Chihuahua Information Center
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Should I Bring My Chihuahua on a Plane?
It's time for vacation! But wait a minute, what about your Chihuahua? If you are planning on taking a vacation in which you will be flying, you will most certainly ask yourself if you should take your Chihuahua on a plane with you. This is actually not a simple question. There are many elements that will come into play.
What is Your Destination?
If you are wondering if you should take your Chihuahua on an airplane with you, you should think about where you will be going. While it is most definitely understandable that you will not want to leave your dog at home, you must think about whether your vacation plans will make your Chihuahua happy. If you will be staying at a hotel, you must call ahead and be sure that dogs are allowed. Some hotels will allow a dog if under 25 pounds (11.34 kg). However, many hotels will not allow pets of any type. You may ask the clerk for recommendation of pet friendly accommodations and your travel agent may be able to help as well. If all else fails, the Internet is most certainly a fantastic form of obtaining information.
Aside from where you will be sleeping, you must consider what you will be doing during the day time. If your activity will involve a lot of walking, your Chihuahua will not be able to take a huge dose of exercise. If the weather will be hot, your Chihuahua will not be able to handle lots of time in the beating sun. In addition, if you will be going to amusement parks and other places where a dog logically will not be happy, you should consider leaving him home in loving hands.
If You Decide To Take Your Chihuahua On a Plane
When you bring your dog on an airplane there are some elements that you must be aware of. If you do not plan this out, your Chihuahua may be treated equal to a bag of luggage thrown under the plane and this is quite serious. First, you must make sure that the airline you will be on allows small pets in crates to be considered carry on luggage. If they are agreeable, you must be certain of the size requirements. Planes are usually very strict in this area; if they tell you that they will not accept a crate higher than 15 inches and your Chihuahua's crate is 16 inches, the airline will have a right to take your dog and place him in the luggage hold.
This area can get extremely hot or very cold; we strongly suggest never allowing this to happen to your Chihuahua; we would refuse to fly and find alternative means of traveling.
If you plan ahead and are certain you can bring your Chihuahua on the plane, you must keep your dog in its crate for the entire flight. If your Chihuahua is not used to being in a crate, begin training your dog at least 2 months in advance. Keeping this in mind, think about how long the flight will be. If longer than 4 hours, you may wish to consider a lay over with plenty of time to bring your dog outside of the airport to stretch his legs and eliminate before boarding the next flight.
Since your Chihuahua will be confined during the entire flight, unfortunately there is not a good alternative to having your dog eliminate in the crate. You may wish to consider a dog diaper. These are most often used for elderly dogs that have difficulty holding their bladder or bowels; however this may work well for a dog that must be in a crate for a long time. The other passengers will thank you! Alternatively, you can line the cage with newspapers and bring along enough to reline the crate several times.
Be sure to bring:
What is Your Destination?
If you are wondering if you should take your Chihuahua on an airplane with you, you should think about where you will be going. While it is most definitely understandable that you will not want to leave your dog at home, you must think about whether your vacation plans will make your Chihuahua happy. If you will be staying at a hotel, you must call ahead and be sure that dogs are allowed. Some hotels will allow a dog if under 25 pounds (11.34 kg). However, many hotels will not allow pets of any type. You may ask the clerk for recommendation of pet friendly accommodations and your travel agent may be able to help as well. If all else fails, the Internet is most certainly a fantastic form of obtaining information.
Aside from where you will be sleeping, you must consider what you will be doing during the day time. If your activity will involve a lot of walking, your Chihuahua will not be able to take a huge dose of exercise. If the weather will be hot, your Chihuahua will not be able to handle lots of time in the beating sun. In addition, if you will be going to amusement parks and other places where a dog logically will not be happy, you should consider leaving him home in loving hands.
If You Decide To Take Your Chihuahua On a Plane
When you bring your dog on an airplane there are some elements that you must be aware of. If you do not plan this out, your Chihuahua may be treated equal to a bag of luggage thrown under the plane and this is quite serious. First, you must make sure that the airline you will be on allows small pets in crates to be considered carry on luggage. If they are agreeable, you must be certain of the size requirements. Planes are usually very strict in this area; if they tell you that they will not accept a crate higher than 15 inches and your Chihuahua's crate is 16 inches, the airline will have a right to take your dog and place him in the luggage hold.
This area can get extremely hot or very cold; we strongly suggest never allowing this to happen to your Chihuahua; we would refuse to fly and find alternative means of traveling.
If you plan ahead and are certain you can bring your Chihuahua on the plane, you must keep your dog in its crate for the entire flight. If your Chihuahua is not used to being in a crate, begin training your dog at least 2 months in advance. Keeping this in mind, think about how long the flight will be. If longer than 4 hours, you may wish to consider a lay over with plenty of time to bring your dog outside of the airport to stretch his legs and eliminate before boarding the next flight.
Since your Chihuahua will be confined during the entire flight, unfortunately there is not a good alternative to having your dog eliminate in the crate. You may wish to consider a dog diaper. These are most often used for elderly dogs that have difficulty holding their bladder or bowels; however this may work well for a dog that must be in a crate for a long time. The other passengers will thank you! Alternatively, you can line the cage with newspapers and bring along enough to reline the crate several times.
Be sure to bring:
- New and interesting dog toys
- Food and water
- A soft blanket
- A letter of health from your Chihuahua's vet
- Extra dog tags, leashes and collars
- Sedatives for your dog
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