Preparations to Make For Flying with Your Pet Dog
Traveling can be fun, but it’s a completely different matter when your pet dog is your traveling companion. Many people are perfectly comfortable in the air, but some people get quite sick and anxious – that feeling of stress is tenfold for our furry friends.
It is also widely known that dogs can’t travel sitting beside humans, rather, they have to be put into a closed crate. This closed space, along with the dips and turns of a plane when elevated, can certainly terrify a dog and combined with bad handling, your beloved fur baby may be in trouble. Oftentimes, when a pet becomes stressed during travel, CBD oil (have a look at it now) may be a good choice to help promote calmness in the furry friend. Nevertheless, traveling with your pets could involve extra preparations on your part. So when you do have to travel with your dog, here are some arrangements you can take care of.
Find out the airline policy
Depending on which airline you’re traveling with, policies for pet travel differ. You will need to read up on, or call the airline to know about requirements such as the weight limit per dog (generally it’s 20 lbs. for cabin travel), number of dogs allowed per flight, specific breeds allowed, and other important details. Do this well in advance to avoid hassles later.
Find out about pet-related rules in your destination
Many states, and particularly countries if you are traveling internationally, have rules regarding pets. You cannot take your dog to a country, for example, with quarantine requirements, and some breeds may not be allowed everywhere. In particular, a pitbull and related breeds may be banned in several countries due to the fear of such dogs being aggressive and dangerous.
It’s easy to muddle the differences between bulldogs and pitbulls, so if you own such a dog and are unsure which it actually is, the main pitbull vs bulldog differentiating features are that the American Pitbull is a lot more energetic and active than the bulldog, and that the bulldog has a heavier set face and body structure.
Feed your dog properly and on time
It is recommended not to feed your dog after there are about four hours left for your flight to take off. However, make sure your pet drinks plenty of water up to the point you put him or her in the crate. Discuss with the airline representatives in advance, or with the handlers if possible, the care that needs to be given to your dog in case the flight is delayed.
Long flights and layovers
If your flight has a layover, you’ll need to find out if the layover airport has adequate arrangements for the care of traveling pets- food, medical care, and the like. Also, it is not advisable to take a very long flight with your dog, as your dog might fall ill due to the pressure, and several breeds of dogs are particularly susceptible to breathing problems and stress in long flights.
Basically, you will need to do a bit of research, although these days, most of the airline websites have pet travel related information clearly listed. Keep the above tips in mind, and you and your pet will have a lovely trip.
