If this is your first time traveling with your pet dog in a flight, then getting nervous is an obvious thing to happen. Those who don’t know, it’s a lot of travel drama you need to handle when traveling with your pet. As there’s plenty of things you’ll need to take care of so that your pet child feels relaxed and fearless throughout the flight. Leaving ground unprepared is one of the last things you’ll want to do, trust me. And so, let’s not take the risk and talk about how to prepare your dog for a flight in cabin today.
How to Prepare Your Dog for a Flight in Cabin with Handy Trip Friendly Tips.
If you believe that traveling with dogs in car long distance is pretty daunting, then get ready to be even stressed. As the airplane mode is surely even a serious thing when including a furry friend. I’ve tried to gather a few tips and tricks that can help you sort out the mess as much as possible. Keep on Reading…
About Travel Documents When Travelling with Pet.
If you are considering booking tickets with a certain airline, make sure to check their policies. Do they approve pet travels? Even if they do, is there any requirement of vaccination proof?
There are a few airlines that have breed restrictions. In the cabin, there can also be weight restrictions. The information about all the policies should be easy to access by airline’s official website. Make sure you give it a check.
Also, according to FAA policy, only 5 pets are allowed in the cabin. So, you want to get your dog one spot reserved. Call the airline you chose and book a flight. Then you need to talk about your dog while having your itinerary number to offer. And the flight should be able to guide you further as well as reserve a spot for your lovely pet child.
Bring a Carrier with Careful Selection.
getting a flight carrier that is meant for animals is the next thing you need to focus on. There are quite a few types and mostly, these are easy to get. If you want it to go underneath the seat, look for a soft-sided carrier. There is also a duffle bag type carrier that includes additional pockets. You can have the leash and treats stored in these.
Take Your Dog for a Check-Up.
Cargo travels have a good number of restrictions going on for pets. And there can be a demand for up-to-date health certification from a reliable vet on your dog.
So that they can assure your dog is fit for the flight. Make sure you take your pet for a checkup at a reliable vet like foufoupuppies where your dog receives proper care and health examination. Get a vaccination certificate issued, and take notes on medication provided by the vet that can be necessary on flight.
Prepare Your Dog: Crate Training and Desensitization
Even as humans, some of us are really not well adapted to long flights. And that makes it pretty obvious, it’s even harder for dogs. As there are a lot of stress and anxiety issues tied up with an air journey. So, making some preparations and getting your dog ready for the big day can help here.
You want to let them involve in some practice and training. They need to have a good association with the carrier or crate. Also, noise and crowd inside plane or even airport can be a bit too much for the little guy.
There are even cases of dogs being too overwhelmed by such surroundings. As dogs have this whole sensory overload characteristic, it is quite normal to happen. But if you help them slowly desensitize with crowds and noises, it is going to be very helpful later on.
Your Dog‘s Identification.
The chances of not losing your dog after a flight can be maximized by doing a very simple thing. And this is getting him a proper identification. You need it for both the dog and its carrier. Put down your name, phone number, travel destination, and address clearly for labeling.
You can also add ID tags on the collar or harness including a safety clasp. Microchipping is also a great way for identification. It increases the chances up to 52% of reuniting with your dog in case an accident takes place. You also want to have a few photos of your dog’s face and its body markings too if possible.
Getting Together with The Packing Chore.
Being a pet parent is as difficult as having kids. You need to be very ensured of having all the essentials. However, having too many items and going for unnecessary clutter is also not the right thing to do.
By the term essentials, I mean things that your dog cannot go without. For example, some poop bags, pet wipes, extra paper towels, treats, foods, water, feeding bowl, favorite toys, medications, and similar vital items. Sit down and give it some thought. Include everything crucial for your dog in the packing list and try to keep it as little as possible.
Beware of Using Sedatives.
Some pet owners consider giving their dog sedatives or tranquilizers. And that’s definitely not a good thing to do. It may temporarily lessen down your dog’s stress level. But it’s a very fatal measurement on the dog’s overall wellbeing.
Vets always ask pet parents to be very careful with it. However, if the situation is quite difficult and it seems to be a last resort, maybe then you can consider. For example, due to altitude change and breathing difficulties your dog is in a bad condition. That’s when sedating seems to be the only option.
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Wrap Up
And that was pretty much everything I wanted you to know about how to prepare your dog for a flight in cabin. Being aware of probable situation that can take place in the flight and planning beforehand about solution can be very helpful.
It’s true that you cannot guarantee a perfect journey anyway. However, being adequately prepared will surely help you in some way if not wholly. And as a pet parent, making yourself familiarize with such topics is undoubtedly a responsibility you won’t feel good about not taking.
