Before shipping a large dog, it’s important to see a vet to make sure that your loved one is healthy and has all the proper vaccinations. During travel, it’s advised not to feed them to prevent an upset stomach. Tranquilizers must also be avoided. Flying with them can be even more difficult as there are airline policies to worry about and you need to make your dog comfortable during the flight.
When you ship a large dog, it’s important that they are in large travel crates. You need to also check with your airlines as some do not allow oversized crates. For long journeys, it may also be required to have a water tray in the travel crate. It will be more difficult if you are inexperienced and have never tried flying a large dog or shipping one.
Flying a Large Dog in a Cargo Hold
One way to ship a large dog is by putting them in a cargo hold. Some pet parents would do this as they think it’s okay to transport a dog this way. At the cargo area, temperatures and air pressure may fluctuate. It can be very stressful for your dog as it’s dark and noisy. While there are airlines that allow large dogs in cargo, this should be avoided as much as possible. When they are out of reach, there are many risks involved and your animal may be exposed to danger.
If you must fly them in cargo, use our helpful tips below to minimize the risks.
- Book only direct flights.
- Always notify a flight attendant and the captain that you are traveling with a dog in cargo. They may help ensure that your dog is safe by taking extra precautions.
- Get them to familiarize themselves with their crate at least a month before their travel to minimize stress during the flight.
- Avoid feeding them a few hours before the flight to prevent an upset stomach. Also, try not to give them tranquilizers.
- As soon as you arrive, do a thorough examination of your pet and take him to a vet immediately if you think something is wrong.
- While it’s not prohibited to put animals in cargo, we would recommend that you do not do this. Try other options instead or consider just driving with your pet.
- In case of emergencies, always attach a tag with your complete name, phone number and address in the dog’s collar.
Bring Your Pet With You in the Car
You can also ship your dog by yourself. However, you need to take extra precautions and make sure he’s safe inside. Bring enough food and water for your pet and never leave them alone in the car. While this may be one of the safest options, it can be a little stressful especially if you are driving alone and your pet isn’t used to traveling long distances. Should you decide to go for this, make sure that you prepare your pet for long travel. Take him to short distances first until he’s ready for a long drive with you.
Utilizing a Shipping Marketplace
Some pet owners would want to ship their dogs via shipping marketplaces such as uShip and CitizenShipper. Keep in mind that although they may charge a cheaper service for transporting your pets, the quality they provide is often lower as they may not have enough experience with pets compared to handlers working for pet transport services. Also, there is no guarantee that the drive is trustworthy.
Charter a Flight
You may think this option is extremely expensive as you will be renting the entire aircraft. It may not be very costly if you’re traveling with other family members or friends too. If just to ship a dog, this option will cost you more. You would still be required to submit all requirements especially current vaccinations and a certificate issued by a vet within 10 days of the flight scheduled.
Ship via Pet Shipping Companies
One of the safest ways to ship a large dog is by hiring a reliable pet transport service company. However, you need to be cautious in choosing a pet transport service for your dog. Make sure that they are legit, reliable and committed to providing only the best service for your dogs. Check their website and for testimonials from their previous clients. Find out if they are insured and registered with the USDA. A good pet transport company should have the experience and expertise to ship a large dog safely and comfortably.
Hire a Trusted and Reliable Pet Relocation Service
Blue Collar Pet Transport is an international pet transport company dedicated to helping pet owners ship their dogs to their desired destination. For your large dogs, we would highly recommend for you to utilize our Private Pet Transport. With this transport service, your pets will be directly taken to their destination. You can choose which days you want us to pick them up and drop them off.
Our handlers are highly experienced with large dogs. Rest assured, they will get the highest level of care. We will make sure that they are properly taken care of during the entire travel.
At Blue Collar Pet Transport, safety and comfort are our top priorities. Your pets get top-notch quality care and we ensure they are as comfortable as possible with us. Let us know if they have special needs and we can accommodate that. To give you more peace of mind, you also will have access to your pet’s location by tracking them via a mobile app.
Consider us the next best parent for your pets. We would make that they arrive at their destination safely. Get in touch with us if you need help with pet transport.