Making transportation even safer for your new puppy

By Dr. Mikel Delgado, PhD

Your new puppy is ready to come home and you want everything to go perfectly! When deciding how your puppy will get to you, you have several options, each with pros and cons. You will want to consider the breed or type of puppy you are buying, their age, and their health. Your options will also be dependent on where you live, the time of year, and your budget.

When can puppies come home?

Before puppies come home, they should have initial vaccinations and deworming, and have had a full veterinary examination. Ask your breeder about their socialization practices – socialization goes a long way in helping puppies be resilient when stressors (such as travel and separation from mom) happen! It’s also helpful if puppies are acclimated to a crate or carrier before their travel day, so it will feel like a cozy, comfortable space.

Most puppies should be 8-10 weeks old when they come home, although due to their fragility and small size, many toy breed puppies stay with the breeder (and their moms) a few weeks longer.

Questions to ask yourself as you decide how to get your puppy

• How much does each transportation option cost?
• How long will each transportation method take?
• What supplies will the puppy need during the trip?
• How sensitive is my new puppy (both physically and mentally)?
• Who is responsible for the puppy’s welfare during transit?

Considering each of these factors will help you arrive at the best, and safest, transportation method for your puppy and you.

You also need to know the legal requirements for transporting animals, including across state lines. Most states require a health certificate, but specific requirements can vary from state to state. The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service website has the most up to date information and links for travel requirements for every state. 

Why does it matter?

By taking a few steps to make sure your puppy’s first big trip goes smoothly, you are taking a huge step in reducing stress. Stress can make puppies more susceptible to parasites and viruses – it is not uncommon for pets to become ill shortly after arriving in their new home due to transition stress. Some puppies will need direct supervision and reassurance to feel safe during the trip.

Some dogs are also at particular risk during travel. Toy breed puppies (such as Chihuahuas, Yorkshire Terriers, Toy Poodles, and Pomeranians and their related crossbreeds) need regular, small meals to maintain safe levels of blood sugar. When their blood sugar levels drop (hypoglycemia) they may develop a lack of appetite, low body temperature, seizures or even a loss of consciousness. Hypoglycemia can become a medical emergency quickly. 

Brachycephalic (short-nosed) dogs can also be at risk during travel because of their facial structure, which increases respiratory effort. Data from the US Department of Transportation has shown that these dogs are more likely to die on an airplane than other breeds. Brachycephalic dogs are also more susceptible to heat stress. Stress and obesity can increase the risk of respiratory distress. 

What are your options?

If your puppy is local, you can go pick them up yourself. You may even want to make an extended road trip to get your puppy, if they’re a little out of the way. If your puppy is too far away to drive, you may be able to fly to an airport near the breeder, where they can meet you with your new puppy.

If you cannot pick up your puppy yourself, you can look into services that will transport your puppy for you, via plane (such as a flight nanny) or a ground transportation service. Regardless of which mode of transportation you choose, you’ll want to know the pros and cons, and how to best be prepared for each.

How long should travel take?

Ideally, however your puppy is traveling, they should be home the same day they leave the breeder’s home. Each additional day of travel adds complications (such as finding pet friendly hotels), expenses, and increases the health risks to your puppy (e.g., disease exposure, stress-related illness).

Ground Transportation Best Practices

You are picking up your puppy by car

If you are picking up your puppy yourself, especially if it’s a long drive, be prepared: bring a travel-safe crate, puppy pads, and cleaning supplies to keep your puppy safe and clean along the way. Don’t forget food, water and bowls for each. Keep your puppy comfortable with some bedding. If you want to bring some toys along, make sure they are safe for chewing and for your puppy’s stage of development, but don’t leave toys in your puppy’s crate if someone can’t directly supervise (for example, while you are driving).

Your puppy will likely need additional vaccinations after they get home. Because they are not fully protected yet, you need to take extra precautions against parvovirus, which can live on grass and dirt for months. Now is not the time to take your puppy outside to play! Instead, head directly home and limit pit stops to necessary potty breaks only (puppies will need a break every few hours). Potty breaks are also a good time to offer your puppy some food and water.

During potty breaks, avoid areas where other dogs have urinated or defecated. Use puppy pads or find an out of the way area that other dogs are unlikely to have used. 

During potty breaks, or whenever your puppy is not in the car, they should be on a leash. Never leave your puppy unattended in a car. 

Ground transportation service

There are companies that offer door-to-door delivery of your puppy via ground transportation. Do your homework when researching these companies, and look for a company that is bonded, insured and USDA registered and is a member of the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association (IPATA). Ask them how they train their employees, who will be handling your puppy, and what health and safety protocols they follow to reduce the spread of disease.

Find out how many other animals may be traveling in the same vehicle - a larger number of animals increases your puppy’s chance of exposure to disease. Some companies do offer individual transportation (meaning your puppy will be the only animal in the vehicle), but this service will be more expensive. Also find out their protocols for checking on pets, and whether they practice “no paws on ground” bathroom breaks for puppies.

Your ground transportation company may provide GPS tracking, or regular updates via text message. 

Flying Best Practices

Air travel is a stressor, and due to the combination of separation from mom and litter mates combined with loud noise and strange people, for some puppies it could even be considered traumatic. Ask your breeder if they have socialized your puppy to a crate, and make sure your puppy is large enough and healthy enough to fly.

Flying to pick up your puppy

Some puppy buyers will choose to fly to the airport nearest their breeder to pick up their new puppy themselves. This is ideal because the puppy can fly home in the cabin with you, where you can keep a close eye on them throughout the trip and reassure them if they are nervous.

The onus will be on you to make sure you have worked out every last detail to make sure the puppy is able to board a flight. This includes:

• Booking a ticket for your pup to fly with you in the cabin (an additional charge)
• Getting vaccination records and health certificate from the breeder
• Making sure your puppy meets the age and size requirements to fly with you

In addition, you want to make sure you have the right supplies:

• An airline-approved pet carrier
• Bedding and puppy pads
• Cleaning supplies
• Food and collapsible water bowl
• Lead and collar/harness

Flight nanny

A flight nanny is an independent service provider, who will pick up your puppy from the breeder (usually at the airport), fly your puppy in the cabin with them, and deliver the puppy to you (usually also at an airport). Flight nannies should be registered with the USDA as an animal transporter. The flight nanny usually handles all flight details (including ensuring that your puppy is allowed on the flight) and brings a carrier and supplies appropriate for travel in the airplane cabin.

You should meet the pet nanny with a carrier appropriate to bring your puppy home from the airport, and depending on the length of the trip from the airport, other supplies for driving your puppy home.

Flying cargo

Some dogs or puppies are too large to fly in the cabin, so they must fly as cargo. Although generally considered safe, it is the least safe of all travel options, so we recommend avoiding traveling with your puppy in cargo unless you have no other options. 

Flying your puppy by cargo may be cheaper, but keep in mind that you will be giving up control over certain situations that might increase risks for your puppy. There can be delays where your plane may be sitting on the tarmac; there is no supervision of your puppy during transit; and weather conditions can increase the risks of stress and health problems. For this reason, it’s best to schedule a flight when weather is likely to be more moderate (e.g., spring/fall, or during the times of day when temperatures are more comfortable), and schedule direct flights or with minimal layovers.

If you choose to travel with your puppy in cargo, they should be old enough to hold their bladder and maintain their blood sugar for the duration of the flight, and be in excellent physical condition. You also need to make sure your puppy will be traveling in a carrier large enough to stand up and turn around in. 

A toy breed puppy is likely to be both stressed and at risk for hypoglycemia when traveling alone in cargo. We also don’t recommend placing a brachycephalic dog in cargo, and in fact, many airlines do not allow it.

To sum…

Many puppies do just fine on their way home to you. But it’s worth taking a few extra steps to prevent any problems, so that your puppy can get settled in and enjoy their new life with you – as soon as they get home!