How to prepare your dog for a flight? 🐶
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1️⃣ Start well in advance. Remember that 2-3 weeks might not be enough.
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2️⃣ Get to know the rules of dog transportation by air. Keep in mind that different flight providers have different policies. When booking your ticket, make sure to inform the airline that you are traveling with a dog.
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3️⃣ Get familiar with dog arrival policies in the destination country – they are different everywhere as well.
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4️⃣ Train your pet to be calm in a travel crate. It is especially important if your dog is big and will have to travel in the baggage compartment, or if the flight provider doesn’t allow any dogs, including small breeds, in the cabin.
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Remember that training a dog to be comfortable in a crate takes quite a long time, sometimes up to a few months. You should request all information on the crate size and the maximum dog weight. You will also most probably need to insulate the crate, because the baggage compartment is usually quite cold.
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5️⃣ Prepare all the required documents in advance.
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6️⃣ It’s better to not feed your dog on the day of the flight, but make sure to give him/her enough water and go for a nice long walk.
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7️⃣ Try to not make your dog anxious with emotional packing. The less excited/anxious your pet is, the easier the flight will be for them.
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8️⃣ Prepare a card with the information about the dog and the owner (preferably, in a few languages at once) and securely attach it to the crate.
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9️⃣ When the crate is taken away from you, try to avoid being emotional.
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Say goodbye to your pet as you normally would before going to work. Your dog really doesn’t need any excessive worrying.
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🔟 If you think that your dog will require a sedative, you should consult a vet at least 3 weeks before the flight, and start giving your dog sedatives with a cumulative effect at least 2 weeks before traveling. Always make sure that the medication you are using is allowed by the rules of the airline.
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1️⃣1️⃣ After the flight, greet your dog as calmly as you can. If your pet is overly excited from meeting you, only release him/her from the crate when he/she has calmed down a bit.
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Enjoy your flight!💛
