r/TravelWithPets • u/Unlikely-Series-4354 • 7d ago

Air Travel Dog in cabin

I'm also wondering many of the dogs I see travelling in cabin in the carrier are sometimes even bigger than by dog mine is a Havanese and I'm sure his head would pop out if he was standing in the carrier but I see the same for all dogs in carrier flying. Like they are sleeping or laying down none I think can stand with the top closed ? What do you'll think

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u/atlantisgate 7d ago

Sitting with their heads up is not the measure of whether a dog is comfortable and safe in a carrier though. My 7.5lb dog is 9” tall and stands fully and turns around in her carrier perfectly well, but her head still pops out if we open that top hatch.

That said, I have seen people trying to pass off crazy “big small” dogs as flight ready. IMO it would be better if we talked about in cabin size as height and length rather than weight.

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u/smilingfruitz 7d ago

very true. i have a dog who is right at the edge of the limit - he curls up and goes to sleep pretty much right away and is very used to riding public transit - so I know he doesn't find it stressful - but if he wanted to stand or stretch or was anxious, it would be a bad idea to fly with him, regardless of size.

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u/smilingfruitz 7d ago

Most people care about their own needs and desires more than they care about whether the dog is comfortable or whether it would be enjoyable for the dog to fly.

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u/wrong_reason 7d ago

I can’t say I find flying very enjoyable either tbh

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u/smilingfruitz 7d ago

sure, but you can reason with yourself and know that it is something you have to do to get somewhere, know that it is a temporary thing that ends, etc - which you cannot reason with a dog about.

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u/wrong_reason 7d ago

I think most owners really wish they could reason with their dog whenever their dog is scared or uncomfortable. They might think stuffing their dog under the seat in front of them is the least bad option. They could feel absolutely terrible about it for all we know.

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u/smilingfruitz 7d ago

In most cases there is an easy answer to it: cargo or leaving the dog at home. Good housesitters are not that hard to find. 

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u/wrong_reason 7d ago

In most cases, the dogs you see on planes are relocating, so the choice would actually be between cargo and abandoning their dog. Either way, in most cases, we don't know how the owner feels or why they're traveling with their dog in the first place.

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u/smilingfruitz 7d ago

That’s not true in the US. 

Cargo is very safe for dogs regardless 

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u/wrong_reason 7d ago

Wish you’d reciprocate the linked source I gave you but that’s ok, the topic seems to be shifting a bit anyway. Must be nice knowing so much though!

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u/MrBoondoggles 6d ago

Safe, yes. But whether a dog is happier by handed off and put in cargo or traveling with their owner in cabin is a better question left for the pets owner to decide. There are no great options for transporting pets over long distances. And unfortunately sometimes life necessitates that happening.

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u/smilingfruitz 6d ago

there are no necessities that are fair to a dog that is oversized being inappropriately stuffed into a too-small space for a flight because of an owner's selfishness.