In cabin flight for puppies on Southwest airlines, thoughts?

[KaiLouie]

Hi everyone! I am looking to get a puppy in May or June of this year and have had a hard time finding the right local breeder. I am currently waiting approval by a breeder a couple states away. I am trying to figure out the best way to pick up the puppy if I am approved (fingers crossed!). I have a chance to fly for free with Southwest Airlines and when speaking with a pilot from that airline, found out that you are allowed to fly with a dog in the cabin. The dog must be crated in the terminal and throughout the entire flight and must be small enough so that the crate can fit in the space at your feet. The flight would be short (~1hr), but would require a four hour drive from there. Something is nagging at me that this might not be a good idea, but would it be more comfortable for the puppy than being shipped or riding in a car for 13 hours? Any input would be appreciated. I just don't want to traumatize a pup the day I get it!

[martemchik]

You won't be able to get an 8 week old GSD puppy into a crate small enough to fit under that seat. In a car you can make as many stops as you need to let your puppy out, if he has to be crated in the terminal/flight, he will end up going potty in the crate. Total you will spend at least 3 hours in the airport and on the flight with your dog so the math doesn't seem worth it. I also know for a fact there are a lot of good breeders in Michigan and I don't know why you are looking so far away. There are a few good ones on this forum alone that are probably within a few hours drive of you.

[wolfstraum]

just shipped 3 pups - none would have come anywhere near fitting in a crate to go under a seat....

drive or just fly the pup...they handle it well

Lee

[KaiLouie]

Originally Posted by martemchik

You won't be able to get an 8 week old GSD puppy into a crate small enough to fit under that seat. In a car you can make as many stops as you need to let your puppy out, if he has to be crated in the terminal/flight, he will end up going potty in the crate. Total you will spend at least 3 hours in the airport and on the flight with your dog so the math doesn't seem worth it. I also know for a fact there are a lot of good breeders in Michigan and I don't know why you are looking so far away. There are a few good ones on this forum alone that are probably within a few hours drive of you.

Thanks for the reply. I haven't flown in a while, so my memory of the space is probably skewed. I was thinking the same thing about the terminal. There are definitely great breeders in Michigan! My biggest problem in finding the right breeder is timing. I work in the schools and am looking specifically for a pup to be ready in June so I can have the whole summer to socialize, train, and enjoy 24/7! The breeders I was recommended and really like in MI don't have litters planned for that time frame. Although, if you know of anything, please let me know!

[mycobraracr]

The drive will not bother the puppy. I drove 40hrs (from NC to CA) with my puppy at 9 weeks old. She did great! If you are going to drive try and do it at night. My puppy sleeps through the night so I was able to cover more ground at night than during the day (less potty stops).

[KaiLouie]

Originally Posted by wolfstraum

just shipped 3 pups - none would have come anywhere near fitting in a crate to go under a seat....

drive or just fly the pup...they handle it well

Lee

Shipping makes me a little nervous. The pilot I was speaking to told me they call the cargo hold the "puppy snuffer" (at a different airline, not southwest). He said that it is not terribly uncommon for a fire sensor to go off in the cargo hold (even when there is no fire), at which point the pilots MUST flip the switch that removes all oxygen from the space. This is why Southwest only allows dogs to fly in the cabin. I guess I will ask the breeder specifically about shipping procedures for their puppies.

[KaiLouie]

Originally Posted by mycobraracr

The drive will not bother the puppy. I drove 40hrs (from NC to CA) with my puppy at 9 weeks old. She did great! If you are going to drive try and do it at night. My puppy sleeps through the night so I was able to cover more ground at night than during the day (less potty stops).

Thanks for the advice! That's quite a trip to make! Glad to hear she did well

[wolfstraum]

Fly Continential or Delta....they have specific areas and services for pets. Continental is less expensive than Delta, and I have shipped pups from PA to CA, Vancouver, Conn, Sacramento, Atlanta, Colorado, Portland etc etc etc.

Only Delta, Continential and Air Canada... I know the pups are handled well on this end and am sure that a pup flying into Michigan would be fine.

Lee

[Shaina]

My pup would have fit under the seat at 6lbs She was a small pup. But she was shipped cargo no problems, besides being covered in poop.

I did have a bit of a problem with the airline telling me there was only one puppy in the crate when I KNEW there were two.. but the two combined were only 14lbs which they swore was impossible. I was not impressed with them not knowing what they were receiving LOL

If I could drive I would, but that is a bit of a drive for a pup. Personal decisions I guess!

[middleofnowhere]

Sigh. An 8 week old GSD pup WILL fit in a soft-sided crate that WILL fit under the seats in airlines. A little over two years ago I flew one with me from Oregon to Arkansas with a plane change in DFW I think it was.
Buy some puppy piddle pads for the crate. Potty your pup well away from the airport potty area (I stopped at the rental car return at the airport & the shuttle waited for us.) You need to tell the airlines ahead of time & have reservations for you with the dog declared.
The connection in DFW was tight. I changed piddle pads (only needed the one change but don't count on that) as I slipped into the train that took us from one terminal to the other, ditching the soiled one in the trash as I boarded. Worked fine. She rode in the crate without much fuss.
I do not remember which airline I flew but I chose by the size of their carryon capacity and connections. You will be charged extra for the pup although she counts as your carryon.
You can do this. It is fun.

You can puruse the airline sites to see which ones take the larges size crates. I think AKC has a page with links to various airlines & their animals in flight policies/regulations.