I agree that in a perfect world puppies wouldn't be shipped, however, it can be done if the proper precautions are taken and all potential problems are addressed before the flight. I would always recommend travelling to pick up your new baby personally if at all possible, but if circumstances don't allow it, then a breeder who knows what to do to ship safely is a must!
I have had one puppy shipped and it was a wonderful experience and I have a beautiful, happy and healthy little girl who will turn one year old next weekend as a result. She is a rare (yes, I said "rare") gold and white parti-colored yorkie and I would never have found her locally. I spent many hours on the telephone with the breeder and the vet, first to comvince the breeder to even sell her to me because she had a lot of people who wanted her due to her uniqueness and also because I told her I had kids and other dogs. She really wanted this little girl to be an "only" dog and be spoiled like a Princess. I told her that my youngest child was 13, that I kept my other dogs separate except when supervised, and that this little one would belong to my seventeen year old who would treat her like a Princess and her baby under my strict guidance which she does!
The breeder refused to ship her until she reached two lbs and had had her rabies shot and I respected that. She was 15 weeks when she shipped her and she came from Texas so the flight was short and the plane arrived early so we were there to receive her immediately upon her arrival. It was wonderful, she came out wagging her tail and licking my daughter's face. She was perfectly healthy and beautiful and more than we ever expected in dispostion and temperament although she is the alpha dog now.
I would not recommend this for everyone and yes, things do happen (someone I know had her puppy spend the night with the stewardess when a plane had an unexpected lay over) This breeder had shipped a chihuahua that ended up spending the flight in the pocket of the pilot and he became so attached during the flight that he almost didn't give the puppy up....Haha!
Anyway, I try hard not to judge people too harshly and there are a lot of precautions taken with animals in flight now. I don't think the "trauma" of a plane ride in a crate is any worse than the "trauma" of a car ride in a crate. The puppy doesn't know whether it is in a car or a plane.
Just my thoughts on the subject.
