Did you ever dream that you were a dog agility super champ except then it switched and you were at some germy, grungy, derelict seaside park in the dark and the carnies were actually drug addled zombies that were shambling after you with hammers and their big teeth? And then as you're trying to escape your way out from under their oily, horrible claws by clambering up a rat infested palm tree, you're all, this is about dog agility like, how?
22 April 2014
Hypothetical question regarding the joy that puppies feel when they fly on an airplane.
Enjoy this video of my big dog friend Grifter making wide turns yet still winning steeplechase, while you ponder this question. We are working hard on tightening up those wide turns, by the way. This is a hypothetical question. Hypothetical. Does it work to put a 10 week old border collie puppy in a doggie tote bag on a non non-stop airplane ride, and the end of the story is everybody survives? Hypothetical question only, maybe for those of you who have perhaps survived such an ordeal?
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17 comments:
I have put Sheltie puppies at my feet in a tote bag on a plane and we all lived to tell about it! :-) good hypothetical luck!
Hypothetically speaking, was there a lot of screaming and what do you do if airplanes do their airplane thing and delay and it is a puppy and you have only just met it in person and it is like, GET ME OUT OF HERE?
Ask Heather about London (very traumatic)....But then Haku was perfect. I have never flown with one, they always find their way home without me.
Yes, and then you sneek them onto your lap, stick a chewy in their mouth and cover them with a blanket. When they need to pee you take them to the latrine and have them pee on a potty pad. When the flight attendants pitch a fit about you taking your puppy into the latrine, you ask them if they would prefer your puppy take a poop in the isle in front of all the passengers.
No matter what, it will never be as bad as the person with the screaming infant or the child kicking your seat back.
I flew with my Klee Kai in cabin when I picked him up as a puppy. They let me take him out of the carrier for a bit and he slept on my lap. It was about a 3-hour flight and we had no problems.
Going potty was a non-issue because I couldn't get the little turd to go for like 12 hours.
I would not hypothetically worry about it. I'm sure the hypothetical breeder will get the puppy used to a bag especially if you sent said bag ahead with a tshirt you have worn to bed for a few nights in it. Then the hypothetical puppy will be familiar with both the bag and your scent. Winner Winner Chicken Dinner.
If you travel from a very small airport where you are the only passenger on the plane and return to the very small airport where, again, you are the only passenger on the plane you get to hold your puppy on your lap and no one makes a fuss. However, be aware, days later if your puppy should start dragging their head across the carpet, ear side down and screaming it's because their ears are popping. No need to go to ER where the stick their GD fingers up the puppy's butt for whatever reason. Stay calm and save your ER money for a good bottle of wine or five.
All my hypothetical pups were nice and quiet. You could hypothetically give them a little Benadryl to make them sleepy but. I have found that most just chill, chew their chewies and are good as gold. Have the hypothetical breeder introduce the pup to a travel bag in advance and feed them in it and carry them around. This will make it so much easier. I layer the Sherpa bag with puppy wee wee pads just in case but have never had one accident.
Yes, my first puppy flying experience involved 8 week old London screaming his head off the entire flight home. Non-stop. Didn't care if we took him out of the bag, gave him a chewie, let him watch the in flight movie - he was PISSED. I was not well liked.
Next trip we brought TWO puppies back - who never made a peep and slept the whole way. Moral of the story, make sure you don't get a screamer.
Oh, and 10 weeks can be getting large for under the seat, depending. Younger is better, more sleeping at that age too.
Hypothetically, I flew with a nine week old Samoyed puppy who screamed when I closed the bag as we boarded and got the hairy stink eye from everyone. As soon as we were on board, screaming ceased and everyone forgot about her. Until we landed and I got her adorable self out then everyone was in love. Forgetting the stinkeye they gave me in Denver. Also, potty pads in the bathroom.
I flew many times with my adult Pomeranian and he was a rock star. And always wowed the crowd at the end of the flight.
Plus, chew bones.
Crying puppy? You start eating the frozen PB kong and buying people vodka/tonics on the plane. Voila.
I've had a lot of friends fly puppies recently including BCs and whippets. It's all worked out well!
All inspiring stories, hypothetical puppy flyers. Otterpop enjoys flying on planes very much, so perhaps a hypothetical puppy would, as well!
2do was 9 weeks old and flew in a sheltie bag at my feet from LA to Toronto. He was a little tall by then to stand up properly in the bag but he was stellar. I kept my hand in the bag to keep him company and he seemed to like that. It will be excellent. Just ask him.
Haven't ever tried it with a 10 week old BC, but did it 6 weeks ago with a 10 week old Sheltie and it was grand. There was no screaming. He just accepted the Magic Travel Kong, went to sleep in the bag at my feet and was very happy to meet his big sister when we got home. Also, I learned an important fact. The middle seat has the largest underseat space.
I have done it and survived! Mind you it was a kelpie puppy and my friend also had a kelpie puppy in another bag at her feet. :-) Very easy, no problems. Both puppies slept through much of the ride. My friend's little devil eventually broke out and rode with his head out of the bag for the rest of the ride. My baby had to go potty AGAIN...and peed a little in the bag. But that;s why I had a fluffy towel in there with him. And this from someone who absolutely can't fly a dog in cargo! Go for it...hypothetically of course.
I know many people who have flown their very real puppies home under the seat and survived. Hypothetically, you should tire them out as much as possible before getting on the plane (like in the gate area). A hypothetical chew in the bag with them should help too. Do not take the hypothetical puppy out during the flight--much more likely to settle down if left in the bag, and not likely to be thrilled if the hypothetical flight attendant tells you to put the dog back where he's supposed to be.
Make sure you get the largest sherpa bag for a 10 week old BC. My last puppy flying experience was very easy. I chose an evening flight to help with puppy sleeping. He never made a peep and slept the whole 5 hour flight. I was so relieved! The first puppy I flew home was not so quiet but I had nice flight attendants who let me put his bag on the seat next to me once he was in the air and open his bag and that made him happy (and quiet). And it was only a 2 hour flight, thank goodness. On that flight, it wasn't very full so I requested an empty row when I checked in and got one, which helped. The flight for the latest puppy was jam packed so no luck with getting more space. I chose a window seat, thinking that would be less disturbance for the puppy under the seat, but there is less room under the seat in front (three seat row), and the bag and pup barely fit and I had no room for my feet, except for under the side of the bag. Just something to check on when you are making your seat selection.
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