I have just made the final arrangements regarding one of my litter
going to Seattle U.S.A. I am takeing the pup myself.
My question is have any of you flown with a pup long haul and have
you any little tips for keeping this bundle of joy calm for the best part of a day.

Hi Kay,

I can't offer any advice on travelling with the puppy, but if you need anyone to chat to on the plane I'm your girl!!! :D

Fiona

Wish you could. Seem so exciteing till you realise all that way just
me and a 12week pup (GOD WHAT HAVE I LET MYSELF IN FOR)
And knowing my luck i will get the dog hater sat one side and the alergy
sufferer the other. Oh and the kid that wants to keep it awake.

Having flown a lot with dogs, I always insist that the airlines call the arrival terminal while I am there to notify them that a dog(s) on the flight. I also have the stewardess check with the ground crew to ensure that the dog crate(s) been loaded onto the flight. I make them aware that I don't care if I get their lil packages of nuts, but I do expect that the dog crate will be one of the last things loaded and the first things unloaded.

Since it's a puppy, I'm not sure if you are travelling with it in a crate under your seat or in the cargo area. If the puppy is in the cabin with you, I'd pack an extra puppy blanket or two in my carry-on, as well as a small puppy bowl, a bit of pre-moistened food and something for the puppy to chew on, maybe a small stuffed animal, as well as some puppy wee-pads and a roll of paper towelling. You can take the puppy and the wee pads into the rest room (smmmaaaaallllll area!!!) so that the puppy can relieve itself.

If at all possible, fly business class so that you have more seating area. Put the puppy on your lap on one of the small blankets. You shouldn't need to take water, since the stewardess will have bottled water. Remember that air flights tend to deplenish fluids, so your puppy will need to drink.

As far as the other passengers go, I wouldn't be above taking a bit of something 'English' -- maybe a box of really nice tea and giving one to each of the persons on either side! Hard to be upset with someone who has given you a gift!

Enjoy yourself. Seattle is a wonderful city to explore.

Thanks Sierra.
Yes the pup will be traveling in the cabin with me.
Its a long way but the family it is going to are so wonderful.
They have a ranch and breed miniture ponys and have fallen for
the lancashire heeler in a big way.
I am greatful for your info, one more question
In the states you can buy i think they called sherpa bags to carry pups
can you buy them here?

Try Pet Planet. They have a few kinds of bags for carrying puppies or small dogs.

Joan
Take the rough with the smooth

tHANKS jOAN.

Dont forget the kitchen roll and plastic bags for any icky stuff! Maybe a damp sponge in a bag to clean him up.

Its the icky stuff that worries me.
pray that she dosn"t have the runs that day
Would any of you be tempted to use a little Calpol on her.
Or may be me lol.

Normally, because the air flights tend to dehydrate bodies, I would think that diarrhrea should not be a problem. I personally don't drink any alcohol on long flights and drink a lot of water instead -- its one of the tricks for helping cut down on jet lag. Remember to get up and move around the cabin (having the puppy will be a good excuse to get up and go to the lav every hour or so!). That way the puppy can also exercise her legs a bit.

As far as the Sherpa bag goes, you may want to check with the airlines for its regulations on carrying the puppy. Some airlines insist upon under the seat crates instead of soft carriers.

Good luck and happy flying.... I'd rather have a puppy as a seat mate than some of the infants that cry incessantly.

The only airline which will let me travel in this way is Delta good for them.
No other airline will transatlantic. It just means my route choice is limited
to Atlanta or New York then on to Seattle. May stop the night in New York. the requirement for carry on is anything as long as it would go
under the seat. I have been promised a sight seeing tour of Seattle
recommend anywhere. Which airlines carry pets onboard internally in u.s.
I am ok myself i travel to the states frequently just worry for pup.

If I had to chose where to fly into and stay the night, Atlanta would win hands down. New York is a nightmare flying into in the best of times and right now it's worse than the worst nightmare from what friends tell me. All US flights have changed their regulations for what they will allow in cabins, so I would check each of them on the web or by calling their offices here at Heathrow. You still have time to email them also.

Seattle Monorail, the Space Needle, Nordic Heritage Museum, Puget Sound, the Fremont Troll (under the Aurora Avenue Bridge); there are tons of museums, a china town and the international district, Boundary Dam and Pike Place Market are just a few of the hot spots for Seattle. I'm sure that the puppy's new owners will have a whole list of places for you to visit.

Most of the dogs I flew with were far too large to put under a seat and the US will not let them in the cabin (unless they are assistance dogs) even if you purchase a seat for them too!

Sierra thanks for the advice regarding Atlanta.
I will 100% take it i would be happier going there anyway
as i have flown into it a few times.
I find JFK and Newark dirty which is a shame as sanitation all
over the u.s is usually good.
Thanks for all the tips on where to go i will try to cram in as much as poss. But i think i can only stay about 3 days.
Which airport would you recommend i fly into as my destination
is 40 miles north of seattle so is there a choice
Hope your not chargeing me by the hour for the advice.

Would you consider a direct flight? I know we have traveled directly to SeaTac in about 9 hours from Heathrow. I think it was with British Air.

Don't forget the Jimi Hendrix Experience Rock Museum too! It's a fairly new museum. Near by is the Science Museum where you can see some great laser shows and enter the butterfly experience room (one of my favorites). Pike Place and the waterfront are both great. You can get a really neat kite down there! The University district has some fairly funky stores.
The two best stores down town are Nordstom (best customer service in the WORLD) and Restoration Hardware (ecclectic house stuff). If you like to do the horse drawn carriage thing, it's best done at night (magical!) There are also some great comedy clubs within walking distance of the horses.

Oh, and don't forget to book an extra ticket for me! :D

Thanks Quinn.
It has to be Delta thats the problem.
I would be traveling from Manchester.

:( Enjoy Seattle! Are you going to Marysville? Everett is quite close too! There is gambling at the reservation in Marysville and cute sailors at the port in Everett! :) I would know as I used to live 30m north of Seattle!

Well i asked for a little info.
This is better than buying a guide book.
How long did you live there?
I am just finding there address i will post it in a moment.

LAKE STEVENS. 8 miles from Everett
Do you know it Quinn.

Very nice area! I lived just south of Everett in a town called Mill Creek for 7 years. I still have family there on both my and hubbys side. We don't get back as often as we'd like. It's too hard with 3 kids. Now, if Sierra volunteers to babysit on a flight, we might be up for it! :D
My best travel advice to you would be to pack like you were staying in the midlands. The weather is very variable, just like over here. And if you have the time, try to get near the water somehow. There are ferrys all up and down the coast that will take you to one of the many islands in the Puget Sound. A very unique experience. You might even get to see some whales if you go far enough north! :)

LOL -- you REALLY don't want me babysitting on a flight -- unless it is babysitting a puppy!!! I'm afraid that I think that most flights with children should be done at night so that they sleep. I'd rather have a puppy chewing on my clothes, nibbling my fingers or even wetting a towel on my lap than to sit next to a screaming infant for nine hours!!! I fly with ear plugs on long flights that have children in the near vicinity. Funny thing is that I LOVE kids -- i just wish some parents would put as much effort into socializing the children as we do into the dogs.

Good on Delta Airlines allowing you to take your pup in the cabin :-) I used to work for BA and found it very frustrating having to tell potential passengers that dogs were only allowed in the hold, no matter what their size :-(

It always annoyed me too when some of my colleagues would whinge that the owners wanted to take their dog for a quick walk prior to them going in their crate, or wanted you to check the crate had been loaded, mind you once they got to know me they soon sent all the dogs my way to check in which was great although my boss dreaded it as I was too busy talking to the dog and owners to check anyone else in :rolleyes:

Hope you and pup enjoy your flight and trip.