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by RLHAR on 15 February 2010 - 18:02
Well, I'm now in the final 48 hours still I pick up our new boy from the airport!
While I am excited beyond the point of reason, I'm also nervous as hell because I HATE AIRPORTS! *shudder!*
That said, question for you guys who have picked up your dogs at the airport before. He's being shipped from Europe, long flight, will I need to have a collar for him -anticipating he won't be wearing one in the crate?- Any other tips of things to have/be prepared with?
He's already going to have a nice bland, stomach friendly dinner of chicken and rice when he gets home.
While I am excited beyond the point of reason, I'm also nervous as hell because I HATE AIRPORTS! *shudder!*
That said, question for you guys who have picked up your dogs at the airport before. He's being shipped from Europe, long flight, will I need to have a collar for him -anticipating he won't be wearing one in the crate?- Any other tips of things to have/be prepared with?
He's already going to have a nice bland, stomach friendly dinner of chicken and rice when he gets home.
by hodie on 15 February 2010 - 18:02
Yes, bring a collar and leash and be prepared to drive somewhere close where you can take the pup out and walk it and let it relieve itself. I would also suggest some bottled water and a bowl, and a small amount of kibble. Let the pup have a drink, not too much, and a bit of kibble. Walk the pup, get going, and then stop again if you have a drive of more than about 30 minutes and let the pup go out to eliminate if need be. I would also bring some clean newspaper, and perhaps some gallon or two of water to wash the crate if needbe.
Good luck.
Good luck.
by Ninja181 on 15 February 2010 - 18:02
Mine had been in a crate for 14 hrs. when I picked him up in Boston
. They would not let me take him out, they would only help you load the crate into your vehicle. He had a choke collar on but I would bring both as Hodie recommended.
He had water in the crate. I drove him a few hundred feet to some grass. Let him out to go to the bathroom. Then I feed him right there, in fact it was chicken and rice. LOL
He was starved and ate more than one bowl full.
I might add he was not a puppy, 2yr. old male.
Good luck
. They would not let me take him out, they would only help you load the crate into your vehicle. He had a choke collar on but I would bring both as Hodie recommended.
He had water in the crate. I drove him a few hundred feet to some grass. Let him out to go to the bathroom. Then I feed him right there, in fact it was chicken and rice. LOL
He was starved and ate more than one bowl full.
I might add he was not a puppy, 2yr. old male.
Good luck
by MomofBeckett on 15 February 2010 - 18:02
Congrats! It's always a fun time picking up a new puppy!
We've picked up two puppies from the airport before and you don't really know what you'll be getting into until you open up that crate door. Depending on how long it takes you to actually get the puppy, you might well have a pee-soaked crate as well as puppy.
I suggest the following:
1. Collar and leash so you can walk the puppy around a bit and let it relieve itself before you drive home.
2. Waterless bath solution and towels. If your puppy has some pee or poop, it's always nice to do a quick cleanup.
3. Trash bag, paper towels and newspaper. Odds are the lining of the puppy's crate will be soaked, so you'll need to take all that stuff out and throw it out. You can then use the waterless cleaner to do a quick cleaning of the crate, wipe it out with the paper towels, then re-line with fresh newspaper. If you're bringing along someone, you might want to just hold the puppy or put it on some towels in the back seat.
4. Water and bowl. Your puppy hasn't eaten or drunk anything for several hours. The airport personnel don't do anything with the puppy, so a little water is a must to rehydrate.
5. Wetwipes for you as all that cleaning can get you dirty as well.
The biggest pain really is figuring out exactly where you're going. Make sure you get accurate directions to get to the particular airline terminal that your puppy is arriving at. We were given bad directions the first time and went to the actual airport terminal rather than the Lufthansa terminal which was nowhere near where we had been. Lesson learned for the second time, but by then they had new policies of where we needed to get the documents taken care of. Thank God for GPS systems! Have all your documentation, and be prepared to wait a long time before you actually see your puppy. It's worth the hassle though when you see that little face come out of the crate and get to go home with your new puppy.
MomofBeckett
www.cafepress.com/simplyshepherds
We've picked up two puppies from the airport before and you don't really know what you'll be getting into until you open up that crate door. Depending on how long it takes you to actually get the puppy, you might well have a pee-soaked crate as well as puppy.
I suggest the following:
1. Collar and leash so you can walk the puppy around a bit and let it relieve itself before you drive home.
2. Waterless bath solution and towels. If your puppy has some pee or poop, it's always nice to do a quick cleanup.
3. Trash bag, paper towels and newspaper. Odds are the lining of the puppy's crate will be soaked, so you'll need to take all that stuff out and throw it out. You can then use the waterless cleaner to do a quick cleaning of the crate, wipe it out with the paper towels, then re-line with fresh newspaper. If you're bringing along someone, you might want to just hold the puppy or put it on some towels in the back seat.
4. Water and bowl. Your puppy hasn't eaten or drunk anything for several hours. The airport personnel don't do anything with the puppy, so a little water is a must to rehydrate.
5. Wetwipes for you as all that cleaning can get you dirty as well.
The biggest pain really is figuring out exactly where you're going. Make sure you get accurate directions to get to the particular airline terminal that your puppy is arriving at. We were given bad directions the first time and went to the actual airport terminal rather than the Lufthansa terminal which was nowhere near where we had been. Lesson learned for the second time, but by then they had new policies of where we needed to get the documents taken care of. Thank God for GPS systems! Have all your documentation, and be prepared to wait a long time before you actually see your puppy. It's worth the hassle though when you see that little face come out of the crate and get to go home with your new puppy.
MomofBeckett
www.cafepress.com/simplyshepherds
by TessJ10 on 15 February 2010 - 18:02
How exciting!
Well, I'd definitely have a collar and lead with you just in case, and I'd make sure the lead was a slip - either fursaver or nylon - just not a buckle collar that he could slip out of. Security is of the utmost importance and you know how crafty they can be about getting out of collars, so make sure it's one that a bucking dog who wants to run is not going to be able to get out of.
Not saying he'll want to, just saying be prepared for anything. You can even ask to have the crate put on a dolly and put into a room, close the door, and then open the crate door, so you're not trying to put a lead on him in the middle of the freight area.
Good luck! What fun to be getting a new family member!
Well, I'd definitely have a collar and lead with you just in case, and I'd make sure the lead was a slip - either fursaver or nylon - just not a buckle collar that he could slip out of. Security is of the utmost importance and you know how crafty they can be about getting out of collars, so make sure it's one that a bucking dog who wants to run is not going to be able to get out of.
Not saying he'll want to, just saying be prepared for anything. You can even ask to have the crate put on a dolly and put into a room, close the door, and then open the crate door, so you're not trying to put a lead on him in the middle of the freight area.
Good luck! What fun to be getting a new family member!
by Phil Behun on 15 February 2010 - 18:02
If the puppy is young, as in 8 wks or so, chances are it has nothing around it's neck. Even if it's wearing a collar there's a good chance that it probably has never been on a leash. Personally, I take them away from the airport to an open forest preserve area and let them run free. I do bring some special type treat and keep some in my hand. The treat is introduced at the doorway to the crate so the dog meets me with them right away and knows that I have them. This is when I clean the crate and put in fresh newspaper. I don't give water and food until the puppy is home and a little more settled. Giving food and water and then taking a car ride with a young puppy may be a too much for their system. Do not over feed the baby the minute you get him!!!!! There will be plenty of time for that, break him in slowly.
by Xaver vom Kammberg Owner on 15 February 2010 - 19:02
Hi there RLHAR, What is the age of your new boy? Not that this is a big deal, but flat collar was good for pups, they were not acclimated to any collar when they came in. I left the food home so I could kind of "imprint" them as to my leadership, and what feeding time was really going to be like.
I imported a brother/sister pair that Lufthansa definately changed out their bedding somewhere along the line, or maybe right when they landed FRA to LAX. Customs held us up for over 2 hours once they landed....
For water, they had a little metal bucket pail deal on the front door (zip tied) I didn't find the kibble. I am so suprised it wasn't taken out by the pups and munched. It was very thin tin.
It was very, very tough for me to match the German kibble...to work into a new food plan for these pups. I needed my German contact/interpreter to get the information on what it actually was they were eating prior to export.
Take 2 people to the airport with you, even with one dog coming in. I got towed last Wednesday flying a dog out of LAX. (My American Airlines Sky Cap wasn't there for me after being tipped, AND he got off shift leaving my car open for business! ) $318. to the City of Los Angeles, a tow yard, a cab to get there and on and on so it seemed!
I love this crate they came in below......would have loved the wheels to be included in the back compartment for after the flight going to the truck. There should have been kibble in the front compartment. Also, good to have the SV papers mailed to you separately, although I have not had a problem, it is wise. Good luck and keep us posted! Trish and pack
www.hasshaus.com
I imported a brother/sister pair that Lufthansa definately changed out their bedding somewhere along the line, or maybe right when they landed FRA to LAX. Customs held us up for over 2 hours once they landed....
For water, they had a little metal bucket pail deal on the front door (zip tied) I didn't find the kibble. I am so suprised it wasn't taken out by the pups and munched. It was very thin tin.
It was very, very tough for me to match the German kibble...to work into a new food plan for these pups. I needed my German contact/interpreter to get the information on what it actually was they were eating prior to export.
Take 2 people to the airport with you, even with one dog coming in. I got towed last Wednesday flying a dog out of LAX. (My American Airlines Sky Cap wasn't there for me after being tipped, AND he got off shift leaving my car open for business! ) $318. to the City of Los Angeles, a tow yard, a cab to get there and on and on so it seemed!
I love this crate they came in below......would have loved the wheels to be included in the back compartment for after the flight going to the truck. There should have been kibble in the front compartment. Also, good to have the SV papers mailed to you separately, although I have not had a problem, it is wise. Good luck and keep us posted! Trish and pack
www.hasshaus.com
by TessJ10 on 15 February 2010 - 19:02
Ok, baby puppy I agree - you certainly don't need the high-end security measures. I was thinking you were importing a grown dog. Carry on!
by VomRuiz on 15 February 2010 - 19:02
I can't add anything everyone else had added, but I know your anticipation well and wish you the best with your new puppy. Good luck, we'd love to see pictures!
Stacy
by RLHAR on 15 February 2010 - 19:02
The new boy is 5 months old so he could be crafty enough to sneak out of a regular nylon collar so I'll definitely have a fursaver, at least while at the airport, definitely do not want any accidents!!
Thank you, everyone for all the suggestions! I now have a shopping list to keep me busy between now and Wednesday!
Thank you, everyone for all the suggestions! I now have a shopping list to keep me busy between now and Wednesday!
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