I am planning on going home (NS) for a two week vacation in July. We will be flying and were planning on taking Owen with us, so he can visit with his brother and his Mommy and Daddy.
I mentioned it to a friend today and was told that flying is hard on a dog and that only should be done when necessary. I am now not sure what to do. The flight is about 6 hours long and we will be booking a direct flight so that there are no lay overs.
What are peoples thoughts and experiences on this? Do I need to talk to vet and get him okayed to fly?
He will be 16 months old when we plan to travel and other than his allergies and elbow displesia he is in good health.

Susan

Show dogs travel by plane all the time here. I live on an island so the only ways to get to dog shows on the mainland are by plane or boat, and boat takes 12 hours.

If he has a solid temperament he should be fine. And by solid I mean not scared of anything... at all.
It's not just physical health you have to take into consideration, it's mental health as well. How do you think he would cope with a 6 hour long, very noisy, scary ride in a plane?
If you think he can handle it then that's fine, but if he is nervous in general he may have issues.

If you couldn't take him with you where would he stay? With someone he knows or at a boarding kennel?

Last point, he would probably be fine meeting his mother, but meeting his father would most likely end in disaster. His father is a stud dog, so any males, even his own son, are competition.

Its not as much the length of the trip but more so the air pressure in the baggage compartment and the temp. In addition to checking with your vet you should shop for an airline that has transported dogs to see how the meet the needs of the dog. Some airlines will allow a dog on board as carry on if properly crated and the right size.

If there's any way to leave him home, I would do it - Why Are Dogs Dying On Airplanes? | Natural Pet Health.

I don't know where you are going. I recently flew Toronto to Halifax. Halifax was sort of like a zoo, a lot of confusion.

Again, I wouldn't do it.

I am thinking my boy will stay home when we go home. Thank you for that article. He will have to wait to visit Ryu another time when we drive home. I will not put him at risk unnecessarily.

Susan

I didn't want to go into overkill but my sister flew her cat from Florida to NY. It was dead in the kennel when it got here. Cat was young, had been checked by a Vet. We'll never know what happened but it's haunted both of us for a long time.

Accidents happen, of course -

How big is your guy? Reread post#3, I have taken small dogs inside the cabin as carry-on

Owen is too big for the cabin. He is around 70lbs(I have not weighed him recently). If I could bring him in the cabin it would be totally different.

Susan

I know Ryu had no problems flying. It was a direct flight, no stop overs. From calgary to halifax. There have been accounts of dogs freezing to death from being put in the wrong area in the underbelly of the plane but it doesn't happen often. I know accidents can happen and things can come up that no one could ever expect. But in my opinion flying yourself is a risk, flying a pet is a risk. But we all do it. Ryu was calm during his loading and offloading, they said he seemed to do well with the noises on the airstrip. They asked his name, called him by it. And took very good care of him. He came through the flight fine, but was super happy to see me. So I would fly him again just maybe not all the time

Excellent - glad it worked for you.

You got to talk to the airport. I know during certain months, dogs aren't allowed to fly due to temperatures.

Dogs typically do fine during flight. Its loud where they are, but if loud noises don't bother him, there shouldn't be a problem.

So conflicted as I so want Binx to see Owen and let me know of things I could be doing to help him be a better puppy. I mean it would be easier if she seen him face to face.
I also want to be able to brag about how the runt of the litter is such a handsome big boy.:)
I am concerned though after reading that article.
GAH what to do. I have time to think on it and get my vets opinion.

Susan and Owen

Yes ask your vet, if you aren't 100% sure then don't do it.

Just a side note, a friend of mine had a Japanese Chin b*tch arrive in Australia today from New Zealand and we are in Summer. She was happy and healthy on arrival.

Update for all

We are taking Owen with us when we go to Nova Scotia on vacation. 4 hour flight to NS and 5 hour flight back. Both are direct flights.
Thank you for all the advice, Hubby and I discussed it and made our decision.

Susan.

Wow, those are great times for flights. Mine was like eight hours, direct flight