How to Help Pets Stay Calm During a Flight

Hi PetRelocation,

When flying, what's the best way to keep my dog comfortable? She hates her carrier, and I'm not sure how to best sedate her for the flight. She's 11 lbs and 10 months old.

Thanks,

Spencer

Hi Spencer,

Thanks for your question! First of all, we do not recommend sedation. Instead, we have a few tips that can help a dog cope with a flight with as little drama and stress as possible.

• Work on crate training. If your dog is used to spending time in the crate and even likes it, this will drastically reduce her anxiety level when you're flying. Start early and use these tips to help your dog acclimate to her crate.

• Exercise! In the hours before the flight, take your dog on lots of walks and let her run around as much as possible. A tired dog handles a flight much more easily, as she'll hopefully be tempted to curl up and take a nap. Bonus: generally fit pets make better travelers.

• Don't feed your dog too close to a flight, as this could cause an upset stomach. Feed her about three hours before departure to avoid problems, but be sure to give her plenty of water before, during (if possible), and after the flight.

• Talk to your vet if you have any additional questions or need some advice about preparing for pet travel.

Finally, we'd be happy to further discuss your move with you and give you a hand with the arrangements. Please fill out our consultation form if you're interested in hearing more about our services.

Thanks for reading, and good luck with your flight!
 

Pet Travel Question Details:

Name: Spencer
Number of Pets: 1
Pet Type: Dog
Pet Breed: Miniature Pinscher
From: RI
To: FL

Read more about cross country dog travel and contact PetRelocation to learn more about your safe pet air travel options.

Editor's Note: This post was originally published in November 2014 and has been updated with new information.