Flying with a medium-sized dog - ESA owner's guide

Many of you want to travel with your small emotional support animal and you want to enjoy every moment of your vacation with them. But the issue is that traveling with a small ESA pet is not easy and it costs a lot. You can make a financial sacrifice if you think of your dog as a family member and you don’t want to leave him/her behind in a kennel.

Carrying a small or medium size pet is easy as compared to big dogs. For medium-sized dogs, owners usually prefer to take them along but they face multiple confusions. Even if you are spending money to take your dog with you then you need to take care of other things as well that can make your small-sized dog comfortable during the flight.

Here is a small guide that provides you with tips about emotional support animal letter and for flying with your ESA dog of medium size.

• Does your dog have the temperament to fly?

Before taking your dog on a flight, please observe whether it has the temperament to travel with you or not. Most dogs have an anxiety issue and they do not feel comfortable so it is preferable to find your dog’s type first.

If your dog has a hyper anxiety level then first consult your veterinarian. If he/she thinks that your dog has the capacity to travel you can take him on a flight. If not, then you should leave your pet at some dog sitter or you can also try to train them if you really want your pet to go with you.

• Make them accustomed to living in a congested place

During the flight, your dog has to stay in a congested place like in a pet carrier. A sudden shift from an open environment to a pet carrier can be disturbing for your dog. So, the easy solution is that a week or two before the flight, start to train your ESA dog.

It will be quite easy for you if you have a dog of medium size because you can easily arrange some small space. Build a small DIY dog house that should be the size of your pet carrier and then make your dog live in it for a few days. The small house will let you know if your dog is comfortable and he/she can move back and forth easily without any problem.

• Find a Suitable Pet Carrier

It is very convenient for you to carry your small-sized dog on a plane because they can easily adjust in the available space. First, figure out the airline requirements for the size and weight, and then go for a suitable pet carrier. Now the confusion is that most of you go to buy pet carriers and end up buying a small one for them. So be careful! Select a one-size big pet carrier for your small dog so that they can easily adjust to them.

• Take them on a walk before the flight

It is important to take your ESA on a long walk before the flight because it will exhaust them and the exhausted pets with less energy are easy to handle. Either they will take a nap during the flight or they will take a rest in their places and you will be tension-free during half of the flight. It may be the first time you will love your tired and exhausted dog.

• Don’t feed them

If your dog is small and he is not able to consume water easily then please do not feed them before and during the flight. Take their bowls one hour before the flight and let them stay without water. No doubt it sounds cruel and unethical but it is better than facing any unpleasant accidents during the flight. As a human, we also prefer to have no food before the flight and the same goes for your pets as well.

• Pack their things beforehand

Like as a human you do not prefer to leave without language and packing the animals also have some needs. Try to pack their things such as a water pot, a few toys, a bone, food and other stuff like this. Plus, do not forget to carry the non-spill water carrier, dry-fur pad, and a disposable wee pot. It will help you to keep your dog busy and deal with any emergencies or accidents.

These are the basic things that you should keep in mind while traveling. But first of all, do remember to get an ESA Letter for your pet because, without it, your all preparations for flight are useless. If you’ll have a letter then your pet can fly with you.

So, if you are the owner of a small size pet then these tips will help you a lot in flight. Just try to be careful and considerate about your dog and prepare for every type of situation during a flight in advance.

Useful Resources:

Is there any probability that an ESA Letter would be Denied by a Landlord? | Useful Guide

Guide Towards Dogs not Suitable for Apartments

A Complete Guide to Trim Overgrown Dog Nails | Useful Guide

Best Grooming Guide for Bichon Frise Breed | Useful Guide

Apartment Dogs: Large, Medium and Small | Useful Guide

Persistently present your ESA Letter for Housing before you take your ESA in a Rented house | Useful Guide