Do any of you take your dogs with you when you fly? If so do you do anything to protect their ears? Mine trembles in the back seat (he’s fine in a car), and I worry that I will hurt his hearing which is more sensitive than ours and reacts to a broader frequency range.
I tried the earplug approach, but my shepard size dog would have none of it. He just goes to sleep, unless he’s bored. Then he either bugs me for attention, looks at the window (he is great at finding traffic…, just watch his nose. Occasionally, he gets really bored and tries to talk on the radios.
As far as help, he is not good with navigation on the way out, but on the way home he is terrific. You could say he has an nose for it.
Seriously, if he is that nervous, have you tried a tranquilizer? Talk to your vet and then try it out at home a week or two before you want to fly with him (her?).
Also, you may want to put a towel on the wing to help the dog walk on it and not scratch it.
Same question but applied to my cat. Got to get it from Pennsylvania to California.
Glenn
I had reserved the tranquilizers for my wife! My dog is a Bichon (a circus dog) that will jump into the front seats if I don’t use a harness.
You guys are kidding; right? Mike
Of course I was kidding. Luke, that’s my Shepherd/hound mix, can’t navigate for beans. He also drools on the charts!
As far as the tranquillizers, no, I’ve actually heard of vets prescribing them when traveling with dogs and cats. And, personally, I think tranquilizers is a great idea for my wife. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it myself! It would be the #1 modification to increase the range of my plane! 
And NO, he won’t wear headsets and has no patience with earplugs. The noise just doesn’t seem to bother him. I do put him on the flight plan under remarks.
Marty
Talked to the vet at Marty’s suggestion about tranquilizers for my dog, Byron. He suggested that Byron get some flight training (or at least ground school) before he decides on the proper dosage. Flight training would be less effective for my wife and we’ll just give her the pills.
Marty,
Depends could also extend your range, but without the added benefit the tranquilzers provide. (that is what’s actually shortening your legs right?)
JT
Are the depends for me or my wife? No comment on the real reason for short legs, my wife is reading this as I type.
Oh my Goodness you guys are serious!
I frequently flew with my cat…but since a cat always crawls under the nearest pedals (brakes in a car, or rudders in plane), I’d transport her in a cage. After five minutes of whining, she’d usually conk out the rest of the trip. My girlfriend’s dog, on the other hand, rather enjoyed take offs and landings…nose to the window. But it too always sleeps during cruise. The dog has a chest harness that we just strap to the backseat belts.
If you must take a nervous dog on a long trip, tranquilizers are probably the way to go. But that seems a bit harsh if you have the option of just leaving him at home. If it’s a small dog, you might try a transport cage in the luggage compartment. Perhaps if he sees nothing, he will opt to go to sleep (like blinders on a horse).
Any idea if the effects of less oxygen are the same for a small animal as they would for a person? I.e., would it be safe to fly at 12,000’?
I asked the same question on AOPA yesterday. Bruce Chein mentioned that when dogs get hypoxia, they tend to puke and poop, so it’s best to not feed them if you need to go into the FLs. Other than that, I figure I’ll just treat the dog like I would an unneeded passenger. Keep plane below 15kft.