Dog owners going on long vacations are often worried about leaving their dogs alone. Well, if you love your dog like other members of your family, why not take your beloved dog with you? Traveling with dogs can make your vacation much more fun and exciting. It’s a great opportunity to strengthen your relationship with your dog. Dogs tend to feel neglected when left alone and often develop inappropriate behaviors. Nowadays, traveling with your dog has become a lot easier and widely accepted, especially on airlines. However, this requires careful planning and booking in advance since most of the airlines only allow a maximum of seven pets on a flight.
There are many travel options available with airlines to make sure your dog reaches your destination safely and easily. For example, Delta Airlines will give you the advantage of making your dog travel as carry-on baggage, checked baggage, or air cargo. Continental airlines provides similar options. As a safety measure, check out all government regulations as you may be required to take a health certificate and proof of vaccination also. It’s always ideal to select non-stop flights and travel during early morning or late at night when the airplane cabin temperature is comfortable.
Before making your reservation, it’s important to know your kennel dimensions to make certain your dog can easily fit under the seat in front of you.
On the day you are flying, it’s advisable that you don’t feed your pet at least six hours before the flight to avoid motion sickness. Take away your dog’s water one hour before departure. Furthermore, don’t put food or water in the carrier as it may spill and create a mess. Most importantly, never use a tranquilizer before departure. Consult with your veterinarian before giving any such medication and if desired, use the drugs recommended in the prescription.
Lastly, your dog should have proper identification. The dog tag should bear your name, address, phone number, and the name of the dog.