Hi guys,

I just moved to the Gold Coast region near Zurich about 3 weeks ago. Now my Dog and my wife will be joining me here in the beginning of March. I have a paid service (that seems very good) that will be taking care of the customs papers and everything for my dog but I am just very nervous about his safety. He is a 7 year old Shepard mix and has never flown before and I have constant worry that something will happen. I guess I am not really asking a question. Just kind of voicing this in a public forum since I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since I've got here. Sometimes if I think about it too much it has ruined a couple of my nights. Have all of your dog transportation experiences been good ones?

Thanks,
Ed

Although my dog traveled by land to Switzerland, I know of many people that have flown their pets and it has been fine with no ill effects on the dogs.
The airlines etc are well versed in carrying live cargo so don't worry too much. Easier said than done I know.

Check with the vets ect as they may be able to advise you on what the best way to procedd is re the dogs well being.


Good luck.

How does your dog behave when you drive him around in your car?

If he doesn't mind too much, then his trip in the cargo will be just fine, he might just lay down and try to sleep the boredom away.

My mother had several dogs which were always a bit excited and nervous of travel. But they survived every plane trip/car ride just fine.

In the car he usually lays down and looks out the window and stuff sometimes when we stop... He has gone on very long car rides and is usually very good about it.

One friend's dog flew from Singapore to Zurich very comfortably. But be sure to take the dog immediately outside to eliminate upon arriving. The dog pee'd at once on the floor when she came out of the crate and my friend, kind of embarrassed, had to mop it up quickly with paper napkins.

Her vet advised her NOT to sedate the dog so that the dog could see everything that was going on and not be unduly alarmed or surprised when she woke up in a strange environment.

Not to worry; everything should be fine. You'd be looking forward to having your family here, furry one included.

Our 3 dogs have flown a lot. Singapore to India, India to Singapore and Singapore to UK and they were all fine but very happy to get out of their cages and very happy to see us at the end of their trip.

When we moved from the UK to Switzerland they actually came by road and the company that moved them were very professional and the dogs seem to have enjoyed their trip. www.animalcouriers.com

Yea the service who is moving him says absolutley no sedatives and I agree with that.. He also has never taken a sedative his entire life... I guess I just blow it up in my head bigger than it is... I picture the area he is going to be flying in being really frightening and terrible, maybe I have an overactive imagination...

We flew here on a separate flight, arrived a day before and our pup came in the next day. I stayed up all night, tracking the flight. Not that I could do a thing about it, but it made me feel better. WHen they pulled her kennel into view, and she started barking her head off, I knew she was ok. So, it is natural to be worried, lots of dogs travel just fine. ANd by the way, mine is a nightmare in the car, but she did ok on the flight. I just don't know if she barked all the way from Newark to Zurich.

Anyway, good luck. Sounds like your pup is in good hands.

Yea he is also on a completely different flight than my wife... He is flying from Chicago to Zurich direct with Swiss.. Anyone have any good experiences from Swiss?

For transporting animals, they are one of the best.

When my X and I moved to Switzerland, we had to wait 3 months for friends to send our 2 dogs & 3 cats. They all had absolutely no problems flying. However, the dogs did better than the cats. Also, none had ever flown before, but they had all ridden in cars many times before. Also, no sedatives.

Really? That is great news!

In total, we transported 5 cats and 4 dogs. We used Swiss the majority of the the time and was very happy with their service. Lufthansa is also great for transporting animals.

I flew in from LA, and it was roughly a total of 15 hrs in the crates for them. I am counting from the time they were checked in to the time I picked them up at the baggage claims in Zurich. They accompanied me on the flights in the cargo compartment. I was assured by Swiss that the cargo area where they put the animals was pressurized, and that it was heated to the same temperature as the passenger compartment. I have a very good friend that is a pilot for Swiss whom confirmed this information.

Relax, he'll be fine...

Swiss has a good reputation, Lufthansa too. American carriers won't let small pets fly in the cabin on international flights, but I know someone who had her dog with her on Lufthansa, an added plus. Not that my dog is small enough, but still....We flew Lily on Continental because they also have a good rep, and it was the best connection from Raleigh to Zurich. She had better connecting flights than we did.

Oh, another thing....

You should contact the handling the transporting of your dog, and request that they drop off at your house the crate that he will be transported in, so that you can get him use to being in it. I bought my crates early and started feeding the dogs treats in them, and left the doors open so that they could sleep in them.

And make sure all the paperwork is complete!

If you have any other questions feel free to PM me...

We did the same with our crate.

And it's good advice to have the paperwork complete, but we were pleasantly surprised when the guy in the vet office looked at our stuff, shrugged and said "I get the wrong paperwork from someone coming from the US all the time". We had the wrong paperwork, and didn't realize it. A shipping co should not make that mistake though. At any rate, we paid and he let us take our dog. So much more relaxed than the US, I think.

All our pets (3 dogs and a parrot) flew Swiss from Tokyo to Zürich on a direct flight. Swiss were excellent. I too was really worried. They were all fine. One of our dogs hates the car but the flight was okay for her. DO NOT SEDATE YOUR DOG. It is unnecessary and can do more harm than good.

When I saw all the kennels in the baggage area when we arrived I felt so relieved. Your dog will want out of the kennel right away so be sure you have a leash with you.

My dog flew from Sydney to Zurich via Bangkok with no problems whatsoever. I on the other hand had a very restless 48hrs waiting and tracking the flight. He arrived happy and relaxed and was straight out of his box heading for the car ready for his new adventure.
Granted he is quite a well travelled dog having already made the trip from NZ to Australia but didn't have any issues.
It doesn't matter how many happy stories you hear you will still worry and its only natural. I know when/if we make the return home I will still be a nervous wreck while he's travelling no matter how adaptable I know he is.
Good luck and enjoy being reunited

Thanks for all the good information and the kind words to relax me a bit guys... I have already taken that day off and will be waiting for my dog to be delivered to my apartment by the service I have hired to transport him... I know I wont sleep much the night before tho... Some of you mention 48 hours worth of flights... Jeez he only has a 8 hour flight and I am nervous

Can you tell me what service you used to transport him, and how they did? When we move, we have to move two Weimaraners, and I'd appreciate knowing how the service performed.

Thanks.