Dog Guidance Blog

Finding Dog Carriers to Suit Your Pet
By Morgan Le Fay

Dog owners know how very important dog carriers really are. When you own a dog, especially in this day and age, you typically want to take the little guy – or girl – with you everywhere you go. He is a part of the family. He belongs on vacations and things just as much as you do. If you feel this way but have not ever used a dog carrier before, then you might be wondering how, exactly, to pick one. One thing you can do is just keep on reading!

Do you know how many different kinds of dogs there are out there? Well, there are just as many different carriers out there as well. Not only will a different carrier be required for different dogs, but different means of travel also require different carriers. After all, you will not need the same kind of carrier for car travel as you will for airplane travel.

The most important thing to do, no matter how you are getting to where you are going, is making sure that your dog is comfortable in his or her carrier. Many stores will let you try that out from the onset, before you buy. The first thing you want to do here is make sure that the carrier is roomy enough for your dog. In spite of any size restrictions, your pet has to be able to move around comfortable. The general rule is to have room to turn around fully.

Naturally, taking a dog carrier along with you in the car is probably the easiest way to travel with one. You do not have to worry about such stringent size constraints. You even have the option of simply stopping on your journey to give your dog food and water, plus of course you can stop for bathroom breaks. That will make the trip much more comfortable for your pet.

However, the same is not true when you want to take your dog on an airplane. You have to first see what kind of restrictions the airline you are flying out of has. You should do this before you even purchase a dog carrier. You may just find out that, if you have a little dog, you can carry him or her in the cabin with you – within the proper carrier, of course.

Now, the restrictions put into practice by airlines usually refer mainly to hard sided carriers. The reason smaller dogs are sometimes exempt is because sometimes they can be carried in dog carriers with soft sides. With hard sided carriers for larger dogs, they need to have a liner which absorbs, or you can insert a towel or blanket which will do the same.

These days, not many trains will allow dogs to travel at all, unless they are helper dogs for medical problems. Thus it will also benefit you to call ahead and find out if you can bring your dog on the train. If not, you are going to need to make other plans.

It is also important that you are comfortable with your dog carriers. You need to be able to carry it easily and comfortably. Remember, you are going to be helping your dog get around with Dog Travel!