traveling with a dog?

[eldos]

Hello everyone,
I have a 7 month old shih tzu. I will be traveling with her to Cyprus. I would really like to take her in the cabin with me since it is a really long flight (20 hours) with 3 plane changes . The nortwest requirement for dogs to come with the owner as a carry on is 15 pounds with the carrier. my dog weighs 14 pounds herself with the carrier she is 16.6 or 17 pounds. She is exceeding the wight limits for a carry on by 2 pounds. I totally do not want to cargo her to Cyprus. I dont know how strict the airlines are in this kind of situations but i just wanted to post this so if i hear any experiences from any of you it may help me alot. Do they really check the weight of the animal on the check in counter??are they really strict about it??I am flying with nortwest. I would be really happy if any of you could quide me on this so i could be prepeared. Thank you so much for your time.

 

[JennSLK]

Give them a call and ask about it.

The airlines I fly with all say as long as the dog/carrier can fit under the seat in front of you.

 

[eldos]

I already have called them. They seem really strict on the phone but i dont know if they wil be that strict on the ticket counter . Which airlines do you fly with ??what kind of carrier do you use ??whats the dimensions that will fit under the seat do you know???Thank you for your reply really appriciate it.

 

[JennSLK]

Im in Canada so I use Air Canada

Or West Jet.
Were are you flying from?
Just a state, you dont have to give a city if you dont want.
I will see what I can dig up for you

 

[JennSLK]

if you give me a state I can ask my travel agent.

 

[Leslie + Chessies]

If I were you I'd fast the dog for 24 hours. This might make her drop a pound or so, and also should her stomach be upset she won't vomit much.

I would also read up on the airlines cargo instructions and be prepared to send her below in case she is refused in the terminal. Good Luck!

 

[eldos]

I am fying with nortwest airlines from san diego to minneapolis and again with nortwest airlines to Amsterdam...then i take the cyprus airways to cyprus(its an island next to greece and turkey)...as long as nortwest accepts it i will be okey. They seem really strict on the phone as if if she is 15.1 pounds they wont accept her. she is over 1.6 pounds over with the carrier. She is a really small puppy , only seven months old, a shih tzu. She may not able to handle this long of a flight in the cargo it will traumatized her. But i dont know what to expect in the airport. Are they going to make me to cargo her becuase she is exceeding 1.6 pounds. . And i am tired of talking to nortwest people on the phone they are cold heartless people, they dont know how it feels to have your dog to go through this.Please help. Thank you to all of you for help.

 

[Dreeza]

I am fying with nortwest airlines from san diego to minneapolis and again with nortwest airlines to Amsterdam...then i take the cyprus airways to cyprus(its an island next to greece and turkey)...as long as nortwest accepts it i will be okey. They seem really strict on the phone as if if she is 15.1 pounds they wont accept her. she is over 1.6 pounds over with the carrier. She is a really small puppy , only seven months old, a shih tzu. She may not able to handle this long of a flight in the cargo it will traumatized her. But i dont know what to expect in the airport. Are they going to make me to cargo her becuase she is exceeding 1.6 pounds. . And i am tired of talking to nortwest people on the phone they are cold heartless people, they dont know how it feels to have your dog to go through this.Please help. Thank you to all of you for help.

is there ANY way you can get a lighter carrier??? DO NOT let her go into cargo....i will never ever allow my dog go on northwest cargo after witnessing a seen where NW LOST someone's dog...

if you cant get a lighter carrier, you may just have to hope like heck they will take mercy on you...

if the comment on the weight be like "OMG, that stray dog must have gotten her pregnant! She didnt weight that much 2 days ago!!" and throw a huge scene crying about how cruel it would be to put a pregnant dog in cargo...lol

do you have any blankets/toys in the carrier?? could that reduce the weight at all? (obviously you can just carry them in a backpack or something)

I know you are sick of talking to northwest...but have you talked to a manager? or someone higher up? Just tell them you will never use their plane service again if they are so rude as to not allow 1.6 lbs over....i mean, honestly...what the heck kind of a difference is that going to make!??? obviously make sure you get any kind of verbal agreement in writing...

good luck!

 

[Leslie + Chessies]

Some airlines are very strict, and won't hesitate to refuse your dog if it is 1lb over.
I flew my dog in cargo and witnessed a dog getting refused to fly in cargo. Per airline regs, the dogs head must clear the roof of the crate by one inch. This poor greyhound was being flown by rescue to its forever home, and missed its flight because his head barely touched the top of his crate (and it was a big crate) and the rescue could not get a larger crate in time.

BTW...I flew Jasmine in cargo when she was six months old on Continental. They were wonderful. Treated the dog and us so well. I'm convinced kenneling a six month old for a week would have done more damage than a three hour flight. I know you're traveling much further and have a lot more concerns, but just wanted to throw out a kudos to Continental.

 

[JennSLK]

Have you tried a kennel like this

http://www.petsmart.com/global/prod...=1142453798442&itemNo=1&In=Dog&N=2035805&Ne=2

I dont know what kind o carrier you have but this may lose one or two pounds

I will ee what I can come up with fo you

 

[JennSLK]

Go to expeida.com or tavelocity.

Type in your destination and then look up the airlines it comes up with. Im sure you can find something that will allow your dog.

What day are you going/returning? My travel agent said she could help (she's a family friend) but she needs to know.

ou can PM me if you want

 

[adamwehn]

Personally I'd never let any airline put my dog in the Cargo area of the plane. I've heard too many nightmare stories about people that did this with an animal and they get to their destination and the animal dies and all they get is a "Sorry your pet died, have a nice day..." and then a big smile from the person who just informed them their companion/family member or whatever just died. No thanks, I'd rather spend a week or two driving cross country with my dog than fly him there.

 

[eldos]

Thank you all for the responses. It really means a lot to me and to my dog.

If they make me to send her cargo i am sure she will get lost since i am changing 3 airplanes. i might even miss my plane since i have only an hour in between in one of my connections. I am seriously thinking about not getting into the plane if they dont let me take her into the cabin. Its a 1000 dollar ticket but well my dog is more importanat than the money . The problem is how else i could go. I am returning back to my country permenantly. I have to somehow fly her , if every airline is like this how else i can go ...thats the problem.

Anyways, when i talked to the airlines they told me that they allow Sherpa bag as soft carriers and Cabin Kennel as the hard ones. The maximum dimensions that they allow for the soft carrier Sherpa is 20"L x 11 1/2"H x 11 3/4 W.(this is the one i have) Thats the large sherpa bag. the allowance for the hard ones is even smaller. My dog fits comfortably in that Large Sherpa bags , medium might be pushing it a little bit. But what i am trying to say is they have specific requirements for the bags that i can carry her in to the plane. And the one they have been mentioning is the Sherpa. It weighs around 2.6 pounds.(thats the bag only, i took out everything that can be taken out).
I wish i could get a lighter carrier but they might not accept it into the plane. I dont know if they are supposed to promote Sherpa but whenever i call them they always say Sherpa.

Anyways thanks again to all of you. Its nice to feel that they are people outthere who cares about this cute animals as much as i do.

PC: I also got a note from my vet saying that to his medical opinion it would be safer for the puppy to fly with the owner in such a long flight. I hope if nothing the note from the vet will help.

 

[eldos]

Jenn SLK;

after hearing all of this bad cargo stories i am very sure about not flying with them if they dont let me to take her with me in the cabin

Its a one way ticket basicly that i need from san diego ( SAN) to Larnaca(LCA) airport. My departure date can be anyday after the 21st of March (which is my original date to fly with nortwest). I already got my ticket at orbitz.com and its nonrefundable . i would like to give a shot at least at the airport . If that doesnt work will have to get another ticket. Becuase i dont want to fly my dog in the cargo. I would die if something happened to her.

 

[eldos]

I was in petsmart today looking for answers. I talked to a couple. They actually told me that they may not weigh the dog at all. have anybody actually experienced this. Do they really actually put the dog on the scale do you think??they never weigh my carry on bags when i traveled before(and there is a limitation on those too).

 

[pup-man]

Put the dog on the scale with his leash on.... when he is on it, pull up slightly to the point your dog registers a few pounds lighter...

 

[Mordy]

I haven't flown with a dog, but brought my cat with me when I moved to the US from Germany.

Talk to the airline directly, and to more than just one single person. I was first told that a Sherpa soft carrier of the above mentioned size was ok, then another person told me that for transatlantic flights only the hard carriers are accepted.

The carrier was not weighed before I boarded.

 

[eldos]

I haven't flown with a dog, but brought my cat with me when I moved to the US from Germany.

Talk to the airline directly, and to more than just one single person. I was first told that a Sherpa soft carrier of the above mentioned size was ok, then another person told me that for transatlantic flights only the hard carriers are accepted.

The carrier was not weighed before I boarded.

Do you mean they didnt weigh your cat at all ??or only the carrier?

 

[Caroleg]

I think your answer might depend on how the check-in agent is feeling that day. Be happy, cheerful, and VERY polite. If the agent mentions the dog is over by X pounds, I'd say something like, "Oh my! It's probably because she really pigged out this morning at breakfast." And do try fasting her for the 24 hours prior. Good luck!

 

[eldos]

You guys are great. Ok. I will fast her 24 hours period may be she will drop a pound or so. But do you guys think its healthy for her not to eat for 48 hours period . My plane ride is 19 hours. I wont able to feed her in the plane or right before , what if her stomach gets sick if i do? or she goes potty in the kennel. Not that i mind, but could she survivve not eating 48 hours without getting sick . Do you guys think its healty to starve her 48 hours then??
of course if they let me to take her with me in the cabin....i got exited for a while and start thinking about other stuff now...