<therapy dogs are not allowed in the cabin>
This must be an international flight rule, because I have seen them on domestic flights in the cabin. I'm not talking about seeing eye dogs but rather anxiety therapy lap dogs, that sort of thing. I get the impression almost any animal can be "certified" a therapy animal these days by someone.

Wasn't sure that the OP was still checking in. It's an excellent idea to take advice from people who have actually done what you had in mind. Since it sounds like this will be a significant change to your lifestyle, it seems as if you've made the best choice for both you and your pet.

You should enjoy yourselves and know that while it will be difficult to be separated from your dog, you can keep in contact with him through Skype, FaceBook, etc. This was not an option in the past, but it should help ease any doubts about the care and attention he is receiving during your trip.

Dogs don't "do" guilt-trips - he will be very glad to see you when you come home.

<i> <therapy dogs are not allowed in the cabin>
,This must be an international flight rule,> </I>

It is not an international flight rule. It might be a particular airlines rule or the destination country might have quarantine laws, many airlines allow assistance dogs and some allow assistance miniature horses into the aircraft cabin.

The best thing to do is just use a pet relocation company like we did. Let them deal with the logistics.

This is who we used when we moved from the US to Germany: http://www.petrelocation.com/

As someone who has moved internationally twice with pets, this is my recommendation based on prior experience:

1. Use a pet relocation service. The one I recommended above is not the cheapest but you don't want the cheapest anyway.

2. Arrange to have the dog show up 5-10 days after you arrive. The last thing you need is the added stress of dealing with importing a pet into a country whose rules and regs you are not familiar with. By waiting at least a week, you and your husband can be somewhat settled in before the dog arrives.

3. If you want to leave your dog with its favorite blanket and toys while in the kennel, be advised that chances are very good that the relocation company will NOT be allowed to transport those with the dog. So you will have to arrange with the vet/kennel to ship those goods to you after the dog departs. Also note that you are not allowed to bring in meat products and that includes pet treats.

The OP has decided to leave their pup home . . .

Iahawk: I know that was a hard decision, but it really is for the best.

(I love Wheaten's - I'm a Scottie and Airedale person myself but my brother had a wheaten who was adorable.)

Ah, I missed that.

When did the dog become a therapy dog?

Actually, my parents' dog would sulk for a couple of days whenever they returned from a trip taken without it. Then it would love them 300% again.

The sulking may have been caused by the huge excess of food and the 'no rules' in place when my grandmother or great aunt & uncle were taking care of the dog in their absence.

<seems our little guy will be staying at home while we're gone. I don't want to submit him to the trauma of a cargo hold and therapy dogs are not allowed in the cabin>

Wise decision.

sparkchaser - he has been a therapy dog for about 4 years now; his job is working with families at Ronald MacDonald house. He is not a service dog however as neither of us have a disability that would require that.

Poor lil' guy. He's going to be sad when you're not there.

Leaving your dog behind for 6 months ?

I would never ever leave my dog so long. Trauma being in a cargo hold ? Just give him some pills to quiet him, give him some carresses when he goes into the hold and get him back after.
Trauma ? My dog spent several months in a cage at a dog center for abandoned pets before we took him. Same for several of our cats. They are not tramatized and are very very happy to be with us.

If you don't want to tramitzed your dog and don't want to put him in a hold, just cancel your trip.

I on an assignment in Kansas City in 2005 and I couldn't take my dog so I left him with my brother. When I returned a year later, Toby was happy to see me but he wasn't "my" dog anymore.

IMO, the "trauma" excuse is BS -- pets get shipped internationally daily without incident -- but if the op doesn't want to do it, then who are we to push her into doing something she doesn't want to do.

A lot of these 'anecdotes' sound like the same excuses people use for leaving their small children behind. "Oh, it's for their own good."

I've posted this before; a guy put an iPod video camera inside the carrier of one his two small dogs (Pembroke Welsh Corgis) so he could see what their flight (in a cargo hold) was like.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRXNcdO22xc

Thank you, Sue_xx_yy,
I thought they were always supposed to load animals last and unload first, and they are supposed to be kept inside in a heated or cooled area until loaded! Neither happened here. Since luggage was packed in after the pets, they must have been unloaded last. I also was under the impression that they were separate from baggage, in a climate controlled environment. Doesn't look like it.