Flying with a Young Puppy

When I bought Coco, she came from a breeder in Texas and I knew I would have to fly her home.  At first the idea of flying a puppy sounded outrageous, but when I realized she she could travel in the cabin, I felt much more at ease.   

I found a breeder who used the services of a handler to personally fly the puppy to me.  (Few breeders offer this kind of service!)  So my puppy was able to travel in a dog carrier under the seat in the cabin of the plane.  The handler had a special puppy purse, and no one even knew she had a puppy in it!   When she walked off the plane we identified each other, she handed me my puppy, and got right back on the flight to head home!

Onlookers in the waiting area were a little stunned to see this woman walk up, hand me a puppy and get back on the plane.   I was rather surprised myself.  How easy was that!

To make the arrangements I spoke with my handler over the phone before the trip.  I asked a lot of questions because I wanted to understand what my puppies day would look like.  In Coco's case the handler picked Coco up at 12:00 am from the breeder.  The flight took off around 1 pm and arrived around 4 pm in Richmond Airport.   I found out my puppy had slept in her lap on the airplane all the way.    I knew it was true...the puppy smelled like her perfume!.  My puppy arrived very well loved and cared for.  She was not much different than a puppy that had traveled by car.  

Unfortunately, being such a small breeder, I cannot offer the services of a handler to fly our puppies. But what I did learn from this experience is just how easy it is to travel by plane with an 8-9 week old puppy.  (Coco was almost 9 weeks old. )  This is a good option for buying a puppy that lives far away.
 
Here are some other things you will need to do to fly with your puppy....
Call Your Airline:  Requirements vary by airline, so make sure you call ahead.  Ask what the rules are for traveling with a pet in the cabin.  Delta says maximum carry-on kennel dimensions are determined by your flight, so you must contact reservations to determine the appropriate size.
BOOK EARLY Airlines limit the number of pets in the cabin, so don’t wait until the last minute to book.

List of Airlines and their Dog Travel Restrictions... by AKC

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT CARRIER The maximum size for cabin pet carriers on American Airlines is 19 inches long by 13 inches wide by 9 inches high. Animals must be able to stand up, turn around and lie down in a natural position in the carrier.

Sherpa Pet Group, known for its pet carriers (from $40 to $156) offers a program that guarantees that its carriers are compliant with airline rules and will refund the cost of your airline flight and your pet’s travel fee to those who sign up at Flygob.com.

Fees:   Typically the airline charges $100 above your regular ticket price to include a puppy as a carry on item.

Talk to your Breeder: 
 Discuss travel plans with your breeder before purchasing tickets to be sure your plans fit with the breeders schedule....especially if you need your breeder to meet you at the airport.
 


Do I ship my puppy's?
I prefer for customers to pick up their puppy at my home.  But I certainly understand that sometimes driving distance is too long for a person to drive.   If air travel is your best option, I am willing to meet customers at the airport with the puppy they choose.   

I am accessable to the Richmond, VA airport  (RIC). Feel free to discuss other airport options if necessary.  Extra travel charges will apply depending on the distance I have to travel.  

Reagan National, and Dulles Airport are within a few hours.  Shannon Airport in Stafford, VA is less than 30 minutes away for private jet planes

I do not currently offer cargo shipping of the puppies.   I believe a buyer should purchase a puppy in person whenever possible.


PREPARING YOUR PET FOR TRAVEL  Before I send the puppies home I always take some time to acclimatize the puppies to the carrier by placing it on the floor of the car so the pups can feel the vibrations of traveling.   On the morning of the trip, I let the puppies run about the lawn for 30 minutes before they get in the car.  The idea is to drain the pups energy before the car ride and  flight. The more tired the puppy is before the trip, the more likely he will be to sleep and relax during the ride home.

That's all there is to it.  In some ways traveling by airplane in the cabin does not feel much different to a puppy then driving in a car.  The puppy has the comfort of someone with him at all times, and he can usually sleep during the trip.  These days, it can be very difficult to find a breeder that you trust that is close to home.  Flying home with your new puppy may be your best option.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
BEWARE OF INTERNET SCAMS!!!  I do NOT ever recommend that anyone purchase a puppy over the internet without good information verifying their authenticity and quality.    In my case, I knew several breeders who had had very positive experiences with Coco's breeder, and one had inspected the facility personally...I was dealing with a well-known  REPUTABLE BREEDER.   If you do not have solid recommendations, you should personally visit the breeder.   Especially do not send money for a puppy using WESTERN UNION.  Also, using Paypal does not ensure you will receive a refund...because the fraudulant account holder can just close out his account.

I just wanted to clarify this, to protect my readers from this problem.

 

Update on Jackson ---15 weeks old!

Jackson and his boys!

Hi all, I recently received an update about Jackson's family.  Jackson lives in a tall apartment building near Central Park in Manhattan, NY. It sounds like he and his family are having such a great time together.  I am so pleased to see they are thoroughly enjoying these puppy days!   Thanks for sharing this news and all the lovely photos!

Learning to walk on leash!

We all can't thank you enough for the gift that Jackson is for our family.  He is loving, smart, sweet and really so so cute!   There isn't a person who meets him (friends and strangers alike) that aren't taken with him.  Literally everyone on the street stops to admire him and almost everyone says he looks like a stuffed animal!

Jackson you smart boy you!

Jackson has picked up commands easily and has already learned sit down, stay, drop, leave it and come (well sometimes!) -- he is starting to do shake too.  












Jackson loves to play fetch.....











... and at a trainer's suggestion we got some dog puzzles that he also loves.  Other favorites are kyjen's squirrel toy and a cube with balls.  He really loves his toys!   

Jackson loves to chew his bones-- especially his white nylabone.

Having fun watching baseball!

 Jackson has definitely found his voice and often has something to say!  (We are working on him having a little less to say :))  He has a great appetite -- and has grown so much.  






I would guess he weighs almost 12 pounds now -- he hasn't filled out very much but he is really getting longer and taller.  We haven't had a playdate with Cheetos yet, but it is on my mind to make that happen.  I can't imagine how cute that would be!

We constantly check your blog --it is always full of such great information and we love seeing Jackson's adorable brothers.  We feel so lucky:)

Hope all is going well with you and your family!

---Erica

Liam (Biscuit) Update (9 weeks old)

Liam and Jasper take naps!

I got an update from Liam's mom and it sounds like Liam is having a great time!   Here's the news...















Liam is growing like a weed! He and Jasper (the cat) are becoming better friends.   They both love the space heater and it's already getting colder here at night, so I will definitely be turning it on!

Liam started puppy training class and he mastered sit and down.   We've had some issues him eating, so I added some wet food to his kibble which he loves!  He still doesn't have a huge appetite.  But he's active and growing and happy.  So we'll just keep at it.  

 







 


Liam has made lots of friends at puppy playtime and doggie daycare.  Everyone loves him. 

Liam at the beach!

 We went to the beach the last 80 degree day we had up here (Mass.) and he did NOT like the cold water, but loved to dig!

Thanks, Erin, for this lovely letter and the awesome photos!   I know everyone enjoyed it as much as I did!

Gumbo Update (at 3 months old).

Sept 20...Gumbo at 3 mths old

When Gumbo turned 3 months, I received an update from his mom.   She says that Gumbo is doing terrifically.  He is growing like a weed, and he is so full of energy.  They love him more and more every day. He brings them so much joy!


I appreciate this update so much and absolutely love receiving pictures.

Did Puppy have an Accident? ... The Best Carpet Cleaning Options

With puppies and rescue dogs there are bound to be a few accidents if you have rugs. When accidents occur it is important to clean them up right away.   Wikipedia has a some good instructions on 3 Ways to Remove Pet Urine from Carpets.

Here is a basic video on a Home Remedy for Urine Stains on the carpet using a Wet Dry Vac. 

Pukah update (4 mths old)

Hi Mary,

I thought I would give you a little update on Pukah. We were at the vet this week and he is already 11.5 lbs, so he's been growing very quickly. He is very sweet but so energetic and "on" whenever he's out of his crate that we are keeping him on a leash at all times in the house when he's out so that we have better control. He's not bad, just very much puppy and won't settle down for any naps or quiet time unless he's crated. He doesn't want to miss a thing!

He's been having fun at puppy playtime at Petco on Saturdays and we have been taking him on at least two other outings each week to meet new people. He was a big hit at my husband's office and my son's Taekwondo class.

I am a huge fan of the hooves for chewing! I've never used them before but they are terrific and not only does the puppy love them, but my 13 year old lab mix who was never a chewer, even when young, likes them too!  Pukah has never tried to chew any furniture with these around. Socks are another story.

We've been having a lot of fun with him and I've attached a couple of pictures, although getting a photo of him is very difficult because he just never stops long enough.

Julie

Sammy's photos and update (from 9 weeks old)

Here are some photos shared by Sammy's Mom.  Sammy (Cheetos) visited his half sister Maya on his trip home to Manhattan.  He also enjoyed a visit with his new Grandma for a few days.  

Thanks for sharing the photos.  Sammy is so adorable!!

Sammy loves his nylabone!

This is Sammy favorite place to sleep on the porch!

Maya (half sister) shares her squeeky frog with Sammy

Sammy enjoys Maya's old bed.