Taking a small dog to Paris
 

Tell me if you've ever taken your small dog with you to Paris and what it was like for you. As a tourist (not my first time) but will be staying in a hotel that will allow me to bring her. She is a good traveler, but still I've never taken her overseas.

Go ahead and take her along; I've travelled myself many times with my master and have never been disapointed. The only problem she will encounter will be the language barrier. Those Parisian beasts have a dialect no one can understand.

Years ago I remember seeing something on TV about how animals are "handled" by the airlines... They planted a camera in the dog crate. The little dog was tossed around with about as much care as they give your luggage. I definately would not take my dog on a trip unless it was a necessity.

why would you do that, unless it is absoulutely necessary don't you think this is a tad selfish. It has to freak any animal to be boxed up and shipped abroad like this.

Are you taking this small dog on the plane with you?

I would also think that having a dog with you would sort of restrict your activities, eh?

I believe you can take a small dog with you in the cabin on some airlines. That's the only way I would consider bringing my dog. I'm sure the dog would rather be with its owner, even if it means traveling, than being left in a kennel or with other people. It depends on the dog, of course. As far as dog friendly cities go, there's no better place to have (or be!) a dog than Paris! :-)

If you're traveling from the US to Paris, isn't there a period of quarantine for the pooch?

No quarantines for dogs except to England.

I moved with my dog and cat last year to Paris from the US. It was traumatic for all involved, even though everything turned out alright. Even if you plan to take your dog on board with you, that can all change at the last minute if someone complains and you may be forced to check your dog underneath (yes, I have seen it happen). There is no way I would risk that for just a vacation. Please feel free to email me if you have any questions.

We took our English cocker with us to Paris for a month and had a great time. However, our group included several people and we stayed in an apartment, not a hotel, so it wasn't a problem dealing with the places where she wasn't allowed--supermarkets, churches, museums (she was allowed almost everywhere else). Having a dog, especially a friendly, attractive dog, is a great ice-breaker in Paris. We had many conversations with Parisians that started out with how beautiful our dog was and then moved on to other subjects. Waiters were always slipping her bits of meat or cheese. <BR>BTilke

My brother was once checking in for a flight from East coast to West coast in US and observed an older woman checking her dog through. She was so upset, but the agents reassured here that the dog would be in a heated and safe compartment. When my brother arrived in <BR>San Jose and was awaiting his luggage he saw an agent bring out the dog carrier with the dog inside clearly dead. He got his luggage and left quickly before the woman discovered her poor dead pet.<BR>I have never been crazy about being seated behind a crying baby on a plane, but last year I had the misfortune to have a small dog in its cage under the seat in front of me. The dog whimpered, barked, and disrupted everyone the whole way. The woman kept apologizing saying her dog never barked at all at home. The dog was clearly traumatized.<BR>I can't understand why anyone would subject their beloved pet to such tramatizing travel. Or why they would subject their fellow passengers to possible total disruption.

Why anyone would take a dog to Paris as "a great ice-breaker" is beyond me. It is VERY selfish. The dog will suffer on the plane (even if lucky enough to be allowed in the cabin) just so people can ooh and ah over him and make you feel good??<BR><BR>Leave him home where he is in familiar surroundings - even a boarding kennel is better than flying. And besides - with the increased security, several airlines have stopped allwong any animals - in the cabin or as cargo.

For those who worry about being disturbed by barking,whimpering pets on board, there are animal tranquilizers thatt vets prescribe for animals traveling by air.They work well and the poor beast doesn't have to go through the trauma that humans do when flying these days.

Tom, you don't know what you're talking about. Our dog made the trip fine and LOVED being with us a for a whole month rather than being shut away in a kennel with strangers for a reason she could not understand. We did not take her simply as an ice breaker--it was a happy bonus for the total experience. Our dog was handled very well by Air France and underwent far less trauma than if she'd been stuck away with strangers for a month. We did once put her in a very good boarding kennel for a much shorter period and she was obviously traumatized by the experience. You know NOTHING about our dog or us yet feel free to make (false) assumptions. Take your rigid, misinformed views elsewhere.

Some pets are good travelers, others aren't. Presumably you know which type yours is. When I was growing up we had a teeny tiny Yorkie named Annabelle that was an amazing traveler. We had a little tapestry zipper bag for her with airholes in it, and took her on the plane with us zipped up in her bag. Often they never knew we had a dog on board. Once we were in the air, we'd unzip the bag so she could poke her head out and look around. She'd stay on the floor by our feet. She never barked or bothered anybody. I only wish some people's kids were as well-behaved. This was a long time ago, before airport security got really tight. Obviously, you couldn't get away with it now. I wouldn't take a beloved pet on a plane in a crate to be handled by baggage personnel, based on some of the horror stories I've heard. But if I knew my dog to be a good traveler, and could keep it with me in its traveling cage, I wouldn't hesitate to bring it with me on a long trip.

Hello there, while I certainly wouldn't feel it a good idea to take a dog on a plane UNLESS it was unavoidable. I did read in Best Friends magazine that one of the most common causes of deaths to pets who are on the road is overmedication, by well meaning people, who accidentally overdose them on tranquilizers. <BR>Please, if you must take your pet, and you choose to medicate it, be SURE to get exact dose size for the size of your dog.<BR>I make no judgement about it one way or the other, I literally cry when I have to leave my pets for extended periods, however, I honestly would not take them with me unless we were permanently relocating.<BR>I would just die if anything bad happened to my pets. <BR>PS: I do believe I read lately that pets are no longer allowed in the passenger compartments at all, due to the new security measures. This may be in error, but I would definatly check with the airline before flying.

While my experience is with taking two cats to France (where I was living), I would not recommend taking any pet on a short trip to Europe. I understand cats seem to be more nervous and upset by change than dogs, but my vet said it is not healthy for pets to take repeated trips in the cargo hold. You can avoid this by bringing them in the cabin. On this issue I agree with Patrick. It isn’t fair to other passengers. Some people are highly allergic to pet dander. Tranquilizers don’t always keep pets from barking or meowing. Plus, it would have to be a tiny dog to go in the cabin because many cats are considered too large and relegated to the cargo hold. <BR><BR><BR>

BTlike - how on earth do you know your dog loved it? Yes, he may have been happy to be with you but did you feel how bad his ears hurt on the plane? or his discomfor from being locked in a carrier for a 10+hour flight? And Tom was right about many airlines have stopped accepting pets. Good thing, too since some owners don't have the sense to leave them home safe and sound. My dog is my best friend but I would never torture him by flying him to Paris (Paris for Pete's Sake!!). Unbelievable.

Please do NOT allow your dog to be put in cargo. You are asking for a lot of heartache by doing so. Keep the dog at home. If you absolutely have to take him with you only do so with the stipulation that he can come aboard the plane with you. I've heard too many horror stories and seen via the news what happens to those poor animals that go cargo.