How nice to be able to take doggie along - wish I could!

I know you were asking about crate training specifically (and you got great advice - I actually took my doggie's crate away because he kept stealing my shoes in the morning before I left for work and storing them in his lair, which he guarded ferociously!), but just wanted to remind you to get your health certificate and get it in your bag well in advance. No fun to get to the airport and discover you don't have it!

Good luck!

mclaurie, you have generated lots of interest. And there are those of us who don't presently have dogs but would really like an update on how your crate training is going. Please let us know, and give us a report on how it goes after your trip.

I saw on the fine living channel www.fineliving.com to make sure the cage is big enough for the dog to be able to turn around. also, place name and picture stickers all over the outside so it will personalize the cage and never leave the dog in the cage alone-wait for the baggage handler to get there and give him a tip and ask him to take good care of your dog.

For dogs that are flying in cargo (happily not the OP's case), care must be taken that the crate isn't too big. It should be *just* big enough for the dog to turn around in. Any bigger and the dog can get uncomfortably jostled while being loaded or during inflight turbulence.

ttt