How to prepare my dog for their first flight and ease crate stress?

I would recommend acclimatizing them to their travel crate daily and start on a calming supplement or royal canin food 10-14days before travel and continue for at least 10-14days after. No dog should be expected to tolerate kicking or pulling of tails or ears and it is important to teach children safety and respectful handling of dogs. Crate the dogs unless directly supervised when young children are present

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Putting a pet into cargo can be scary, as you cannot check in on them during that time. I recommend providing blankets and toys that may make her feel more comfortable. You can ask your veterinarian for light sedative medications that you can give prior to the flight to help her relax. I hope this is helpful!

I know how you feel. I just flew with 5 of my own pets for a flight that was over 7 hrs. So you are a bit limited here, but there are some safe things you can do to ease the stress for Moka. 1) No sedatives- these are not safe and also not permitted due to the vast temperature ranges that your fur baby can be exposed to. Also if she is going in cargo pressure changes can make her at risk for serious injury if she is on any type of sedative/tranquilizer. 2) Stress reducing natural remedies- there are lots of options here at your local pet store. Get an associate to help you find some that will work for you. 3) Place a clothing item with your scent on it in the carrier with her 4) Don't stop giving her food or water for any period of time. You want her well hydrated and well fed. Most cats won't eat much in transit, so letting her eat is a good idea. 5) Place a pee pad or towel at the bottom of the carrier in case of accidents. You will be surprised to know that most cats hold their urine and feces well during transit, unless of course Moka has a diagnosed separation anxiety condition, in which case she may have an accident or two. 6) Relax- your pet picks up on your mood! So if you are stressed, she will be stressed! Just relax and things will be just fine.

This can be fine, but I would test them on it first at home. You don't want them to have an adverse reaction to it, and they be in the cargo area where you can't reach them. Try it on them a couple of times first at home.

I get that worry! When I moved from the US to New Zealand, I took my Boxer, who was also an anxious dog. Very long flight but he made it just fine. Dogs do tend to settle pretty well on there flights. It’s important to get him used to his crate and staying in long periods of time. It will become a safe space for him, and will make the trip easier. I hope this helps Scott!

VetriScience Composure chews or liquid daily for at least a few days prior to your trip is effective in noticeably calming many patients. It contains natural ingredients including theanine and is available on chewy.com and PetCo.com. If you find that the Composure is not sufficiently relaxed with just Composure, I would schedule an appointment with your vet to make sure that Rexy is up to date on vaccines and flea/tick/heart worm prevention and to inquire about a sedative such as trazadone or prescription Xanax that your vet may be comfortable with for Rexy. If you are flying, definitely inquire with the airline about whether an official health certificate is required. Enjoy your vacation!

Hi there. You could try an over-the-counter natural calming supplement like Zykene or Composure prior to the trip, along with an Adaptil pheromone collar. Neither of these products should cause any significant drowsiness, and both are very safe.