Sunday, August 2, 2009

Air travel with a dog?

i'll be flying with my basset hound later this month from hawaii to virginia. has anyone ever flown with a basset hound or any other breed? i've heard that dogs sometimes die or stress out due to flying and that it gets very hot. is there anything vital i need to know to make the flight easy for him?
Answers:
A full grown basset hound is not likely to fit under a seat in the cabin so will have to go in the cargo hold. Commercial airlines are not designed for pets so there is always a risk especially when flying during the hot summer months.
Some airlines will not take pets when the outside temperature reaches a certain point.
You need to contact airlines asap to see about arrangements and then pick one that has the best accommodations. Airlines are getting better about pets but there are still problems, accidents, injuries and deaths on occasion. Airlines are also going through a number of problems with flight cancellations, overbookings and delays.
You are also going to need a health certificate from your vet, a secure kennel, water, a photo of your pet, your phone number, etc. taped somewhere on the kennel just in case.
Good luck!
depends on how ur taking it are you going to take him as side baggage? which u can if it fits in the dog tote or your paying for them to take it for you.
I know you can take dog on plane if it is small enough. Ask you vet is it safe for you dog. Ask your vet, is there any medicine can calm your dog when necessary.
may cause some illness
I sincerely hope the dog is flying in the cabin with you, lots of problems if the dog flies cargo - we (am with a rescue group) never allow that.
Airlines pretty much all have different criteria, some won't fly animals during particularly hot or cold weather in cargo at all, others not certain breeds.
Your bassett hound may be small enough to fit into a crate that can go in the cabin with you - I hope so.
Sorry kathiibabii- you obviously have never seen a basset hound. For the dog to travel in the cabin they have to fit in a crate that is 8 inches high- aint gonna happen unless the basset is like 2 weeks old.
I've been told and seen on many of their website they won't fly dogs when it is more than 85F outside- this means you'll have to look into a early morning or evening flight. Also are you planning on coming back into Hawaii with it? Because it may have to go into quarantine- check with the state government.
No problems quarantine wise in Virginia as far as I understand- good luck.
I belieave there are pill's the Vet gives dogs for the flight.
When I took my Yorkie to visit my family in the states...
from Germany, my mom went to the Vet and they game my puppy some pill's for the flight im not sure what they did but, you might want to get that checked out.
And I got to keep her in my doggie bag
for the whole flight, so there was no problems.
if he is an older dog bring him on with you don't put down with the luggage if he is a puppy get an okay from your vet and get him some sleeping medition
Don't EVER check your dog as cargo. This area of the plane is not temperature regulated, so it can get very hot or very cold. Due to the size I would suggest buying a seat to put your dog on. You will need to have your dog in a cage or bag of some type. Call the airline to get specifics. Whatever you do, please do not check your dog!
To asnwer your question:
You need to contact each airline that makes that flight and ask them their stats. The Department of Transportation (DOT) provides a monthly Air Travel Consumer Report that contains specific statistics on animal mishaps aboard domestic carriers. They have a report on pet deaths in cargo for each airline, and some airlines are better than others. Some airlines do refuse to carry pets to some destinations in the summer because of the death risk... those airlines are responsible.
Do not choose an airline that is careless.
Choose the ones that have VIP pet service (cargo) ... northwest does for example.

I have to flight my dogs from CA to Europe next year, and i started to look already.
here is the link that I found... on that page there is another link for the report.
http://www.petsonthego.com/transairliner...
Hope that helps! Good luck... I am nervous for my dogs too.

EDIT
and people who say "don't check your dog in cargo" don't realize we don't have a choice!!! I did travel with my cats as carry-on for a national flight, but I will have to put them in cargo as international flights don't allow carry-on cats. So people get real here. Airlines got better at carrying pets, you just need to find the best! the risk will always be there though, that's why we are nervous.
Also ask your vet for meds... but be careful one of my cats had reverse effect with the pill she gave for the flight (it was awful) so taste the med before flying.
I've flown dogs, and had them flown to me multiple times, they get very stressed out, unfortunately, so it might be best to stop by a vet and have doggie downers perscribed for the flight, especially on such a long flight. You'll also want to provide food and water for the flight, most airlines require bowls that clip on the inside of the kennel to supply nutrition and sustenance during the flight.
You'll need absorbent bedding as well.
Airlines won't let you have toys or anything in the kennel, so it'll be hard to keep him entertained.
However, about the cargo area, airlines how have heated and pressurized cargo areas so he's not gonna suffocate, and he's not going to freeze to death. :)
my dog died from that

AHHHH! why do pet shops do this??!!?

right i have seen a few dogs being advertised on the internet. by an agent or dealer.
i have rung him up because i am very sincere about buying the puppy but i didn't want to pay his price. he turned me down which is fine but now it's advertised again as a very rare colour of the breed!
now i he says calls regarding the price will not be answered but i know it's the same dog and i know it's getting older and i am scared to think what's going to happen to him if no one wants to pay the (very high) price for him.
i have fallen in love with his picture already!
now do i call him again and say i want to see him but if i can't pay and he wants that fixed price it's going to break my heart leaving the dog there.
how do i convince him to let the dog go for cheaper?
thanks
Answers:
dont buy from pet shops!
dont support puppymillers!
all they want is the money !
buy from a good breeder or adopt at a shelter.
Because puppies are so cute people will pay the higher price. Don't give in.
Don't pay the price or support puppy mills. You can't let yourself gut sucked in by a cute picture. If you pay for the dog you support it happening to the next dog. Don't support pupply milling!
it called supply and demand,
if you want the puppy, you will have to pay the top price,
i would suggest ,you contact ,a real dog breeder.
people that run puppy mills just don't give a damn about you, or the puppy's, it all about the cash
do you know by buying a dog from a pet store that you are supporting puppy mills? http://www.petstorecruelty.org instead, either adopt one from a shelter or rescue group, or if you really must have a purebred puppy, buy one from a reputable breeder. NOT FROM A PET STORE!
1. You pay the price... the petshop makes money on a dog they bought from a puppymill. You are now the proud owner of a puppymill puppy and are responsible for supporting both the mill owner and the petshop. Your puppy has not been trained or socialized, is 5 mos old and has been living with his own waste his whole life having learned to potty where he sleeps.
2. You don't buy the pup.. but someone else does.. they end up with the above issues.
3. Noone buys the pup. The store owner realizes he has to drop the price .. thus he figures out he should not stock pups of that breed anymore.
Please realize that buying the pup supports poor breeding. And YOU end up dealing with the health and temperament issues this puppy will have.
Yes, we're saying leave the puppy. You can get a puppy elsewhere.. if you want one from a reputable breeder you may have to travel.

Ahh another question! its my aunties dog, max?

well my auntie's dog max, who is a rottweiler, has been very ill in the last year. he had cancer in his leg.unfortunately it had to be amputated to make sure it didnt spread around his body. hes a very big dog too. but it did spread. a year on, and hes still alive, which is very surprising, but he's becoming more ill. he's about 4 years old and i remember when he was a puppy. i can't deal with not seeing him waddling around the place anymore. we dont think he will last for christmas. im feeling very depressed. does anybody know anything that will comfort me in knowing he will be ok when hes gone?i love him so much.
Answers:
Where did you get the dog from? Sounds like dun dun dunn.puppy mill. Such a young dog shouldn't be getting leg cancer. Research where you got him from and then tell the world about your experience.
My dog also got cancer...When he was 15. AND, the normal life span for a Shar-Pei is 8 years..he was OLD. As for dealing with the grief, only time can mend a broken heart.
Letting go of a friend like that is never easy. Yes, after a time the pain will lessen.
When I lost my first dog I was little, and didn't understand how it can happen to me. After a while I thought about how unlike herself she would have been if we had kept her alive. She wouldn't have been able to do the things she loved and how unfair I was begin.
He's will be okay, I always thought there was a heaven for dogs and that they got to do the things they loved the most. They would be more taken care of, and the pain would be gone. He will always be in your heart, no one can take that away.
Just remind yourself that you did the right thing for him, and that he would be thanking you. Even if it is hard on you, letting go would be best.
Maybe think about getting another puppy?
Hope this helps...sorry to hear about Max...
Time and good friends and family.

Agressive puppy...Help!?

I just adopted a little puppy from a pound(about 13 lb).I have a 6 year old 95 lb dog at home who is very nice.My bigger dog was trying to sniff the smaller dog and the little one is snapping and growling at him.Doesn't let him to come even close.I don't know how to stop this.Should i keep them separate for a little while,do you think the little one will get used to big dog?I don't want the let puppy think that he is the dominant one.Help please.Thank you!
Answers:
the little guy is probably scared to death. Try putting him in a crate, and let them sniff each other that way...and YES you shouldn't let them be together unsupervised.
odds are though that htis has nothing to do with dominance. As the lil dude gets used to the big one everything should work out. You should correct him when he's aggressive though...
Don't let the dogs be around each other without supervision.
The little one is probably still adjusting and will take some time before he'll be comfortable with the other, bigger dog.
Give them some supervised time together and eventually they'll learn to get along or at least ignore each other. When the little one is bigger, go on and let the bigger one put the smaller one in his place.
Also, only let your child have supervised play with the new dog, just in case he gets snippy with your kid.
I would just supervise them together. I would not separate them at all unless they start to really get upset with each other.
The pup will learn to know its place in your home and calm down.
You don't get to choose which of your two dogs will be the dominant one. The dogs will sort that out. I tend to let the big dogs do what they need to do (as long as there is no bloodshed).. including growling and snapping at the wee naughty pups so that I have less issues with things at a later date.
I'm assuming you don't know the background of your puppy, I'd wonder at what point she was removed from her mother and littermates as it sounds as if she may have some doggymanner issues.
The puppy is acting aggressive either out of fear or dominance, but either way, it needs more socialization and training. Don't keep them separated, that doesn't solve anything, but I would separate them when you can't be watching them until you know they are fine together. Anytime the puppy growls, barks or snaps at the older dog, give it a correction with a good firm NO and a slight jerk on the leash. and praise it when he is being social with the older dog.
With time, it will get better, but just make sure to correct the dog anytime it shows any aggression at all.
Don't worry about the dogs. They are just getting use to each other and when the larger one get tired of the little one he will let him know it's time to shut up and stop. It happens with all dogs when they go to a new home with another dog. Even small dogs will act this way for awhile. Before long they will either be playing or staying out of each others way on their own.
Is he like that towards every dog he meets? If he is, definitely don't take to public dog parks. i have seen people who have aggressive dogs brings them to the out side of where the dogs are, so the aggressive dog can get used to the other dogs from the other side of the fence. At home, try to get him used to the bigger dog, but maybe hold him while u do it. Good luck!

Agility training?

i have a 1 year old mini schnauzer and would like to train him in agility. the classes near me run every 2 weeks and i have missed this one.
what should i do at home to prepare him for the lessons so he doesn't spook? and what is the best way to train a dog for the sport?
Answers:
That's great! I think agility training is great for dogs! Good Luck!
Here is some training devices you may want to look at
http://www.3dogsandme.com/shoppingcart/t...
Call the place that puts on the classes and ask if there is anything you can do at home to catch up.
Book in for classes. (It is a popular sport so you need to get on the list!)
You should make sure that your dogs obedience is up to standard. (Re-Call. Sit. Stay. Run with the dog on either side of you) and this will give you a good advantage. You are not allowed to Compete until your dog is at least 18 months old but you can start training gently before then.
It is a great sport and I promise you that both you and your dog will love it!
I would recommend that the next time that you are at your Vets. that you tell him what you intend to do so that he/she can make sure that the dog is sound
Try http://www.agilitynet.com for a full list of clubs. They also list Agility Shows and there may be one near to you so that you can see exactly what goes on in competition!

Good Luck
Hi, so glad you are going to start agility. Its a wonderful sport!!
There are lots of things you can do at home to start training, Firstly you need a good level of gereral obdedience (mainly a solid stay/wait and a good recall). The recall is absolutely vital if you are going to benefit fully from the agility sessions.
You can also start getting your dog used to running alongside you. Sounds simple I know but you would be surprised when you try how many dogs will cut in front of your feet. Start off a on a lead with a toy in your hand and run in a straight line getting your dog to follow the toy in your hand. When he does a few strides correctly throw the toy forward for him to get and praise him, then have a good game of tuggy or something with him. You can then start running in circles/fig of 8 etc etc. This will no only get the dog used to running and working with you, but will also start teaching them to read your body language. Make everything when you are training FUN FUN FUN! Lots of toys and games, this is how you get a fast dog. If he gets anything wrong in training, don't tell him off. Just ignore and try again until you get the correct behaviour, then BIG praise! If you can get your dog used to working with you for a fun reward, he will find agility easier and exciting!! Playing together also builds up a strong dog/handler bond which will be really helpful for training.
I doubt that your dog would 'spook', unless he is particularly nervous? If he was well socialised as a puppy then he should take it all in his stride. Just make sure you give him time to have a good sniff and approach the equipment in his own time if he seems hesitant.
Although some of the things I have suggested may not sound all that important, believe me they will come in very handy in the end!!
Good Luck. You will love it!

Friday, July 31, 2009

Agility in San Francisco?

Does anyone know of any agility training grounds for dogs in San Francisco?
Thanks.
Answers:
The Bay Area agility enthusiast's website: bayteam.org
Agility sites: http://bayteam.org/wiki/portal:events...
I'm in the SF Bay Area and I'm training in agility. If you'd like to chat, get trainer referrals, or anything of that sort, just e-mail me at agilitypawsibility (at) gmail (dot) com.
Look on the akc website for agility clubs or training clubs and they should have information on classes in your area.
Good luck to you! :)

Agility Equiptment?

I bought this some what nice agilty set, that came with: a fold up tunnel, some cheap weaving poles, a really cheap high jump, an ok pause box and other stuff. The tunnel is the only thing that works the best! I got it so that I could teach my golden retriever, Mona, some agilty. I don't want to go pro or anything, but, just for fun! I wanted to teach Mona myself. But, I was woundering, is there any good agilty equiptment out there, that, is good? I don't really care how much it is, but, some good websites would be great! Also, just so that you don't give me the same link of what I already have, here is the cheap agilty set that I was talking about:
http://www.amazon.com/kyjen-dog-agility-...
Thank you SO much for your help! Also, you can check out my Yahoo! 360 account! It's ALL about Mona! Thanks again,
~ Future Vet
Answers:
Try http://www.carlson-agility.com/index.php...
http://www.himmlisch.com/agility.htm...
http://www.pacngorec.com/
www.affordableagility.com
www.agilityforless.com/
www.max200.com
http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseac...
Try Ray Allen.com. They have a lot of agility equipment.
Some stuff you can get by with cheap things. Jumps for example don't have to be heavy duty. Other things such as A Frames you want to be very well constructed.
I live in the Chicago area and found someone who makes A frames, etc. It was a little less than other places, but there was no shipping charges. Check around that way.
I can't remember who I got my tunnel from, but I remember the company was in Canada and also made vents for mines (same stuff).
First I'd try J%26J Supplies. The other place to try is Clean Run.
Try these places gor agility euipt.:
-Petco
-Pet Smart
-Craig's List
I'd also Google search it too. You may also find some good search results on Ask.com.
Hope I helped! Good luck! 鈾?