I've never had experience with shipping dogs, but this article is from 1998. Hopefully the airlines have improved the conditions for flying the animals. It sounds like they have from other posts to this thread.

We picked up our babies 2 hours away. They slept most of the way home, they were 8 and 9 weeks old. I don't think a few hours of the babies lives would do a permanent damage. Zowie has a fear of doors and flyswatters. My husband swears that she had been slammed in a door and/or hit with a flyswatter. I disagree. I think she is a little shy, she runs from noises - vacuum cleaners, lawnmowers. It is a bother to get her through a door - we pretend to walk away and ignore her. Bronx on the other hand can get through a door so fast, you have to pick him up if he's not going through, and he tries to bite the lawnmower and vacuum cleaner. Just personality I think. They both hate the car, of course now their only rides are to the vet - I am sure that doesn't help.

Hi Laura - Chanel had a bad grooming experience 2 or so years ago and CRIED pitifully if I took her in the car after that experience

....I started taking her on rides and we checked out new groomers together - no appointments - just walking in and looking around then leaving.

Now she LOVES to ride in the car - It really helped her get over that totally MEAN groomer that must have hurt her ! I was so upset I wanted to drive back to that groomer and yank on her hair - but settled for calling and complaining how rough she must have been to make a normally happy yorkie CRY :mad: But short little rides in the car WITHOUT shots on the butt or ears being looked at work wonders !

I will have to try that. With two teenage boys, short trips are my life, always running them somewhere. It will give me someone to talk to while I sit and wait for them, too.
Also, good way to meet the new moms at the high school. We had band camp this week, how I hate the learning curve for drop off and pick up of freshmen band members. Have to leave your guns at home for that!

I had Tucker shipped. I searched for months for a Yorkie puppy and could not find one in my area. So he came in from Texas. It was a direct flight and the breeder would not ship until he was 12 weeks. She had me call her as soon as I got him to be sure that he arrived safely. Also, she put huge signs all over the crate that said PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH ANIMAL. Everyone at the airport was cracking up because he was a 2 pound puppy, but it was for his safety. Because he was so cute & little I guess a lot of the time the staff will take them out & play with them. She put the signs on the crate so that no one would touch him. I think that was important...

shipping :(
 

I'm sure that a lot of you have had success with this, but I just don't like the idea. I remember what a scary stressful day it was for Syd when I picked her up. She was seperated from her sister, her mom, her breeder...and was thrown into the arms of this stranger who loaded her into a strange car and took her to a strange house where a bunch of strange people passed her around.

I can't imagine adding a 2 hr (or more) flight in a strange, loud, dark cargo hold. Just seems to traumatic to me.

The puppys basic personality traits are measurable by eight weeks of age. If you have a chance perform the test more then once, try all the pups in the litter to see the differences.

About 6 weeks of age you can observe Matty with litter mates, mom, people. The puppy who is always instigating play or on top when wrestling usually will be a dominant personality, the pup who sits in the corner watching play will usually be timid. See how Matty reacts if mom (canine mom=) disciplines her. Moms discipline by a growl, mouthing nuzzle, head or neck. Does Matty look up to mom and lick her face, growl back or roll on her back.When food is placed who is the first to go for it, who sits and waits for everyone to get done to take a turn. When Matty sees people does she run up to say hello, tail up & wagging, tail held low and unsure of herself or just keep doing her own thing. If there are toys in her area does she play with them, if a ball gets stuck-say under her blanket does she try to figure out how to get it? Put a piece of kibble in your shoe or sock, does she figure out how to get to it, does she realize its there. Pups who try to figure out how to get things are problem solvers and intelligent, fast learners. Hold a piece of kibble cupped into your palm, let her smell it and slowly move hand out-does she follow, follow trying to lick/paw hand for kibble, does she have no desire? following hand, licking even pawing shows a willingness to work with you, the more excited she gets the more food motivated she is.

Because of my experience with my first Male shep, I spent months of reading to learn. It tore my heart up like nothing ever has.I always thought all dogs were naturally loving, and can learn what you are willing to take the time to teach. I learned that alot of a dogs personality is determined before birth(thanks to that 80 pct temperament/personality comes from mom) and there are things you cannot socialize away or train. When I bred Zoie I observed the litter. I made notes on every pup for everything they did. I did the puppy aptitude test and advised new owners to take the pup out and do it themselves. I wanted to make sure the right pup went to the right home. I was not going to let the dominant one in litter go to a home who never had a shep before and had kids , I wasnt letting the submissive one go to kids or loud people. I wasnt letting the one with drive and high intellect go to a pet home (he went to a police officer).

All litters have a dominant pup. All litters have a pup more submissive then others. It is the excessive ends of each that are quirky from bad breeding of temperament flawed dogs as was my first male shep. All litters have pups that are smarter and wanting to learn, and all litters have the one who prefers to sleep and look cute.

Nope not offended at all. I got mine locally too. Glad your got your point off your chest.

Show dogs are more mature and have not just been taken away from their mother. I got my baby at 8 weeks. She shook for the first 2 days and we picked her up. I would never put a baby through that. Sorry. :)

Personally I won't ship pups alone.

It is stressful and most are put in a type of cargo area, temperature controlled or not. They are alone with no one to reassure them. If someone wants one of my pups they can pay the extra few bucks and fly in on their own and carry one in the cabin with them. JMO

I don't want to offend anyone but going to a new home is stressful enough, just a carride where the puppy is being held the wholetime is stressful after being separated from their mommy and littermates. I don't care how pressurized a cabin is or who is taking care of them,they are still spending hours in a crate alone scared and not knowing where the heck they are. I can't stand the idea! Plus the phrase "shipping" a puppy makes them sound like merchandise, not living breathing fragile beings that they are. I have seen the prices on shipping and honestly if you are going to pay that you might as well buy a ticket for yourself and go personally pick them up, at least that way they will have you holding them the whole way and telling them everything is going to be ok.

Ok here is my opinion.

I was looking at what some of these breeders charge for shipping, then out of curiosity, I looked into a round trip airline ticket. In most cases the round trip airline ticket cost less or about the same price as shipping on a pup. Now to me, if I was going to buy a puppy from a breeder half way across the country, and I had my pup picked out early enough, I would rather book a round trip airline trip and pick up my pup myself. At least then I would be right there with it. Most airlines allow you to have the dog as a carry on for an extra charge. I would rather spend the little bit of extra money to get the dog myself then to pick the pup up at my local airport and have to spend god only knows what on vet bills.

Debr:

Thanks for posting the tests! They bring back memories of my work with shepherds as well.

I know we can all use those.

Kim

Looks like we are thinking the same way! :)

Great minds think alike!!!!!!! ;)

I just had to reply to this. I am so sorry that your little baby had to go through this. As a groomer I really dont understand why people get into this proffesion and then do things like this to poor little dogs. I got into this profession because of my love for dogs and that is it. I enjoy my job. And mostly the reason taht I enjoy it is because I get to get up everyday and spend my days with dogs.
Again I am sorry that Chanel had to go through this. Glad she is better now. :)

I think that like all things in life there are pros and cons to every situation, good experiences & bad experiences and I guess we all have to agree to disagree but I definately don't have any emotionally disturbed dogs as a result and as foar as testing my dogs prior to buying them, too bad there isn't tests for humans before we have them, LOL!

:eyetearss :eyetearss

Isn't that the truth! I have a couple of teenagers I'd like to "test" if you know what I mean. Really I was blessed with great kids, but it was pure luck. I'd like to say it is in their DNA, but ??????????

I think the temperament tests really work and are a great way to match the personalities of humans and dogs.

As for the term "shipping, maybe we could change it to "flying" and you
could ask the breeder if they "fly" their puppies. I don't find the word offensive but I can see how some might.

As for the puppies who arrived after their flight shaking, timid and vomiting, I would ask if this temperament persisted or if they really are confident, outgoing and comfortable dogs now. Most yorkies are domineering, overbearing and aggresive by nature and I don't think something like plane fight would traumatize them. But, there are always exceptions to the breed standard temperament and, just as you wouldn't let a shy, timid, soft spoken 12 year old child with emotional problems fly alone, you probably shouldn't let a yorkie puppy with the same problems fly alone either.

...I think that we really need to be careful about posting information, that may be onesided. As the administrator has said in many posts...."What works for some, may not work for others". We should be careful to not generalize and say that one mode of transportation is not good for all dogs. It's obvious that many of us have had good experiences with shipping and some people have had bad experiences. I think that in any decision that is made, buyers must do all of their homework and research, to make certain that they are getting a healthy dog. Let's try and remember to not judge shipping animals as being bad or good. We should only relate our personal experience about it and that's it. I do not beleive that someone can determine whether it is good or bad, unless they have received a shipped pet. Let's try to stay openminded. :)

Bless your heart. You have my vote and total support.

Thanks Baileys Mom! I'm honored to be able to speak for you too! ;)

Way To Go Brittie. I was beginning to think I was the only one, that was thinking that shipping was not the greatest on the babies.

I totally agree ...... :thumbup:
You said it perfectly!! :)

DITTO

Rio was shipped at 12 weeks. He was and is a confident little dog.When I picked him up at the airport he was sitting in the middle of his kennel with a who are you and what do you want look on his face. No trauma there! I do want to add he got snowed in at the airport and went home with a stewardess that nite.
He was not in the cargo area of the plane tho.I have no qualms about shipping a pup that way.
I picked up my Mignon because her breeder does not ship.
She had to spend 8 hrs in a car, if she were a nervous kind of puppy that would probably have been hard on her too tho.If I had decided that I was going to get a pup locally I would not have had much to choose from.

I agree that it's not "the greatest", but I just don't want to shut the door for people who only have that option, or someone who finds their "dream puppy" somewhere other than locally. It is actually cheaper to fly the pup alone than fly there and back yourself with the pup, especially when you consider the time and the possible hotel charge. I am considering a Biewer from Germany for instance, or a puppy from Canada that caught my eye.

I hope we can agree that it is not "cruel" or "unthinkable" is all I am trying to convey.

As with everything this is a personal choice. I can only state what my choice is. My reasons are valid for me and no one else. But since I am the person responsible for the care of my pups so I won't do it with mine.

I know many people who do it and have no problems. I had one pup shipped and he was 5 months old. I'll not do it again.

My hubby picked up my last pup from TX (we are in Pa) on a single day flight and it was about $150. more than shipping the pup alone would be. He left in the AM and was home that night. He did it on his day off.

I just read an article today that estimates up to 20,000 pets a year are lost injured or killed during airline travel. The airline says its not that high but have never bothered to actually count. But this isn't really my reason.

Other than the stress, I don't want anyone touching one of my pups who maybe also touching another not so healthy pup in the next crate. I have read and heard many new owners who have had a pup shipped have ring worm develop a week or 2 later, Coccidiosis (which can be made to flare up by stress), and even parvo. PM's send their pets by air all the time and you never know how many are sick but not symptomatic on that flight with yours.

As always this is my opinion and all are entitled to their own. :)

Shipping
 

I believe many people here have respectfully posted their opinions. My intention was to open a discussion in the hope that anyone who is planning on purchasing a puppy may think twice about how that puppy gets to their new home. It may be inconvenient to pick up the puppy yourself, even if it means flying with it in the cabin, but at least it is more humane and safe. No offense is intended, just, hopefully, some good advice. :)

Absolutely. I agree with you! I would have loved to have been able to drive or travel by plane to pick my pup up in person. But under my circumstances, it was not possible. I wish that I could have met him in advance and take him safely home in my arms. I am very appreciative of the fact and fortunate that I received a healthy and happy shipped puppy.