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< 16ga. Ammunition & Reloading ~ flying with the bird dog |
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Posted:
Mon Sep 17, 2018 5:17 am
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Joined: 07 Nov 2014
Posts: 44
Location: cuero, texas
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I used the search and did not find anything there. I would like to ask if flying commercial airline with my dog is advisable or not. It would add several extra days of hunting time if we flew. I read the article I found on the DU site but I would like to hear from this great forum about their experiences, whether good or bad. Thanks, Tom |
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Posted:
Mon Sep 17, 2018 10:28 am
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Member
Joined: 15 Dec 2009
Posts: 226
Location: eastern oregon
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In 2006 we flew a german short hair pointer mix from San diego to Eugene, Oregon. She was a nervous wreck for days after that experience. She had sedatives, but it still was too stressful. She had completely soiled her kennel box and obviously had to sit in it for the whole trip. I personally would never do that again, unless there were unusual circumstances. |
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Posted:
Mon Sep 17, 2018 12:20 pm
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Joined: 07 Nov 2014
Posts: 44
Location: cuero, texas
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I think I will drive the 1500 miles. Thanks, Tom |
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Posted:
Mon Sep 17, 2018 7:08 pm
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Member
Joined: 24 May 2012
Posts: 353
Location: United States
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I think driving is a good choice. I am a Veterinarian and I was an emergency clinician exclusively for 16 years. I would see 6-8 dogs a year in moderate to serious condition following flying. Stress, dehydration, heat/cold stress, etc. All but 1 over the years survived but I will never fly one of my dogs unless it is in the cabin with me.
James |
_________________ A fine gun is nice. A fine bird dog is essential. JTF
"My degree of optimism is negotiated daily" Bill Snyder, Former Head Football Coach, Kansas State University |
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Posted:
Tue Sep 18, 2018 7:00 am
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Member
Joined: 27 Jun 2012
Posts: 1115
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1500 miles is just a short two day road trip with your best buddy. A time to bond and spoil your dog with some of the treats it doesn't get around home. Rather than mess with kibble on the road, I get my dogs Double Quarter Pounders with cheese, plain of course. They wolf those thing down and we're back on the road in no time. Their vet gives me a little grief about that, but she doesn't have to deal with a dog that won't eat while travelling. A cup of soft serve vanilla on a hot day is a special treat my dogs really enjoy. My 8 year old eats it so fast, I wish I could ask him if he doesn't get brain freeze. Make it an adventure for you and the dog, it'll make the time fly by. |
_________________ An elderly gentleman, his faithful dogs, and a 16 ga SXS. All is right with the world. |
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Posted:
Tue Sep 18, 2018 8:16 am
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Joined: 03 Jul 2007
Posts: 64
Location: Wasilla, Alaska
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I've flown many times with my bird dogs, but then I live in Alaska and I make an annual trip to eastern Washington to visit my Mom and to bird hunt. Flying Alaska Air we've never had a problem. I just got a five year old Setter flown in from Boston and she made the trip with ease. Some dogs handle it well others don't. I've been lucky, all of mine have done well with the experience.
I like the road trip idea though. If I had the choice of driving or flying, I'd chose driving. but that's more for me than the dog. They handle flying better than I do. |
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Posted:
Tue Sep 18, 2018 10:23 am
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Member
Joined: 22 Aug 2011
Posts: 1498
Location: the Moosehorn
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Flying on to days carriers is a bi risk for anyone. |
_________________ ALWAYS wear the safety glasses
If you take Cranberries and stew them like applesauce they taste much more like Prunes than Rhubarb does ----G.M/ |
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Posted:
Tue Sep 18, 2018 9:46 pm
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Joined: 17 Mar 2007
Posts: 209
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I flew my old Shorthair, Jake, from Chicago to points West so many times he ought to have had a frequent flier number. Denver. Boise. Sioux Falls. I wouldn't say he loved it. But he never got messed up by it either. I never flew him in hot weather, though. And I always put a thick pad and a thick blanket on the bottom of the crate for him to burrow himself down into/onto in case the cabin was really cold. He was a tough old bastard of a Shorthair, though. He sure loved the extra three or four days of hunting time we always got out of flying, and so did I. That was from 2000 to about 2009 or '10. I'd feel differently about it if he'd have become sick or died, of course. But we did alright.
The thing is, that was then, and this is now. And he was a young dog then, too (he lived to be 16, and was still in pretty damn good fettle when he died (stomach flipped)). Like many other aspects of our daily living, I find that in the last ten years the airlines have gone downhill in terms of service and general overall concern for the traveler and, by extension, his animal. I doubt if I'd fly my pup today, and I would not fly an old dog, if it was his first time flying, for sure. Too many dummies out there that just don't give a damn.
8mmFan |
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Posted:
Tue Sep 18, 2018 9:52 pm
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Joined: 17 Mar 2007
Posts: 209
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And I should add that we also road tripped one hell of a lot, and that was fun for its own sake, for reasons others already mentioned. He was the best friend I ever had, and I hope I get to see him again someday. Absolutely the best road-tripping, camping, and drinking buddy I ever had, and he never bitched or complained unless I had to pull him away from a female dog in heat, and then he was completely ready to fight.
8mmFan |
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Posted:
Sat Sep 22, 2018 5:30 am
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Member
Joined: 04 Mar 2008
Posts: 1943
Location: Lowcountry Ga.
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Posted:
Sat Sep 22, 2018 7:36 am
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Member
Joined: 21 Feb 2005
Posts: 367
Location: Anchorage, AK
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I live in Alaska so I fly almost everywhere in the lower 48. My home is 2500 miles from Seattle, so driving is very time consuming and expensive.
My dogs have always flown well. I have gotten the last three shipped as 10 week old pups from Salt Lake City, LA and Phoenix. The pups were a bit stunned by the experience, but got over it in about 10 minutes. I never use sedatives on the dogs.
In all, I have put dogs on close to 40 airline flights in the last 25 years. Never a problem. I always use Alaska Airlines.
I do travel nonstop whenever possible.
Drive if you want, but flying should be okay, too. |
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Posted:
Sat Sep 22, 2018 7:38 am
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Member
Joined: 21 Feb 2005
Posts: 367
Location: Anchorage, AK
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There is much news on "comfort" animals and airlines. It is all bad. We are going to loose the ability to fly pets if people persist in taking dogs into the cabin for no good reason! |
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