# Flying with a puppy in cabin



## GoldenDreams (Dec 17, 2009)

I was told that the 9 1/2 week old puppy that I am getting will fit under my seat in the cabin. I already booked my tickets and found out the dimensions of the carrier I can have is: Height: 9 1/2", Length: 17", Width: 10". The flight is about 2 hours 20 mins long. Do you think she will fit?

Has anyone ever flown with a golden retriever puppy in cabin? Did they let you take the puppy out once on board? I really don't want to put my puppy in cargo. I don't know what I will do if she doesn't fit.


----------



## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

There was a thread recently about a puppy flying in the cabin. If I recall all went fine.


----------



## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

Check out this thread:

http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com/showthread.php?t=69810&highlight=puppy+flying+cabin


----------



## Sammie's Mom (Mar 20, 2009)

Sammie was 11 pounds when she flew with me from Thunder Bay to Toronto then Toronto to Miami in a soft carrier that was Height: 11", Length: 18", Width: 10". We did have to bring a regular hard plastic carrier to bring her from Miami to Ecuador as the Ecuadorians don't allow dogs in the cabin. She slept the whole way in the cabin, never heard a peep. Sammie arrived in Ecuador sitting there looking pretty as a picture in her travel crate not anxious at all. Good luck with your trip. 

PS: If you would like a picture of my cabin crate I could email it to you. The top is flexable but knowone took out a measuring tape. They were are all just busy thinkin' she was cute and wanted to pet her.


----------



## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

You will need to make the arrangements with the airline to fly the dog in the cabin ahead of time - when making your reservations. Many airllines will allow only one animal in the cabin per flight. Also the bag needs to be approved by the airline. If they do not approve it when you get to the airport you will have a major problem The Sherpa brand bags ( http://www.sherpapet.com/page.asp?id=38&name=Original%20Deluxe%20Bags ) are approved by all the major airlines. You can normally find a "gently" used one on ebay at a decent price. I used a "medium" to bring home Oriana at a little over 8 weeks of age.

Technically you are not allowed to take the puppy out of the carrier during the flight. Most attendents will look the other way as long as none of the other passengers voice displeasure.


----------



## Susan6953 (Jun 9, 2008)

I think you are supposed to keep them in the container during the flight but I was on one where the owner took the dog out and was holding it during the flight. I didn't care; I'd much rather have someone with a dog sit by me than someone with a crying baby!

Guide dogs of course don't have to be in a carrier. A friend was traveling with her guide dog who was under the seat in front of her and the stewardess came up and said "The lady in front of you is upset because your dog ate all of her cookies." It turns out the lady had put a package of cookies under her seat instead of the seat in front of her. My friend wasn't too happy that her dog had eaten a large package of cookies at the beginning of a long flight! There were no untoward effects luckily.


----------



## amy22 (May 11, 2008)

I flew with my golden puppy from CA to FL and back...(although I was not sure she would fit in the carrier on the way back!) She was 12 weeks old..a huge ball of fluff when we flew to FL, when we flew back to CA she was 13 weeks. She slept mostly the whole way there and back. I opened the side so she could sleep stretched out when I was sure she was tired. She did not fit under the seat, but she did fit by my feet. I think at 9 1/2 weeks your pup will fit. 
I did take her out occasionally..most of the stewardesses were fine with that. One said I had to put her back. I had a window seat..not the isle so they could not really see...I also kind of had her under the blanket! She really did fine there and back..
Good luck and I hope you post pictures!!!!


----------



## Osogold (Jan 3, 2009)

I just flew Air Canada from Portland to Vancouver and Vancouver home with a 8 wk old puppy that weighed 12lbs in a Sherpa bag with the same dimensions...no problems...had to keep puppy in the bag under the seat the whole time...puppy travelled really well.


----------



## Jazz & Jules (Feb 25, 2007)

Hi There! I recently flew with Jules home on a plane when he was 8 weeks old. As mentioned - the airline will have some very detailed information.

Airlines will ask that your puppy has eaten within 4 hours of flying. My breeder has now flown several puppies home and per her vets suggestions, withhold food and water prior to flying. Prevents the chances of elimination on the plane. I kept a pocket full of kibbles to feed a few now and then while traveling and asked for a cup of ice chips also to give Jules as well.

Make your airline reservations early and inform them of a puppy traveling. Airlines are allowed to carry only so many pets at one time, even in cabin. Then arrive at the airport early as well to ensure your seat reservation.

Do you have a layover at all during your flight. If so I suggest taking some pee pads and when you land, go to the restroom and encourage your puppy to do his business.

I was able to spend a week with my breeder before traveling home so we worked with potty training before coming home. Every time he did bathroom work, we would all get excited and say 'good hurry up' and of course I would take him out of his box many times while there and take him outside just for the purpose of potty time and tell him 'hurry up'

Another thing my breeder did was carry him around in his travel bag often to get him conditioned to traveling. 

Just sitting there he did squeal a lot but for the car ride and plane ride he was a complete angel!

The vet should know what is needed for the health clearances. It's really a very simple certificate and I am certain the airline web sites will detail this out as well.

Get an aisle seat! Easier to load you and your puppy in and the crew LOVES to come admire their furry travelers. Jules even got to go to the cockpit at the end of his flight and the pilot came back holding him with his set of wings!


And on a final note - Per the breeders suggestion and my vet - We used Bach's Rescue Remedy for our flight home. It's a herbal product that is used to curb edginess, anxiety and stress. Just a few drops on the tongue 30 minutes before flying and your pup will be ready to go. It does not drug them into a sleepy state, it simply calms them. Also a very good product to use for thunderstorm phobic dogs, during fireworks and for trips to the vet to calm them down. You can find this online, in health food stores and I got mine at the local grocery store in the health food section.

Going through airport security you will have to carry him through the metal detectors so have his collar off him at that time.

I just purchased one of those $15 bags from Walmart for a 22 lb pet.

On the plane he never made a sound, I did however warn the person in front of me I had a puppy under their seat in case he got wiggly and they felt something moving! LOL!

After the plane took off, I would pull he bag out from under the seat and carry the bag in my lap and reach in and pet him while flying until we prepared for landing.

You are going to have a blast bringing your puppy home on the plane!!! Jules was a hit at the airport and on the plane by all! 
__________________


----------



## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

AmbikaGR said:


> You will need to make the arrangements with the airline to fly the dog in the cabin ahead of time - when making your reservations. Many airllines will allow only one animal in the cabin per flight. Also the bag needs to be approved by the airline. If they do not approve it when you get to the airport you will have a major problem The Sherpa brand bags ( http://www.sherpapet.com/page.asp?id=38&name=Original Deluxe Bags ) are approved by all the major airlines. You can normally find a "gently" used one on ebay at a decent price.


This is great advice... I brought Duncan on the plane at 8 weeks and it went great. I was very nervous because I'd forgotten how LOUDLY a little puppy could squall when stuffed against his will into a carrier. Get to the airport plenty early so that you can play with him and wear him out before flight. Once on board, don't mess with him unless you're desperate. I'm a firm believer in 'Never wake a sleeping baby.'

Have Fun!!!!


----------



## GoldenDreams (Dec 17, 2009)

Thanks everyone for all the infomation. I'm really hoping she will fit. After 
reading some of the replies, I'm not sure if she will. My last puppy boy was 14 lbs at 8 weeks, hopefully she will be a little smaller, especially since I am getting her at close to 10 weeks old. 

I think Alaska's measurements might be smaller than other airlines. This is the bag I found that is closest to Alaska's measurements without going over: 

www.allpetfurniture.com/Sherpa-55-X-IH1151.html

It is the small sherpa original carrier and I know some of you said you used the medium. The maximum height is 9 1/2" for a nylon carrier and 7 1/2" for a hard crate. This bag is nylon, but it has hard plastic under it, so I'm not sure if it's as flexible as just a nylon. I'm thinking I will buy it and try it out under the seat when I fly down. Then if it fits, hopefully she will fit in it!


----------



## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Some things Jazz and Jules wrote make great sense to me:

_Do you have a layover at all during your flight. If so I suggest taking some pee pads and when you land, go to the restroom and encourage your puppy to do his business._
Great idea for any pet traveling in the cabin, especially in light of some of the horror stories that are coming out about being stuck on the tarmac for endless hours. 
_Get an aisle seat! Easier to load you and your puppy in and the crew LOVES to come admire their furry travelers. Jules even got to go to the cockpit at the end of his flight and the pilot came back holding him with his set of wings!_
Oh boy does the crew LOVE cute little golden puppies in the cabin! If my hubby were to fly you he would definitely be back from the cockpit before flight to see your pup and would make sure he could do anything possible to make the puppy's flight the best possible. He is under standing instructions to take photos of any cute dogs flying in the cabin so he would want to take a few photos for me! It would have to be a very nasty crewmember or a very bad day for any of the crew not to smile and make a big deal about a cute golden fluffball (IMO!).


----------



## AmbikaGR (Dec 31, 2007)

I really think the "small" sherpa bag is going to be very difficult to fit a 10 week old Golden in - they are rated up to 8 lbs. Is it possible to try the medium one on the way down. The idea of the sherpa bags is that they are flexible and can be scrunched a little so they "fit" under the seat.


----------



## Jazz & Jules (Feb 25, 2007)

Oh gosh! I just got tears in my eyes again thinking back to our trip home. Jules was such a hit in the airport and on the plane. The last leg of our flight our plane arrived 15 minutes early. I waited until nearly last to get off as I had a window seat and was near the back. When I got to the front, the girls wanted to see him so I stepped into the seat area and took him out. One of the girls asked if she could take him to the cockpit.

That's when the pilot and co-pilot came back holding him and presented his wings. It felt like we stood there forever chatting, in fact the cleaning crew was on board and we were still there. THEN they walked me down to baggage, of course they were carrying Jules the whole way and chatting. It was a bit strange being escorted by the pilots and crew through the airport. What was that movie with Leonardo DiCaprio where he was flanked by all these stewardess and walking slow-mo through the airport. It felt a little surreal in a fun sort of way. Sadly that's where we all said goodbye but it made for such beautiful memories I hope to have forever!


----------



## MillieSadie (Dec 30, 2009)

The film was 'Catch Me if You Can' - you must have felt very special!


----------



## Jazz & Jules (Feb 25, 2007)

MillieSadie said:


> The film was 'Catch Me if You Can' - you must have felt very special!


Yes Anna! That's it! Thank You! And I did!


----------



## GoldenDreams (Dec 17, 2009)

Very cool story! 

The medium sherpa bag is bigger than the allowed guidelines for Alaska. I'm afraid even if it fit under the seat, they'd turn me down because it's bigger than they allow. I had a friend that got turned down for her carrier being too big.


----------



## mrsgoz (Jan 31, 2017)

*flying with a puppy*

I am picking up my new 8 week old puppy in Florida. I booked my flight and called the airline to book my Puppies spot too. I found out that my connecting flight is on a smaller plane. The crate can only be 8.5 inches tall (the small crate). I was worried about her fitting in the medium size crate. Any suggestions? I have been stressing about this for weeks now and still have 11 more days to go...


----------



## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

mrsgoz said:


> ... Any suggestions? I have been stressing about this for weeks now and still have 11 more days to go...


Have you discussed this with your breeder? What has she said?


----------



## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Which airline, and which model of plane? I flew from Montreal to Milwaukee to get my pup last year, transiting through Chicago, and it would be difficult to imagine a smaller plane than the ones I travelled on. I used a soft-sided carrier (Sherpa bag) and the "large" size fit with absolutely no problems. It was a bit scrunched on the smaller of the two planes, but there was plenty of room for the pup. The "medium" would have fit perfectly.

In most of the airline guidelines, they clearly state that the measurements apply to rigid carriers, but that soft-sided carriers can be a bit bigger than the guide sizes.


----------



## Sweet Girl (Jun 10, 2010)

Check the airline's website for dimensions. If they aren't on the website, call them. 

I also used a Sherpa carrier, simply because it is guaranteed to fit many airlines and it conformed with the dimensions listed on Air Canada. I'm not sure the size of the space under the seat changes with the size of the plane. You still need to be able to stow small bags under there, no matter what.


----------



## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Taken from the United Airlines website, in-cabin pets section:

_The maximum dimensions for hard-sided kennels are 17.5 inches long x 12 inches wide x 7.5 inches high (44 cm x 30 cm x 19 cm). The recommended maximum dimensions for soft-sided kennels are 18 inches long x 11 inches wide x 11 inches high (46 cm x 28 cm x 28 cm). Soft-sided pet carriers may exceed these dimensions slightly, as they are collapsible and able to conform to under-seat space without blocking the aisle_.

I travelled with United when I went to get Duster, and they were outstanding. I would definitely use them again in the same circumstances.

FWIW, I took my carrier to the United desk at our local airport a few days before I travelled, to have it approved. The desk agents were surprised that I'd bothered. They told me it would be fine. During travel, nobody queried the bag, or asked to measure or weigh it. Duster's papers were never checked. A couple of United officers asked if they could pet the puppy. He was very popular among the security agents at Milwaukee airport, when I had to take him out of the bag and carry him through the x-ray door. I used the large Sherpa bag and it fit fairly easily under the seats with no problem, even on a very small commuter plane (although in the latter case it encroached slightly on my neighbour's legroom).


----------



## sophiebocker (Mar 6, 2019)

*Has anyone flown Frontier?*

I'm curious if its worth it to fly frontier with a puppy? I've heard many mixed reviews and im just wondering if it's worth it to pay the 300$ more for the other flight...


----------



## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

sophiebocker said:


> I'm curious if its worth it to fly frontier with a puppy? I've heard many mixed reviews and im just wondering if it's worth it to pay the 300$ more for the other flight...


I don't have any experience with Frontier Airlines and as far as I can remember, none of the other members have. Frontier does not service my area. 

This thread was started several years ago by a member who flew a puppy home and her husband is a Pilot for one of the major airlines. 

It has a lot of good info it, I think you may want to visit the website of various Airlines and read their policy and requirements for flying a pup in the cabin on a flight. 

https://www.goldenretrieverforum.co...uggestions-ideas-flying-puppy-home-cabin.html


----------



## MushyB (Oct 31, 2018)

GoldenDreams said:


> I was told that the 9 1/2 week old puppy that I am getting will fit under my seat in the cabin. I already booked my tickets and found out the dimensions of the carrier I can have is: Height: 9 1/2", Length: 17", Width: 10". The flight is about 2 hours 20 mins long. Do you think she will fit?
> 
> Has anyone ever flown with a golden retriever puppy in cabin? Did they let you take the puppy out once on board? I really don't want to put my puppy in cargo. I don't know what I will do if she doesn't fit.


I flew (Buffalo to Chicago, Chicago to Sacramento) in December with our 8.5 week old boy, who we are guessing was between 13-15lbs (he was hefty :grin2. There are multiple threads about flying with a pup here with lots of great info.

My 2¢:
1) we used a medium Sherpa bag because it was Guaranteed OnBoard; I was very concerned about being stranded on the East Coast, and while I would have preferred the space of the large Sherpa, I wanted to make sure we got home! He had plenty of room.

2) I only let him poke his head out of the carrier; most flights have rules about pets in carriers staying in them. 2 hours 20 mins isn't too long; don't be surprised if your pup sleeps most of all of that time.

3) someone had a list of stuff to bring, I think I might have posted after I traveled, the things I couldn't do without were 1) pee pads (I lined the bottom of the Sherpa with them, and I used unscented adult bed pee pads, not special dog ones), 2) portable/collapsible water bowl, 3) small stuff toy and, 4) small treats/kibble (our breeder forgot to bring food from home, so during out marathon of 23 hours of travel, I went through ALL the treats I brought)

4) make sure you have your health certificate - I wasn't asked for them, but if you are, and can't produce them, you might not be allowed to fly.

While you're at the airport, allow the pup to be in the carrier w/their head poking out to see the sights, meet people, etc - that will tire them out as much as playing (it sure did for our boy!). I found that the middle seat had better space underneath - the aisle seats on my 2 flights were narrower (I flew American).

It was scary and overwhelming until I did it; I'd do it again in a second. Good luck!!


----------



## coffenut (Jan 3, 2012)

Susan6953 said:


> I think you are supposed to keep them in the container during the flight but I was on one where the owner took the dog out and was holding it during the flight. I didn't care; I'd much rather have someone with a dog sit by me than someone with a crying baby!.


I had to laugh at this because years ago I was bringing a puppy (cocker) to my mother as a birthday present. My folks happened to live in East Berlin (before the Wall came down and my father was with the Embassy) so it was a very long flight. Shortly after we took off, I put the carrier on my lap and unzipped it so Suzannah could pop her head out. As soon as the stewardess saw the incredibly cute 8 week old puppy, she grabbed it and carried it around with her for the rest of the flight. I think every single person on that plane met her. <G> :grin2:


----------



## audev25 (Dec 7, 2020)

amy22 said:


> I flew with my golden puppy from CA to FL and back...(although I was not sure she would fit in the carrier on the way back!) She was 12 weeks old..a huge ball of fluff when we flew to FL, when we flew back to CA she was 13 weeks. She slept mostly the whole way there and back. I opened the side so she could sleep stretched out when I was sure she was tired. She did not fit under the seat, but she did fit by my feet. I think at 9 1/2 weeks your pup will fit.
> I did take her out occasionally..most of the stewardesses were fine with that. One said I had to put her back. I had a window seat..not the isle so they could not really see...I also kind of had her under the blanket! She really did fine there and back..
> Good luck and I hope you post pictures!!!!



Hi ! What carrier did you use? I am about to fly with my 10 week old golden to CA from TX on Southwest and trying to find a carrier than he will fit in. He is already 16 lbs, a giant fluff ball haha. Thank you!


----------

