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Permalink Reply by Melissa and Franklin! on April 26, 2011 at 12:51am

if she isn't already, you need to crate train her. Teach her the crate is a safe haven and a happy place, that way on the day of her trip being stuck in a crate won't be such a huge shock. Airlines require a water bottle to be present on the crate. She will be ok without water for that long and will likely not drink while on the flight, but it is almost always required that she has one. Make sure you check with your vet and that you have all the appropriate vaccines and titers completed. It can take up to 6 months to complete all the required paperwork for pet travel. You may consider sedatives, but keep in mind many sedatives (for example acepromazine) do not work in situations with a lot of stimuli (like an airport) and can have the opposite effect so if you do choose to sedate her, make sure to test the medication a few days/weeks before travel so you can monitor its effects. I think though at this point the most important thing you can do for her is get her used to her crate and used to being locked in her crate. Franklin came to me crate trained so I can't offer any advice or suggestions on how to do the actual training, but I know a lot of people on here have done it and can help you with that. There is also probably a link in the FAQ section. Good luck.

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Permalink Reply by Maddy & Keke on April 26, 2011 at 1:15am

She have been crated until she was one yr old.  She does fine in a home environment or when I am somewhere near.  But putting her in the crate in a totally strange area might freak her up :(

I will go get her travel crate and let her get used to it before the actual travel in July.

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Permalink Reply by Potus on April 26, 2011 at 1:16am

I've looked into dogs and planes, as there is the possibility that Po and I may move to London. One of the strongest pieces of advice I have found is not to sedate your dog during the trip. It can cause more harm than good and it makes it difficult for airport/airline/customs and quarantine staff to tell whether or not there is anything wrong with your dog.  My advice would be to research all the possible airlines you can use to find one which has experience with transporting pets and good reviews. From what I've read the compartment where animals travel in planes is kept dark to help with stress. Keke's about 3 years old from what I see on your profile, so she should be relatively okay with being cooped up for so many hours but I would follow Melissa and Franklin's advice and try and get her used to the crate.

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Permalink Reply by Cecilia & Butters on April 26, 2011 at 8:38am

Hi there.  Don't worry too much.  My Butters has flown both domestically in the United States and Internationally.  Her first trip was to Seattle, WA from Virginia Beach, Virginia.  I had a 1 1/2 hour flight and then a 3 hour layover and then another 5 hour flight.  And just recently she flew from Virginia Beach, Virginia to Stuttgart, Germany. That was the 1 1/2 flight and then another 2 hour layover followed up by 10 hour flight. 

 

My best piece of advice would be to try and limit the amount of layovers between flights.  I would only really recommend 1 if you need to.  Also, double check all the laws on bringing in the pet to the new country.  I had to spend my last day before flying to Germany running around like a mad woman.  There was a small by-law that my local vet was not aware of.  If you have your dog rabies vacinated before they are microchipped than that shot is no longer valid according to German law.  Also, many countries require that your dog must be microchipped.  I called ahead to the USDA vet in my capital and they gave me the most accurate info.

 

As far as the crate goes, like everyone has mentioned just get her use to it before you leave.  Make sure it's big enough that she can stand up and turn around.  Many airlines are very strict on that.  Also, she will be much more comfortable.  Aviation laws require that you have 2 dishes attached to the crate.  You can find these dishes at most pet stores.  They are special ones that snap on.  You must have one for water and one for food.  Check to see if your airline requires you carry food with the crate incase they need to feed your dog in route.  With me they didn't, but I carried some on myself just incase.  Better safe than sorry.  Also, a tip I learned from the TSA guys at the airport was to bring zip ties to add extra security to the closure of the crate.  You cannot attach these until after security inspects your crate.  Now as far as accidents in the crate, that's kind of up to how your dog is noramlly in crate.  Butters has never had an accident in her crate, even as a puppy.  So luckily for me, she has come out clean as a whistle everytime.  But with my parents dogs, who never have accidents in the house, well sometimes they pee in flight.  I think a lot of this might have to do with being scared along the way.  Just make sure you bring paper towels to clean them up with once you take him or her out of the crate at the airport.  I also do this outside as well, as Butters can have "happy pees" sometimes. :) And let's just say she is happy to see me.

 

Now as when to feed him or her.  Here in the United States it's required by law that you feed the dog at least 4 hours before the flight.  They actually fill that into the paperwork.  I personally fed Butters about 2 hours before, and gave her water right up until I left her with the airlines.  I let her pee once more at the airport.  But she doesn't get travel sickness.  If you think you might have a problem, feed about 3 hours prior and maybe just not quite as much as normal.

 

I have to agree strongly with "Potus" as far as to sedate or not.  Every vet I've spoken to in Virginia, Seattle, and Germany have all been against it.  You have to remember most animals when sedated are under medical watch.  When you sedate your animal in flight you have no idea how they are reacting to the medicine.  Even if they were fine under a "test" at home, they could have a different reaction another time.  There are so many things that can go wrong with sedation.  I would never do it with a healthy dog that doesn't have strong anxiety issues.  I'm sure there are some people that NEED to use it, but if your dog is otherwise a happy healthy dog don't.

 

One last tip.  Once you are actually on your flight you need to ask a flight attendent to confirm that your dog is on the flight.  The flight attendent will either contact ground crew, or she will speak directly with the pilot.  The pilot will know exactly what he or she is carrying prior to takeoff.  I know I'm kind of shy, so I had some issues working up the nerve to ask because I didn't want seem like that annoying passenger.  But my Butterball means the world to me so I always ask. 

 

Sorry, this is so much but I know I wanted all the advice I could get before I flew.  Don't worry, as long as your fully prepared and have done your research all will okay.  I know it can be scary, especially with a lot of the horror stories you hear.  But sometimes you have no choice, and your dogs are your family members too.  Growing up in a military child we flew all over the world with our Dogs.  They have always done great. :)

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Permalink Reply by Maddy & Keke on April 26, 2011 at 9:14am

Thank you for the details info!  I have checked with Air Macau (the only airline that will let me bring her as excess baggage) and they said I can put whatever I want in the crate as long as the door is secured. 

 

Singapore required import dogs to have Serology Blood Test so we need to settle that before proceeding to the next step. So much info to digest and so more running to do.  But the flight and the 30 days quarantine are the one I am worried about. 

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Permalink Reply by Sam Tsang on April 26, 2011 at 9:30am

Hi Maddy, the flight length and wait time will be close to our trip. Read and watch video review, I'll say refresh your crate training daily, on the day of travel, no solid food until arrive in SG, take her out one last time before check in at Macau. She will be fine without water during the flight / wait time. If you are not sure about her holding, line the crate with absorbent pads + double sided tape, if not and she had an accident, you'll be smelling it the whole ride home in SG. Bring some wet wipes / paper towel in your purse just in case you need a clean up upon landing.

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Permalink Reply by Maddy & Keke on April 26, 2011 at 10:38pm

Current flight time will be 2pm in the afternoon which mean HOT HOT HOT in July :(  Hopefully they will have a different timing by then.  Air Macau is the only airline that is direct and will take pet.  Flying via HK is not an option cos it is too time consuming and cost a lot more.

I will need to feed her if the flight time remain unchanged.  I will adjust her feeding time probably 2 wks before the actual flying to make sure that she won't poop during the flight.

Will she be crying her heart out during the trip?  She barks when I left her at the groomers every time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Sam Tsang on April 27, 2011 at 6:47am

Hi Maddy, you'll need to re-train her with the crate, gradually increase the time, make sure she associate crating with positive experience, when you see her willingly going into the crate on her own with a smile, she's ready. Good luck, keke will be just fine, you still have lots of time.

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