Flying Home with Your Puppy

Bringing home your new puppy is an exciting milestone, and with a little preparation, air travel can be a smooth and positive experience for both of you. The following tips are based on my experience flying puppies home and will help you navigate the process with confidence.

Before You Book Your Flight

When purchasing airfare, it is important to verify the airline's current pet travel requirements. We typically recommend United, Delta, or Frontier, but policies can change, so always double-check directly with the airline before booking.

One particularly important detail is that 9-week-old puppies cannot receive a rabies vaccine. If an airline requires proof of rabies vaccination for domestic travel, your puppy will not be eligible to fly with that carrier.

Before your puppy goes home, they will receive their first round of vaccinations and a veterinary examination. You will be provided with a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (Health Certificate) completed by our veterinarian.

Reserve Your In-Cabin Pet Space Early

Most airlines require an additional fee for in-cabin pets. Whenever possible, add your puppy to your reservation when purchasing your ticket. If you've already booked your flight, call the airline immediately afterward to add the in-cabin pet reservation.

Many airlines limit the number of pets allowed in the cabin on each flight. Once those spaces are filled, no additional pets can be added.

Some airlines only process in-cabin pet fees at the airport on the day of travel. If that's the case, arrive early and proceed directly to the airline's ticket counter to secure your puppy's spot before checking any bags or heading to security.

Choosing the Right Carrier

Your puppy must travel in a soft-sided carrier that fits underneath the seat in front of you and meets your airline's size requirements.

One challenge many travelers encounter is that some airline dimensions do not correspond perfectly to commercially available carriers. Here is a carrier model we have successfully used on multiple puppy flights. One feature we particularly like is the luggage sleeve that allows the carrier to slide securely over the handle of a rolling suitcase.

Although your puppy will be well under the airline's weight limit at nine weeks of age, Eurasiers have substantial coats that can make them appear larger than they actually are.

When checking in at the ticket counter, keep your puppy completely zipped inside the carrier. Airline personnel sometimes make subjective judgments based on appearance alone. If a puppy appears too large for the carrier, you could be delayed or denied boarding despite meeting the actual weight requirements.

For this reason, we no longer recommend Southwest for puppy flights, as enforcement of carrier fit requirements can be particularly subjective.

At the Airport

Outside of check-in and boarding, we recommend keeping the top of the carrier partially open whenever possible. This allows your puppy to sit up, observe their surroundings, and feel more engaged with the environment.

Unlike many breeds, Eurasier puppies often become warm inside a carrier. For this reason, we generally do not recommend placing a blanket inside the crate unless temperatures are unusually cold.

We will send you home with several small plastic bags. After passing through security, simply stop at a Starbucks, restaurant, or beverage stand and ask for ice. Most airport employees are delighted to help after meeting a puppy.

Place the ice-filled bags inside the carrier, wrapped in a towel or positioned where your puppy cannot chew on them. The cool surface is often comforting and can help keep your puppy calm and comfortable throughout the journey.

Potty Breaks and Airport Pet Relief Areas

If your travel schedule is long enough that your puppy may need a bathroom break, do not use the airport's designated pet relief areas. At nine weeks of age, your puppy has not completed their vaccination series and can be exposed to diseases and parasites in public pet spaces frequented by other animals.

To help with this, we will send several puppy pads home with you. If you think your puppy needs an opportunity to potty, place a puppy pad on the floor of a handicap-accessible restroom stall and see if they will use it. Some puppies are willing to potty this way, while others may be too distracted or uncertain in a new environment.

For added protection, we also line each travel carrier with a puppy pad in case of accidents during the flight. While traveling through the airport, try to avoid placing your puppy on the floor whenever possible. Carry them or keep them safely inside their carrier to minimize exposure to germs until they are fully vaccinated.

Keeping the Experience Positive

We will also provide high-value treats for your trip. Offer treats frequently during the flight, but don't be surprised if your puppy isn't interested. Airports are full of new sights, sounds, smells, and people, and many puppies become so stimulated that they temporarily lose interest in food.

If your puppy does take treats, use them generously to create positive associations with the carrier, airport, and airplane.

Remember that some whining or restlessness is completely normal. Your puppy has never experienced anything like air travel before and is processing a tremendous amount of new information.

During the Flight

Federal aviation regulations require pets to remain fully enclosed in their carrier and stowed underneath the seat in front of you during taxi, takeoff, and landing.

Once the aircraft reaches cruising altitude, flight attendants are often more flexible. In many cases, passengers are allowed to pull the carrier out from under the seat and place it between their feet as long as the puppy remains inside the carrier.

When permitted by the crew, partially unzipping the top can allow your puppy to see you and their surroundings, which often helps them relax and settle for the remainder of the flight.

A Final Note

Your puppy's flight home is the beginning of a lifetime together. Most puppies adjust remarkably well to air travel, especially when they are kept cool, comfortable, and close to their new family. Stay relaxed, offer reassurance when needed, and remember that any nervous moments during the journey are temporary. Before you know it, you'll both be home and settling into your new adventure together.