maximum for both my dog and her carrier so I didn’t want to take any chances!

#3 Start Dog Carrier Training Early

The concept is to transform the carrier into a wondrous haven.

Once you’ve found the carrier that is right for your dog, you’ll want to start training as early as possible to ensure that she feels familiar with and comfortable in it long before your scheduled flight. The concept is to transform the carrier into a wondrous haven. As soon as you bring the carrier home, place your dog’s favorite blanket, toy, and treats inside. Hiding treats inside the carrier at the beginning of each training session will entice your dog to go in to sniff around. After several sessions of uncovering yummy treasures, she will eventually associate the carrier as a place worthy of their wet noses. Allow her to sniff around freely for treats during the first few days of training. Gradually, increase her time inside the carrier to about 3-5 minutes daily and work up to an hour or until she appears to feel comfortable and secure inside.

#4 Book An Evening Flight

The experience of air travel can easily cause stress as your dog is thrown out of her daily grind without certainty of the road ahead. One effortless way to help your dog through a long flight is to opt for an evening flight so that Fido could at least stay on her sleeping schedule. Booking a flight near or during bedtime will likely help your dog sleep through the flight. The longer she sleeps on the flight, the shorter and smoother the flight will seem to her.

#5 Exercise Before Your Flight Takes Off

As the saying goes, a tired dog is a happy dog. That being said, it’s probably fair to say that a tired traveling dog is also a happy traveling dog.

As the saying goes, a tired dog is a happy dog. That being said, it’s probably fair to say that a tired traveling dog is also a happy traveling dog. I don’t recommend excessive exercise or extreme physical activity, however, adding a couple extra minutes of exercise or playtime could help ease your dog’s way into air travel. Feeling tired during the flight normally equates to superb sleep. Again, the more sleep she gains, the shorter and smoother the flight will seem. If your dog is up for it, I recommend a good 40-60 minute walk right before heading to the airport before a long flight so she can then lick her chops while dreaming about beef jerky treats thousands of miles up in the air!

#6 Limit Water Intake Right Before & During Your Flight

After exercising your dog, offer her fresh clean water and food. Never deny a dog of fresh clean water, but do be strategic when providing water right before and during the flight since you cannot easily relieve your dog on the plane (unless you have pee pads in the carrier). I choose to limit my dog’s water intake as soon we arrive at the airport. Most airports have areas designed for dogs to relieve themselves outside (and sometimes even inside). Offer your dog water (and of course, food) right after her walk before heading to the airport, and then once every 4 hours or so until landing. My veterinarian advised me that healthy adult dogs shouldn’t have a problem holding their bladder for 10 hours, but I still exercise this practice with caution. One option is to place a pee pad in the carrier just in case your dog absolutely has to relieve herself.

What are your tips for traveling by plane with your dog? Let us know in the comments below or tweet us @FetchPetCare

Author: Roger Wellington

Edited by: Erica Kei

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Franchising with Fetch! Pet Care

Looking for a way to make a comfortable living while enjoying the freedom of being your own boss? Do you have a love and compassion towards all animals and want nothing more than to make sure homeowner’s pets are well looked after in a comfortable home setting? If you answered yes to one or both of these questions, why not look into franchising with us? Fetch! Pet Care is the nation’s largest and most trusted provider of pet sitting and dog walking services providing care to over 1,500 communities nation-wide. We are constantly growing and evolving to match increased demand for these exclusive services and you can have a piece of that exciting pie!

Deciding to own and operate your own franchise can be both exciting and overwhelming at times and even a little scary when faced with all the Corporate and personal decisions that you are required to make. We understand these concerns and are here to help you, our newest pack member. Our team has put together a comprehensive step-by-step package that outlines the entire process of applying for and being granted the rights to own and operate your own franchise. Each step of the franchise process will take anywhere from 10 minutes to four weeks for on-site informative training. The in-depth training process helps you, the franchisee, learn the skills needed to run a successful franchise from hiring a competent workforce to dealing with any issues that may arise when working in the customer service industry. The training process is included in your Fetch! Pet Care franchise fee and is conducted on-site at our Corporate headquarters in Dayton, Ohio.

Now that you are ready to open the doors to your business and start seeing those furry (or non-furry) faces filled with happiness, you are still not alone. Fetch! Pet Care operates a full Franchise Support Center to offer ongoing assistance by your preferred means, whether that be by phone, email or even web conferencing. As an owner of a Fetch! Pet Care franchise, you will be invited to increase your knowledge and share with other owners of the franchise through weekly strategy sessions conducted by company management. An online franchise discussion group is also available for you to share ideas and chat with fellow owners both in your immediate area and those across long distances.

The majority of households in both The United States and other parts of the world have at least one pet. Some households can have a variety of pets and while we love our furry family members, it can be difficult when you have to leave them during working hours or for longer periods of time, whether it be for work or pleasure. Pets can feel their owner’s anxiety which makes them uneasy in return. Why not try to alleviate some of this for both the pets and the pet owners while offering them a safe, comforting place for their fur babies to relax and hang out in their absence? Because with Fetch! Pet Care, the goal is that everyone and everything is completely looked after. As we like to say, “We’ve got your tail covered!

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