Hi -
We have flown with our dog (Lhasa/Shitzu X) a number of times and with our situation, have come to the following conclusion - he is better off in cargo.

Why? Well, we avoided travelling with him until he was older (10) and he does tend to get stressed. On our earlier flights, we did sedate him per our vet's recommendation. This pill(don't know the name) was meant to just "take the edge off". He responded well and just seemed a little sleepy upon arrival - back to normal within a few hours of landing.

We decided to try flying him on board with us for a relatively short flight (<2hrs) - that was HELL! Needless to say, he panted, whined and chirped the entire flight - much to the annoyance of the surrounding passengers. This happened despite giving him the same sedative. We figure that since our dog could see us, he became even more agitated.

We now have a new vet who is against sedating him. Since that one disastrous flight, he goes below where hopefully, after some time he settles down since no one responds to his whining. To elaborate, he has flown during both summer and winter (we're from Canada and he's flown when it's been -20C outside)with no problems whatsoever. He always arrives just fine, slightly thirsty and wanting to pee when he gets outside. I always give him water prior to checking him in and in the winter he flies with a fleece jacket.

Good luck, I know it's not an easy decision. I still worry until I pick him up but chances are likely very slim that anything will happen to him.

But no matter how attached you are to your dog. Your dog is still, in fact, a dog.

I have three dogs and a cat and love them all dearly, and as the poster is doing, would certainly investigate thoroughly if I were considering shipping them. But to compare shipping an animal to shipping a child is getting a little ridiculous. Children are HUMAN BEINGS. Dogs are not.

To compare dogs to children not only erroneously elevates dogs, it degrades children. Would you compare shipping your dog to shipping your wife? Probably not if your wanted to stay married!

Just some food for thought.

Oh just an adder - make sure you check with the airline if you can bring your dog on board with you!! The airlines in Canada (Air Canada and Westjet) have a limit as to the number of animals they allow on board! You have to call ahead and reserve the space - same as you would for the cargo hold.

Again, I just want to stress my point of how uncomfortable a flight we had with our dog on board! You will not be allowed to even open the top of the kennel/bag the dog is in to try and give him comfort. It ended up being a terrible flight, for us, the dog, and the neighbouring passengers.

sunshinesue - Whether or not you would equate dogs with children (or with spouses) is completely irrelevant, except in your own personal decision about whether to take your dogs on an airplane.

Some people have indicated that their dogs are actually just like children to them, and they would therefore not fly them. Why is it any of your business to tell them that "erroneously" elevating their dogs. I thought this was a subjective topic, not one with specific rules.

I would never fly my dogs either, but if others would that's their business. I think tiovtcheva has gotten plenty of responses on both sides as to the whys and why nots. Whether you consider my dog equivalent to a child is totally irrelevant to the discussion.

<Would you send your kid in the cargo hold if they alowed it and they said is was safe?>

Brilliant idea! :D

check with the airline- 20 lbs. is usually the limit for a carry on pooch and they are supposed to be able to turn around in the carrier. the carrier of course is supposed to fit under the seat

if not don't worry - the cargo hold is the same temp and pressure as the rest of the plane- you loved one will be fine. dogs ship everyday with no problem. think about it 6-7 hrs in the plane vs 5 DAYS IN THE CAR ??

i have a jack russel too and am very familiar with the breed- IMO they are the toughest breed in the world pound for pound- a few hours in the dark will not kill him.
I have never flown a dog in the cargo hold but I've flown many horses incident free. I love my dogs but comparing stuffing children in the cargo hold to shipping the dogs is a little wack.(although there have been a flew flights were I would have loved to put a little rascal down below the flight deck)
unless you know what you are doing AND have done it before I would not trank the dog- especially a jack- again from personal experience.

i would look for a nonstop to keep things simple.

Would the kid be charged by weight or age? Extra if they are a teen? Would they get FF miles? With or without CD player?

jlm_mi,

Sorry I misbehaved. I will put on my dunce hat and sit in the corner.

Personally, I just couldn't put my dog in cargo (she's a Dalmatian/Lab, so no in cabin possible). She's very human oriented and I know it would distress her. After, 15 years in the travel industry, I've acquired many friends that worked for the airlines and I just can't bring myself to do it.

There was an airline a couple of years ago that was aimed at people traveling with their pets. It seems like it's having some problems getting off the ground. I sure wish they could make it. I think they'd have a lot of business. http://www.companionair.com/

troll post, tiovtcheva has never posted anything else.

Thank you so much for all the responses.
I am so nervous that I am actually driving my dog to the airport over the weekend to see if AA can tell me if he is small enough to come on the plane with me…He is not that much bigger. He is not a puppy but still a Jack Russell, not even 20 lbs.
I also have an appointment with the vet to get additional info.

Thanks again for all the suggestions :-) Wish me luck – we a traveling next week..

Just for the record,
I won’t be moving until the summer so driving or flying with the dog in the heat will be more of a problem (I think). Also, he goes crazy in the car (whining and barking at all times)
My concern is that he is not very good at staying in a cage /(bag in this case) if he sees me around (which would be the case if they let him on board). I will probably end up in the situation Hana was…
...he goes crazy if I close the bedroom door and he is on the other side…Jack Russell, what can I say.

I have been checking with the different airlines for a while and none of them will guarantee that the people at the check point will let him on the plane (bec. of his size). Also, if the only way to ship him is cargo, I will have to do it now because most airlines warned me that they refuse to take animals after May because of high temperatures.

I checked with the Humane society (we got him from them) and they ship the dogs with AA…so that gives me some comfort.

Will see over the weekend.

I have 2 dogs and under no circumstances would they ever be put in cargo of airplane. Sure its easy on you but if you truly love your dog you wouldn't do it unless it were a little fifi dog that could go aboard with you.

katybug, I hope you are not driving your kids anywhere in your car since you insist it is dangerous and you and your passengers could die. You never heard of any dogs having bad things happen to them in the cargo hold? You really don't care anyway judging by your comments. Pets are Very important to some people. Perhaps they don't have children or it is a woman who lost her husband. You don't get it. Sometimes a pet is the most important "person" in someone's life.

My sister in law always flies on United with her Jack Russell. He is average size, a little chubbier than the Frasier dog. My parent's dog was larger than the average Jack Russell with USAir. Again, no problems.

The Samsonite Pet Travler measures 19" long x 19" wide x 10.5" high. What are the reclining dimensions of your dog? This carrier is for dogs up to 22lbs.

If you check your dog in cargo make sure you know the airline restrictions on the kennel or crate. As I understand it, the two parts of the hard side plastic crates must screw togeher, not snap.

Check before you buy a carrier - or show up at the airport with the wrong kind.

Good luck.

Several years ago I shipped my Scotty and cat from the UK to the States in the cargo hold and afterwards swore I would NEVER again do anything like that to a pet. The Scotty had a complete personality change and it took him almost 4 months to return to "almost normal". I can only assume the noises and discomfort traumatized him. And when we landed at SFO - they could not locate the crates for over an hour and a half. It was an absolutely dreaful experience. Many pets fly w/o any problems - but it only takes one problem to upset or even kill your pet. I would never forgive myself if something went wrong.

drive . . . . .

Jor:

Its nothing like that. Dogs are put in the same area as luggage which is wrong. It has everything to do with humane treatment of your pet(s). I'd rather be inconvenienced and drive with them than to traumatize them through airline travel.

I also say don't put in cargo. I flew my cat from England to Ireland (and that's only an hour long flight) and would NEVER do it again. She was traumatised for about 2 weeks. When we got to Heathrow they couldn't find her, I almost died. Actually I spent the hour long flight crying because I felt so bad about her being in cargo, I knew she'd be scared by the noise etc. Drive, drive, drive!

Stephanie - You've greatly misunderstood jor's position on this. ;)