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!!!!!!! ;)