Make Pet Travel Crates A Happy Place!

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Travel with pets often requires use of a crate. In this situation, there are specific design requirements for the crate to meet Airline, USDA and International Air Transport Association approval. Each airline has specifics of what size crates and total weight they will accept.

Each dog must be able to easily stand, turn around normally while standing, sit up and lie down in a natural position when in the crate. Crates must be made of rigid plastic, wood or metal that does not bend if pressure is applied. They have to have a solid roof with no opening. The door must be made of metal, it cannot be made of plastic. All crate hardware must be in good working condition. The top and bottom of the crate should connect using metal bolts that firmly tighten the nut, which can be made of metal, plastic or nylon as long as it's unbreakable and securely connects the top to the bottom of the crate. Airlines will not accept crates with wheels on the bottom. They must be able to be removed prior to being handed over.

A Canadian study on what how dogs react when tranquilized/sedated for air travel had interesting results. Irregardless if they were medicated or not, there was very little difference what the dogs actually did in their crates and how they reacted. They spent approximately 50% of their time by laying down and sitting the rest of the time. They rarely stood during the journey. Overall they were inactive for 75% of their entire trip. They did not spend time digging, scraping or barking. The study also looked at other expected behaviors such as licking of their mouth and snout, lifting paws, or if their body was nervously shaking. These behaviors can be indicators of stress. Interestingly, the study found that these expected behaviors happened so rarely that the researchers did not need to report it. It seems the owners are more nervous and agitated over their pets' travel than the pets are.

You should get your pet acclimated to staying in their crate as far in advance as possible. The goal is to make your pet happy to be in the crate and consider it a safe space. Having your pet acclimated to their crate makes your pets travel the easiest and most stress-free possible. Only one adult dog or cat are allowed per crate, so if training two pets don’t place them together during the training process. If the pets are younger than six months old, two kittens or two puppies can travel together in the crate. A puppy and kitten cannot travel in the same crate, even if they are under six months old. 

If your dog is not crate trained the kindest thing to do is to begin training as soon as you know that you'll be traveling. While this can take place just a few weeks prior to the trip, it’s better to have your pet trained ahead of time. You want them to the point that they view their crate as a welcome place to go when they would like to have peace and quiet and to feel safe. 

Always make the crate a comfortable place. Never use it as punishment. Put some nice doggy beds in there, their favorite toys and plan to feed them while in their crate. If new to crates, the first few times you feed in the crate, you can start with the door open but eventually plan to feed them with the door closed. 

Get into the habit that when you leave the house they are in their crate, perhaps with a special treat. We have our dogs conditioned to run to their crates on the word "treat"!!! They happily jump in and wait for that special dog bisquit! Often we will leave them in the crate for a period of time even if home, to teach them crates are normal. They usually pass their time sleeping. If you walk away and they bark or carry on, keep walking. Do not reassure them either, this would actually create anxiety for them, since you are indicating there is a situation that they need reassurance for. Act normal. 

You can also teach them to sleep in the crate at night. You could place the crate in your bedroom so they can still hear you if they have always slept in your bedroom.  If you crate them for bedtime make sure that when you start moving around in the morning, the first thing that you do is take them outside before making your coffee or taking a shower. If the dog is being crated for a good portion of the day while you're at work, then overnight crate training is not neccesary. The purpose of doing so, gets them used to being in the crate for an extended period of time.

Leave the crate door open to allow your pet to go in and out of it as they choose, when you are home and not training them. You’ll be surprised at how much time they spend in it as long, if the crate is in a central area where most of the family gathers. It can become their refuge or private place.

Hopefully you are using a crate when you travel with your pet in the car for safety reasons. If you are, you have a jump on getting your pet ready for the trip. If not, keep a crate in the car for the pet, similar to the crate that they will be traveling in. Pop them into the crate and drive around town running errands, maybe even go through the car wash; anything to acclimate them to movement and sounds while in the crate. 

If the dog is barking or whining, don’t let them out. Let them settle down and then let them out. You might be surprised they may bark, whine or carry on (even drool) for a while and that's ok as long as you don't live in an apartment where it bothers other people. If the dog barking can't be heard by others, and you have someplace to go, go. Then you are not subjected to the noise and, of course, any guilt that you may be feeling. Stay strong. Because if you let them out, you have lost the battle.

Always make the crate a happy place. Make it comfortable. Every time the dog is placed in there give them a small treat. Simple dog bisquits are always loved!

Feed them in their crate. 

If possible, pick up and move the crate with the dog in it. If it's a larger dog and larger crate, you'll need two people to do this. You want to pick the crate entirely up off the floor and carry it; put it down, pick it back up, carry it again. You're getting the dog used to this so that when the baggage handlers are picking the crate up and putting it down, there is nothing to be frightened of,  the dog will be acclimated to this.

Crate training your dog will make your life so much easier. When you travel, you know the dog always has a sense of home because they have their home (crate) with them. It is their security blanket. When you are in your new home and can’t take your dog with you when going out, you’ll feel much better knowing that they are sitting in a place that they feel happy and safe. It'll make your dog’s adjustment to their new home much easier and even faster.