8 Tips For Flying With Your Dog

Traveling with your dog takes a lot of planning and preparation. It can be overwhelming researching accurate information, individual airline regulations, import and export regulations, and crate requirements, just to name a few.

It was terrifying the first time I ever saw the airline staff wheel our dog Merci’s crate off to be put below in the cargo hold. Poor Gator had to listen to me ask “What do you think Merci’s doing?” every 15 minutes. Only to find out when we arrived she was just sleeping.

We have since been on multiple flights domestically and internationally with Merci. It is challenging, but it can be a rewarding experience to travel with your dog. Here are nine tips to help relieve some of the stress from flying with your dog.   

1. Not all dogs are suitable for traveling.

Traveling is not for every dog. Some dogs experience extreme separation anxiety and don’t do well crated. Health issues could prevent a dog from being able to fly, and sometimes they are just more comfortable at home.

Merci was a good candidate for traveling. She is a very social dog, enjoys meeting new people, travels well on road trips, and is comfortable in her kennel when she is away from us. We started traveling with her short distances in the car then worked up to longer road trips. This slowly built up her tolerance for traveling long distances.

You know your dog better than anyone. Make the right decision for your dog, not for you. 

2. Crate train your dog.

This is one of the most important things you can do when planning on traveling with your dog. There is plenty of controversy of whether or not to crate train, but if you plan on traveling it is a good idea to do so. To fly in-cabin a dog needs to be in a carrier and to fly in cargo a dog needs to be in a kennel.

Crate training helps to normalizes the crate and eases the transition when you travel to different places. It is familiar and creates a safe space for your dog. We bring Merci’s crate with us most everywhere we go, she has been crate trained since she was a puppy. There are many resources for crate training and different dogs respond to different training methods but if you have any questions we’d be happy to help answer!

3. Determine the official requirements for country regulations.

There are many websites that can give you a good idea of different country’s requirements, but it is always best to get the official response. Contact the relevant government agency in your country of residence, this will often be the Department of Agriculture, who handles animal import and exports. For the US it is the United States Department of Agriculture – Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

I like to send any questions in an email that way I have a copy of the email correspondence if I have any difficulties. Another good resource to determine requirements is to contact the embassy of the country you are planning on traveling to.

I also find it helpful to ask others who went through the same experience. Utilize Facebook groups such as Dog-Friendly Travel RTW Community or Animal Travelers  that have people who have traveled internationally with their dog and have great advice. We have used these groups at great lengths when planning trips. 

4. Talk with your veterinarian about your travel plans.

Make sure to discuss your travel plans with your veterinarian ahead of time. You will want to make sure your dog is in good health to be able to travel on a plane. Vets are also familiar with international health certificates, pet passports, required vaccines, and tests that need to be done to travel with your dog.

In some instances, you could need as much as six months to prepare. If you are traveling from a country considered a high risk for rabies, you will need a rabies antibody titration test (titer test). You could also need a titer test to re-enter your country of home residence as well if you traveled from a country with a high rabies risk.

A titer test is a blood test that checks antibody levels to confirm whether or not your dog has developed immunity to rabies. A blood sample must be collected by a veterinarian and sent to an approved laboratory. The blood sample must be collected a minimum of 30 days after the rabies vaccination and must be a minimum of 3 months before traveling. This makes it a 4-month process.   

5. Plan your route.

Planning your route is a crucial step when traveling with your furry friend. Gator has searching for flight options down to a science. One of our preferred strategies is to drive to an international airport to prevent having an additional connecting flight. This shortens the flight time by at least three hours. When we traveled to Spain, we took a direct flight at night from Chicago to Madrid. Our flight time was only 8 hours and Merci could just sleep in her kennel like she would at home.

For longer international flights, it can be more difficult to find accommodations for your dog. We recommend planning your route to minimize your dog’s time spent in their crate. If you plan to take your pet out during a layover, ensure that it is at least six hours to account for customs procedures and visa requirements. During our trip to Nepal, we chose a flight with a 20-hour layover in Istanbul, Turkey, allowing Merci to rest outside of her crate before another long flight.

6. Research airline requirements.

After we find a flight, I look up the airline pet policy. The best place to find this information is on the airline website. Each individual airline has specific regulations. Some airlines only accept dogs flying in-cabin and some only allow dogs in the cargo hold.

In the summer months at extremely high temperatures, certain airlines will not allow pets to fly particularly dogs with snub noses. There is usually a weight restriction for dogs allowed in-cabin. For dogs that fly in cargo, there are specific kennel requirements. For more information about kennel, requirements read the International Air Transport Association’s guidelines for approved kennels here.

If your dog is an emotional support animal (ESA) or a service dog, there have been many changes in regulations with the flux of people trying to take advantage of the system, particularly for ESA’s. There is additional paperwork that must be completed and submitted at least 48 hours before your flight.

Note that there are also countries that do not recognize ESA’s, meaning the dog will have to follow the airline’s normal pet policy. When you book your ticket, airlines require you to make a reservation for your dog at least 24 hours prior to your departure. We always add Merci to our reservation as soon as we have booked our tickets. I also follow up 48 hours before our flight, to ensure that the reservation is still correct. 

7. Pack for your dog.

Merci is 30lbs (13.6kg) so she is too big to fly in cabin, and has to fly in cargo. For her kennel we use the Petmate Skykennel – it is airline approved and meets all of the requirements by the IATA. For flying, her crate is lined with two potty pads, then her Hero Dog Fleece Crate Pad.

The crate pad is comfortable and can be easily thrown in the washing machine for easy cleaning. Find the best combination of things that works best for your dog to allow it to be comfortable while flying.

For a food and water, we use a food bowl that clamps to the front door of her cage. Her water is in a dispenser that also attaches to the door. It is spill-proof similar to the one used for hamsters.  

If you are traveling for more than 8 hours, attach a Ziploc with one meal to the top of the kennel. The airline will give you a Shippers Declaration sticker to attach to the top of the kennel that states that your dog has been offered food and water within four hours prior to drop-off. The sticker also lets flight staff know when your dog should be given food and water again.

Airlines also require zip ties to secure the door, you will need four to six zip ties. This ensures that the door won’t swing open in transit and is just an extra layer of protection. 

I also carry a few essentials in my carryon for when we are able to pick Merci at the baggage claim.

• Collapsible bowl
• Leash
• Dog waste bags
• Potty pads
• Your dog’s favorite toy
• Dog food

For more information about the specifics check out our article on Merci’s packing list for flying in cargo.

8. Bring at least two copies of all of your dog’s travel documents.

It’s also essential to bring copies of your pet’s travel documents, including their health certificate and vaccination records. Some airlines may require these documents, so it’s best to have them on hand to avoid any delays or issues at the airport. Keep these documents in a secure and easily accessible place, such as a folder or envelope, so you can quickly retrieve them when needed.

There have been multiple times when we go through customs when traveling internationally and the custom officials wanted to keep our original documents, or started to write on them. When we were in Nepal, we were shuffled around and our documents were handed off many times. They ended up writing on Merci’s vaccine records and insisted on keeping the original. If it had been the international health certificate or her rabies vaccine, we could have been in trouble and lost our original document.

To ensure that you have access to your dog’s travel documents at all times, it’s best to bring at least two physical copies of each document. Additionally, taking pictures of the documents and saving them on your phone can provide an extra layer of security and accessibility in case the physical copies are misplaced or lost during travel.

For more detailed information about travel requirements check out our articles about:

Requirements for Getting Your Dog into Nepal

Requirements for Getting Your Dog into the EU

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