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Flying by air with your furry companion can be a simple, fun, and proud experience as a dog owner. Whether they are flying in cabin or cargo here are a few tips, tricks, and practices to have a peace of mind during your travels. See the boys excited for their flight below.

Preparation

Flying alone, with people, or with pets can be a stressful experience, but it can also be really enjoyable if you’re well prepared. First steps are deciding if your animal can fly in the cabin with you or if they would have to fly cargo. These two options are very different experiences for you and your pup. Tips that apply for both forms of travel are as follows:

• Research the airline your are flying with. Each airline will have varying fees and regulations. This can determine the airline you choose to fly. Here is a link for top 10 rated airlines.
• TSA approved carrier. Find a carrier that is approved by TSA and your airline. There are a lot of options online that you can choose from. Think about the level of comfort each carrier/crate will provide for your fur baby.
• Familiarize your pet with their new carrier at least a week before travel. Make this introduction an exciting and comforting experience for them. Leave treats, toys, and their favorite blanket in their crate and encourage them to go in and spend time in the space.
• CBD treats, herbal supplements such as valerian, essential oils, & Chamomile to name a few
• Thunder shirts are a great comfort for stressful situations like travel. I recommend trying the shirt on them in advance so they are familiar with the experience and to see how tight you should have it on them and if they respond well to it.
• If you qualify for needed emotional support, I highly recommend getting your pup registered. This will allow you access by law to fly with your pup free of charge. You also gain full access to hotels, stores and general facilities pets are usually not welcomed to. Please do not abuse this option as it makes it difficult for those who genuinely need it to be taken seriously. Here is a link to apply for ESA registration.
• Try and fly into airports with pet rest areas. It is becoming more common that these are available. Find the location of theses rest areas before your flight and map out your route between connecting flights and arrival. If your pet is picky with using areas like these try and keep water consumption to a low but not to the level of dehydration.

Cargo

I suggest getting a flight where you will have enough time to give your pup a good run and let as much energy out so their desire to sleep and relax will be by nature. A great tool that some airlines offer is a live tracking on your cabin carrier. This tool is especially comforting when you have connecting flights, if anything doesn’t seem right you can notify someone immediately.

Cabin

I suggest getting a flight where you will have enough time to give your pup a good run and let as much energy out so their desire to sleep and relax will be by nature.