Flying with my yorkie

[canana]

Originally Posted by canana

Wow! $125 is crazy expensive!
Really sucks. I have two too. Won't ever get to fly with them...guess we'll have to stick with road trips!

You could register Beowulf if you are certified to have a psychological need for a therapy dog though...then flying is free, or so I've read.

Sorry LoveMyBeowulf!! this wasn't meant to be advice, I promise!! It totally doesn't read as jokingly as it sounded in my head - definitely wasn't intended to be offensive!! Love u?

[Imissu]

Ya know what I wish? I wish airports had doggie toilet areas. It would solve a whole lot of problems.

[cslat1]

Originally Posted by LoveMyBeowulf

I was just about to post a new thread asking if anyone has flown with their baby. I'm flying in September to the East Coast from The Bay Area. I've never flown with a dog before so I don't know what to expect or really what to do. So there is an extra fee for the dog? I thought it was free?

I fly from Sacramento to MA. As others have suggested, practice getting your pup used to the carrier before you fly. The cost varies for each airline it seems. I have never had a problem with Calleigh on board. She doesn't even whine or anything. I put my hand in front of the carrier and talk to her to let her know I'm there. I was very surprised how well she did on the first flight. I think if you're more relaxed, your pup will do better.

[barbararubben]

Originally Posted by MissPixi

2 pounds full grown? Wth? How big is the female you are breeding?

Send us an email at barbararubben@gmail.com or text us for more information.

[LoveMyBeowulf]

Originally Posted by canana

Sorry LoveMyBeowulf!! this wasn't meant to be advice, I promise!! It totally doesn't read as jokingly as it sounded in my head - definitely wasn't intended to be offensive!! Love u?

I know! You did say IF I have a psychological need. I do have history of depression so I can talk to my doctor about this and have this done LEGALLY. Love you too friend!

[LoveMyBeowulf]

Originally Posted by cslat1

I fly from Sacramento to MA. As others have suggested, practice getting your pup used to the carrier before you fly. The cost varies for each airline it seems. I have never had a problem with Calleigh on board. She doesn't even whine or anything. I put my hand in front of the carrier and talk to her to let her know I'm there. I was very surprised how well she did on the first flight. I think if you're more relaxed, your pup will do better.

Yes the day I got the carrier he went right in! He loves carriers cause he knows he gets to go buh-byes . I keep it on the floor by the stairs and he goes in it all the time. He does want to take it for a test drive everytime we get ready to go he goes in his airline carrier but I always take him out and him in his fancier one because it has more room for him, but I should just take him out in it to see how he does. Now what worries me is the air pressure do they feel pain in their ears? Is there something I can give him to prevent it from happening?

[LoveMyBeowulf]

Originally Posted by GracieJane

I was a wreck about flying home with Maggie when I picked her up, but it was really easy. I bought an approved carrier, "reserved" her spot on the flight, and it was a breeze. I did pay (I don't remember how much-about $100-$125? The only surprise was that the fee has to be paid in cash (Delta). Fortunately, I had that much with me! Usually I walk around with two bucks and a check card!

I agree about training your dog to the carrier-maybe with car rides? Feed lightly the day of the flight.

Good luck with the trip!

Yes I have been familiarizing him with his carrier and he loves it and I know he's dying to take it on a test drive because he gets in it when we get ready to go but I always put him in his regular one because it more spacious for him, but I will start taking him out on his airline carrier I'm not going til the end of September so I have time

[cslat1]

Originally Posted by LoveMyBeowulf

Yes the day I got the carrier he went right in! He loves carriers cause he knows he gets to go buh-byes . I keep it on the floor by the stairs and he goes in it all the time. He does want to take it for a test drive everytime we get ready to go he goes in his airline carrier but I always take him out and him in his fancier one because it has more room for him, but I should just take him out in it to see how he does. Now what worries me is the air pressure do they feel pain in their ears? Is there something I can give him to prevent it from happening?

It sounds like you're doing all of the right things as far as getting him used to the crate. I never really crated Calleigh and she seemed to do just fine in it. I should imagine the dogs feel pressure in their ears the same as we do. I don't think there is anything you can do for it. As long as there isn't any type of ear infection I'm sure he'll be fine with the pressure.

[SLR49]

Originally Posted by Imissu

Ya know what I wish? I wish airports had doggie toilet areas. It would solve a whole lot of problems.

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I used to fly with my Shih Tzu/Yorkie a lot before his health prevented it.. He was excellent at it. A soft sided carrier, minimal fluids beforehand with a small bit of Valium from his vet, and yes layovers for his comfort. My new Yorkie is just at 5 months old. I have not attempted it yet with him as he has completely comfortable with hotels yet.
Unfortunately, most flight attendants do not allow the dog out of the carrier. I had one that let him out for water in flight, another that refused to let us deplane until we rezipped his carrier (we were at the back of the plane and last to get off). So much of it is flight attendant dependent.

[Mer4ever]

The last I checked, Southwest will allow a single person to travel with two small dogs in a two dog carrier.

We purchased the large Sturdy Bag with the divider for our dogs. We have yet to take them on a plane, but we wanted to be ready! Even though the bag says it is suitable for up to a 20 pound dog, my two pups are super crowded in the carrier---and they weigh 4.75 and 5.5 pounds. As such, we will probably only use this carrier for short flights, and then only if my husband or I need to travel alone. If we are together, then we'll give each of them their own bag.

In terms of advice, I flew a number of 12-hour trans-atlantic flights with my previous Yorkie. She was a pretty calm girl and her vet felt she would do fine without any meds. In fact, he was concerned about such a small dog having sedatives at altitude. I did give her a number of opportunities to use her pee pad in the airplane bathroom, but she was so freaked out to not be in her bag while on the big, scary plane, that she never took me up on the offer. I did, however, always take a pad out for her in baggage claim and she used it maybe once or twice.

I usually gave her a light meal about 4-5 hours before the flight then walked her around the airport for 1/2 an hour to 40 minutes after check-in and before going through security. I would offer her water every 3 hours or so on the flight, but she was usually not interested. It seemed to me that she mostly just wanted to sleep and with each flight she got less and less shaky about take off and landing.

After a flight, I usually had a meal and lots of water ready to offer her once she had a chance to walk around outside and do her business, and before getting into a car. Generally, I found that she did better on single flights rather than with layovers, unless we had sufficient time to go outside for a good walk.

We mostly flew Air France, which is a great airline for dogs. They always let me keep her carrier on my lap during takeoff and landing----realizing, rightly that my dog is not luggage. People get to keep their human babies on their laps for takeoff, so I find it hard to understand why my canine baby cannot always be treated the same way.

In the states I flew Delta (found them great for dogs) and US Air (horrible for us, but hey, they no longer really exist) with her.

I am sure that each dog is different, and I have yet to see if our new babies are going to handle air travel well or not. I could have just lucked out with my last Yorkie, but wanted to share my experiences anyway.

[SLR49]

I have a friend that flies international with 2 small dogs or more. She puts 2 of them in the same carrier and flies Delta.

[lovestiny]

air Canada only $50 to fly with them

[LadyGemma]

Originally Posted by Jkpal

I'm contemplating a visit to Wisconsin; I need to fly American because it's non-stop and I suffer from ear pressure problems. I did a quick check on-line and oh my goodness, if I read info correctly, American wants $150---for Pipe! Whaaaatt?! And she's supposed to be in an airline approved carrier under seat. Piper hates carriers (she pretty much panicked the one and only time I put her in a rather large, soft-sided crate). The flight from Reno to Chicago is between 4-5 hrs and I truly believe my girl could handle the whole journey if she could be out and/or on my lap...Or the lap of the stranger next to us. Anyway, Ladygemma--How long was your flight and what was total travel time from arriving at airport to your final destination and, I don't mean to be rude, but could you give me a ballpark figure as to what you paid for your little one's "ticket?" Thank you and congratulations on your successful venture!

Hey, sorry, I just saw this! The charge for her was $100, but I am going to get a letter from my therapist saying she helps with my anxiety and depression so she can fly free as an emotional support animal. Basically a letter saying how she helps me (calming me down when I am panicking or experiencing PTSD), etc. However, I think it should not be required. If a dog is as small as yorkies are, and well behaved or sedated, I'm not sure why lots of excess charges are necessary unless the animal makes a mess or causes a disturbance. The flight was about 6-7 hours, and she actually did come out of the sedation (more on that later)!

[LadyGemma]

Originally Posted by yorkiemini

Good points! When my dog went through the the 18 to 24 month service dog training they took several plane flights during the training to get them accustomed to it, along with all the other training they got.

You have to make a reservation because the airlines will only allow a certain number of dogs on each flight.

When we went to Westminster (my bucket list trip !) this year it was interesting to see how the airlines handles all the pups flying into NYC from all,over the world!

There is a difference between an emotional support animal and service dog. My dog is becoming an emotional support animal but she doesn't have the training required to become a service dog. Service dogs perform a specific task that their disabled owner cannot do. Moxie helps me with my (long diagnosed) depression, anxiety, and PTSD, but she isn't trained to perform specific tasks (and is probably TOO STUBBORN TO, but that's another story, lol)

[LadyGemma]

Originally Posted by LoveMyBeowulf

I was just about to post a new thread asking if anyone has flown with their baby. I'm flying in September to the East Coast from The Bay Area. I've never flown with a dog before so I don't know what to expect or really what to do. So there is an extra fee for the dog? I thought it was free?

You need to tell them beforehand, whether it's a pet you are paying a fee for, an ESA as documented by your therapist (and honestly, I think some people fake this and just see a doctor once or something :l) that will need to be in a TSA approved carrier that can fit under the seat, or a certified service dog.

definitely practice with the carrier.

unless your dog is extremely well behaved and always listens obediently, I would say mild sedation is probably a good idea. Not completely knocked out, but pretty out of it and calm. Moxie was under the seat in her bag quietly, but started to whine and cry a little right as the airplane left the ground, I think the noise and air pressure freaked her out. I was supposed to leave her under seat in her carrier but I put it on my lap and she quieted down immediately. Not ideal, it's something we need to work on. After takeoff, I put her carrier back under the seat until her sedation wore off near the end of the flight. My neighbor tapped me on the back. Moxie had not only gotten out of her stupor, she had found a way to get the zippers down and tried to escape :O
I have the most mischevious, poorly behaved yorkie in the world
She wasn't noisy or making a mess but she didn't want to go back in the carrier, she wanted me to hold her.

Luckily (and I will only fly at night now until she is better trained to stay in the whole time no matter what) it was a late night flight, the lights were off, and everyone was sleeping. I know it wasn't the "right" thing to do, but she was quiet as a mouse, no one was sitting next me, no one saw, and no one was bothered, so instead of putting her right back in the carrier and risking her whining or getting excited, I held her to keep her calm. I also got to choose seating beforehand and purposely chose an emptier flight and a seat with an empty one next to it. I think all of this helped. So I didn't need to make a tough call about more sedation or have to force her back in her crate at that very minute. Even though I wasn't supposed to , I held her in my lap a little bit in the dark until she got sleepy and calm again before putting her back in to her carrier. I would reach in occasionally and pet her but after that she was fine until the end. So in hindsight, definitely really practice training w/ the carrier. I will train her to do better next time, but I was pretty proud of her, considering she is a crazy ball of manic energy to burn who generally does what she wants and thinks she is a person and sees no reason why she should not fly as such.
All of those with well behaved dogs who never made a peep or stayed patiently the entire trip, tips please?