Westie Whispers

Flying with a Puppy

Before you book your flights, hotel or rental car, be sure that you know what time your appointment is with us. We recommend allowing at least four (4) hours between flights. You'll want to check with your airline ahead of time to see what their policies are when it comes to flying with pets. Typically, they require that the animal be kept in a soft-sided carrier that can comfortably/safely be stowed underneath the seat in front of you. You can find the specific dimensions on their website. Some airlines require a Veterinary Health Certificate (this is another thing you'll want to inquire about). We can obtain this for you when we take the puppies in to the vet for their wellness check. There is a $45 vet fee for this that we request be paid prior to puppy day.
 

There are a few items that you'll want to have on hand:

  food dishes

  bag of shredded paper

  puppy pad (potty pad)

  soft-sided carrier (that meets the requirements of your airline) Click Here for a link to one option at Amazon.

  chew toys

  Fromm Puppy Gold (you will receive two 3 oz. sample bags of Fromm Puppy Gold from us to get you started, so you may not need to bring some from home! However, a small zip lock bag will be handy for storing it once you've opened the bag.)

  Bottled water (you should buy this after going through TSA)

  Collar/harness (we will provide a leash)
 

Those are the things that we consider to be essential for travel. As far as how to go about things on the day that you'll be flying together, you will want to set up the carrier with a potty pad covered with a bit of shredded paper (the puppies are paper trained), and a chew toy. Make sure that you have the food dishes and food in your carry-on bag. Once you've gotten through security, you'll need to get a bottle of water. Try to have the water available to the puppy at all times (I know this can be difficult when you're carrying him/her around through the airport, we don't want water spilling everywhere!), just remember to put a little water into the dish when you've settled into your seat on the aircraft and when you're doing things like sitting down to eat or relaxing in the waiting area. The puppy shouldn't go longer than four hours without food, so every two hours or so, offer the puppy some food. You can simply pour a bit into the palm of your hand first to see if the puppy is interested, if not, just pour it back into the bag and try again later. If you become concerned because your puppy hasn't relieved him/herself in some time, you can use a wet washcloth or paper towel to wet his/her genitals, this should take care of the problem. While some airports have introduced "potty break" areas for people traveling with pets, we highly recommend NOT exposing your puppy to other dogs and their waste (aside from your family dogs), as the puppy's immune system is still developing. So, try to stick to the shredded paper and potty pads until you get home. While it varies among airlines, you may be required to keep the puppy in its carrier for the entire duration of the flight; other airlines are fine with passengers holding the puppy in their lap while at cruising altitude. Just remember to follow the instructions given to you by the cabin crew!