Review on 🐾 Sherpa Original Deluxe Airline Approved Pet Carrier with Soft Liner, Mesh Windows & Spring Frame by Krystal Simmons

This carrier is ideal for transporting my 14 year old Westie who weighs 16 pounds from San Diego to Milwaukee (and back) during the Thanksgiving holiday. We flew US Airways and although the size was a bit oversized we had no problems. Here are a few answers to questions I had before the flight that might help allay your concerns: 1. US Air didn't check if it could stand or rotate2. It was crowded, but he could actually get up and turn around. US Air didn't check medical records—I just had to sign a short form that the person at the counter filled out for me. Although I was very nervous about being turned down because of the size of the stretcher, I acted like we'd done this a million times before (unlike the woman in line next to me with the dog who didn't stop every 15 minutes bark / squeak) . minute I was next to her). We both had a large Sherpa porter and we both did well.4. The harness is very durable and my dog was comfortable holding him at the airport5. I brought a blanket to cover the stroller in case it doesn't fit completely under the seat. The backpack fit with a bit of squeezing and maneuvering, but since the flight attendants were very strict on some flights, I used it to be able to pull the suitcase out from under the seat mid-flight and soothe my little fella. caresses the head. The blanket also helped when all the lights were on on my late night flight - I wanted my dog to be asleep and relaxed so I covered the holes. When it got very hot in flight, I threw him some ice cubes to rehydrate him. WORKOUT: In order to prepare my Vesti for its first flight, I bought a stretcher about 2 weeks beforehand. The first day or two, I waved treats and he went alone. I left the top down so he wouldn't feel claustrophobic. Once he got comfortable with the "box" (as we called it), I started closing the front door and putting him in the top hole (again, always with treats). I didn't let him walk on his own after that part of the training; I wanted him to know that once he was in his box he couldn't leave until I got him out. Once he was comfortable in the box, I placed the treat on the floor and as soon as he lowered his head to take it out, I closed the lid and let him enjoy the treat. I expected him to freak out the first time (my dog is not behaved in any way; most days he won't even sit up on command) but he stayed that way after about 5 minutes when I sat next to him box, i picked him up, did a few circles around the apartment, took the elevator down, put him in the car and drove to the pet store. He didn't mind at all. After seeing that, we reduced the number of training sessions to a couple of days. Sometimes after work in the evenings I would put it in its box (always on top and always with a treat before closing the lid) and put it at my feet while I watched TV for an hour or two. I never left the box, and every 30 minutes I would occasionally comfort him or say words of encouragement. Due to lack of time, we never practiced staying in the pits for more than 2 hours, although we had about 7 hours of driving time with intermediate stops. Some training tips: Buy soft treats and use VERY small pieces. You'll likely be given a few treats, especially in the beginning, so the fewer the better. You don't want your dog to vomit there (or expect big treats on the plane!). Also, never give in to a dog when it tries to bite its way out of your pocket. Stop the behavior and don't let him out of the carrier until the behavior stops and some time has passed. It's not fun to engage in mid-flight, so stop the behavior before you get airborne.7. To help with his popping ears I brought some Nylabons on the plane (carrying bag perfect for some treats, collapsible water bowl, potty holder in case you don't have time to walk the dog between breaks). flights and Kindle for yourself). During takeoff, I handed him a bone (I smeared them with PB for him to lick and bite) while stroking him. He was used to driving, so he didn't care. 8. From time to time during the flight I would button up a small hole (he really wanted to escape so I had to be careful) and give him a small treat to check how he was.9. The mesh of this stretcher is STRONG. My dog has a bite like a pit bull and the determination of a 6 year old trying to reach for a giant candy out of reach, so when he started chewing his way out of a carrier on a 30 minute flight, any scenario where running down the aisles is like crazy, started scrolling through my head. Luckily the net held and we landed safely shortly afterwards. I had an injured arm from the fight but the bag was ok.10. Flight day: Check in so that you have enough free time. Now is not the time to add stress. Once your luggage has been checked in and your dog has been cleared to fly, proceed through security. If it doesn't last long, I recommend leaving the airport and giving your dog some last-minute fresh air, one last trip to the bathroom, and stepping in the moment the vet recommended Benadryl. When it's time to go through security, you set up the stretcher (I also had a backpack with a blanket tied to it and a large coat) and carry your dog through the x-ray. At this point I returned my dog to the carrier but if your dog's leash is easily accessible you could probably walk him to the gate on a leash (at least that was the case at SAN, PHX & MKE). ). You want to be one of the last on board (you don't have any luggage, so hand luggage isn't a problem). If you have a break, check the pot surfaces in advance. Few airports have small security areas (SAN is one of them) so you need to know what your options are and if you have time. During our short stopover, I had planned to take my dog to the toilet stall and put the potty off. However, since he had only taken off about 90 minutes earlier, we spent our 20 minutes between flights with his head sticking out of the aircraft carrier while he watched the Thanksgiving travel frenzy. If I could do it again, I'd take it for a short trip to the airport to burn off some energy. In general, flying with my Vesti was much less stressful for him than landing. The tall Sherpa was great and I highly recommend him. The only thing I would change would be to add a mesh to the top of the holder, but that doesn't matter.