Teddy has traveled to more than 20 cities domestically! Although he loves traveling now, it wasn’t easy our first few times. Traveling with a dog is stressful (don’t let people fool you into thinking its easy!) His first flight was to LA— a 5+hour trip! Looking back I probably shouldn’t have been so ambitious and started with a short flight. Luckily, everything worked out well.
Here are some travel trips to consider before your first flight!
(Please note that Teddy travels IN-CABIN with me)
• Check to see what your airline’s guidelines are when traveling with a dog. Most will allow you to travel with one dog per person. Some airlines have a weight limit, while others state the pet carrier must fit underneath the seat in front of you. There will be a service charge each way, it’s about $125 for most airlines. You should call your airline to make an advanced reservation for your dog. Most airlines only allow a certain amount of animals per flight.
• Visit your vet to make sure your pup is healthy enough to travel and has all vaccinations up to date. I got medication for Teddy’s first trip to help with anxiety. On our third flight, I realized I had forgotten Teddy’s medication but he did great! I haven’t needed any medications since that day. Your airline will ask for your pet's vaccination records.
• Find a comfortable airline-approved dog carrier. We recommend one with plenty of ventilation and enough room to stretch out. You can find my recommendations here.
• Practice with your new dog carrier. Teddy was not used to being in a closed off bag for long periods of time. I practiced with him staying in his carrier with treats/chews and extended the time over weeks. Now when Teddy see’s his travel bag he knows we are going somewhere and it has become his safe space while in unknown places.
• Bring treats/chews to keep your pup pre-occupied especially during times of turbulence and take off/landing when their ears may suffer discomfort from the altitude changes.
Other things to bring: travel bowl, extra food in carry on in case of emergencies, wipes.
• Arrive early! You don’t want to be the person running through the airport. Yes, I am talking from experience. You will have to see an agent at check-in to receive proper tags.
• Stop by a pet relief area before boarding. Most major airports will have a designated area.
• When possible, take the direct flight!
Most importantly, Enjoy your trip with your pup!
Teddy has had the opportunity to see the cherry blossoms in the tidal basin, sniff through Time Square, explore DTLA and beaches of FL just to name a few fun adventures. These are memories I will treasure forever!
