# Questions.. picking dog up from airport..



## therunbunch (Oct 5, 2009)

So.. I've never picked up a non-human from the airport before and I have no clue how to do it. 
I assume she comes shipped in a crate.. do we keep that? Or do I just collar/leash her right out of her container and walk her to the car?

I know to bring the following:

bowl
bottle of water
leash
collar
maybe a treat or two
towels for ride home
My ID & Shipping Confirmation number thing

Anything else I should bring? 

She's 105 lbs.. I sure hope she knows how/can jump into my Durango.. :teehee:

Any other advice or anything???


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## caroline (Sep 29, 2009)

When i transported pets, the crate was the pets, unless the airline had rules. Just ask----they'll tell you.

What breed is this huge dog> do you know the habits and history? Might think about a muzzle, but not have to use it. Are you taking kids to the airport> if you don;'t know the dog's habits, be careful.

Is this a dog you are keeping of helping on a leg of the journey to its forever home?


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## Oregon Julie (Nov 9, 2006)

It sounds as if you have it handled. At 105 lbs you would be hard pressed to carry the crate to the car so I think that walking out and carry the crate empty is your best bet. If you can take a 2nd person along to help it would be a good thing as the air cargo folks generally are too busy to help you move anything.

What is she?


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## therunbunch (Oct 5, 2009)

Oh sorry! This is my girl: Annika








She's a BullMastiff. YES.. I think I'll have all 4 of my children with me and hopefully my mom. She is EXCELLENT with children and the breeders Required she go to a home with children and no other dogs (she is quite bossy they say) but she's amazing with children and adores them. She will really only be having interaction with my daughter as they are likely seatmates on the trip back... it's a 3 hours trip to the airport (and I'm picking my mom up at the airport.. that's why she can't keep the kids while I pick up the dog!)

I'm hoping there's no crate involved because I will not have any room for it. :/ She's the dog on the right btw.


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## olivehill (Aug 17, 2009)

Pooper picker-upper bags for any potty breaks between the airport and home and I, personally, would bring extra water -- like in gallon jugs -- and extra towels just in case she has an accident in the crate on the plane and you need to clean her up before putting her in the car. 

As a mother, I would take the muzzle and use it regardless of what the breeders say. My child vs a (likely stressed) 105lb dog in an enclosed space on the word of someone else is not something I am willing to work with. The muzzle won't hurt her and it will ensure your daughter's safety until you have time to get to know the dog and the dog has time to destress from the plane ride.


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## Oregon Julie (Nov 9, 2006)

There will be a crate involved and I don't think any airlines rent them out, the crate is yours to deal with. The dog actually might be better off traveling in the car in the crate considering she doesn't know anyone and as has already been pointed out, may well be stressed.


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## Stonybrook (Sep 22, 2007)

I would avoid taking the dog out of the crate until you get her home if at all possible. I wouldn't care if she peed and pooed all over herself. If there is just no way to do this, see if there is a room you can put her in to put the leash on where she cannot bolt and run. And, use a choke chain so she cannot slip the collar or leash over her head. When you get her home make sure all gates to the great outdoors are closed before you let her off the leash. Actually, I would probably keep the leash on her for awhile.

Let me tell you why I say this. I shipped a dog once to someone. Somehow the crate didn't get latched right in transit (I think they gave him water or food once), and when he got to the airport and they attempted to fix it, he got away. Ran through the airport until someone tackled him. They finally got him to their house and got him out of the car and one of the dogs barked at him. It might not have been a problem except the gate had not closed all the way and away he went. It took me one flight and one road trip to catch him and bring him back home. Oh, and the crate that I sent him in was mine and they were supposed to send it back. 

I think shipping puppies is a lot easier than shipping adult dogs unless they are used to it.


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## Sonshine (Jul 27, 2007)

We had one that few from Germany to the states. We furnished the crate and just picked him up on the luggage carasol (sp). boy, did it stink. I guess they had a dog stacked on top of his carrier that decided to mark everything he could in the cargo hold.


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## bluemoonluck (Oct 28, 2008)

The crate is yours, and you will be expected to transport it somewhere (the airline doesn't care where, just so long as you get it out of their way). If you don't want it you can dispose of it, but the airline will expect you to take it with you.

I second the idea of keeping her in the crate for the car ride. 

As for everything else....I'd like to think that all breeders are completely 100% honest about their dogs. That's not always the case. Even if the dog is wonderful with kids, being shipped is a very stressful thing for dogs and they may do things under duress that would not normally be in their character (like when a dog breaks its leg it might bite someone, even though under any other circumstances the dog wouldn't hurt a fly). 

100 pounds of dog is a lot to handle when she doesn't know you and you don't know her. Safety first.


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## bluetick (May 11, 2002)

When I moved across the country two of my German shepherds flew, and the third rode with me in the car. (My adult daughter was on this end to pick up the dogs on arrival.) The crates were huge, and my dogs didn't weigh 105 pounds! My crates broke down into two pieces - top and bottom - but they still took up a lot of space. Do you know anyone with a minivan that you could borrow?

Just noted that you have a Durango. Isn't that a SUV? A pet barrier should keep the dog separated to the back part of the vehicle if the crate doesn't fit.


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## lathermaker (May 7, 2010)

How big is the vehicle that you are transporting a 100# dog, yourself, mom and 4 kids? I think this sounds like an accident waiting to happen. Leave mom with a couple kids, (the youngest) and take 2 of the oldest with you. Under no circumstances would I transport an unknown dog without a crate!


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## longshadowfarms (Nov 27, 2002)

Going to ditto the suggestions to make different arrangements somehow. Leave the kids with a friend, borrow a bigger vehicle, take another adult with you, etc. Having transported numerous adult Pyrs for the first time (foster, my own picked up from rescue as adults), no matter how gentle they will normally are, this is a high stress situation and the dog will likely not act "normal." Don't take her out of the crate until you have her in a well-contained area with someone to help and no children around.


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## Immaculate Sublimity (Apr 30, 2003)

You've gotten sound advice. The worst place to take a dog out of a crate after a stressful flight to a place they're unfamiliar with and people they dont know.... is an airport.


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## Wolf Flower (Dec 21, 2005)

You will probably be picking up in the air freight part of the airport, and not the terminal itself, so you should be able to pull your car right up and get the crate in the car (if it fits). It should come apart in two pieces. But I'd recommend leaving the dog in the crate for the car ride. You do have to take the crate, it's yours, and I recommend you keep it if at all possible.

I agree with what the others are saying about safety. I would not bring your children, I'd bring another dog-savvy adult. Flying is stressful, and stress can make a normally sweet, friendly, loving dog into something quite different. 

I would, however, drive to a quiet place and let her out on a slip lead, or with a choke/martingale collar (not a flexi lead and not a flat collar, she could slip out of it) for potty time if she appears calm and friendly while in the crate, and if you feel you can handle a 100 pound puppy if she decides she wants to take off. If she's shivering, drooling, or growling, DO NOT touch her until you get her home and in a safe, enclosed area. Definitely keep the children away until she is settled.

Hopefully, she will simply be happy to see you when you pick her up and everything will go nice and smoothly. I once shipped an 18 month old German Shepherd, and her new owner said she came out of her crate just as happy as all-get out, greeting her new owner like she knew she was HER dog. But you should always be prepared for the worst, so you aren't taken off guard.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

I wouldn't bring the children either. Have your mother wait in the car for you at curbside. You'll be able to roll the crate to the car at curbside, and if you need help there will be a (bellhop?) to help you. Tip him. How are you going to get the crate into the car? Do you have a ramp? I would also have the kids somewhere else when I got the dog home. Open the crate in your back yard and let the dog out to investigate and potty. Female dogs do not usually defecate for 24 hours in a new place. But, given her age and the trauma of shipping, she probably will, and you may need to clean out the crate, but at least the hose is handy. Don't feed her when you get home, but have water down. Use treats to determine if she knows sit. When you are ready to bring her in the house, bring her to the door and have her sit. If she won't sit, walk her in a circle and back to the door. Do this as many times as necessary but have her sit before opening the door. Once inside, confine as much as possible and let her get used to a couple of rooms, depending on how your house is laid out. Don't let her in the basement because you don't want her using it as a bathroom. Then go get the kids and let them greet outside.

You have real bones for her to chew on, right? Bone chewing helps to relieve stress. She is lovely and we'd love to see a photo of her with the kids.


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## bluemoonluck (Oct 28, 2008)

Another thought...even if she is trained to obey certain commands, it can take a dog a while to determine where you fit in their pack order. I had a dog growing up that would obey me in a heartbeat, but ignored my Dad because she considered him below her in the pack order (he was a softie, let her get away with everything!).

You need to immediately and without question let her know that you and your kids are alpha to her. This doesn't mean you need to be aggressive or mean to her, quite the opposite!! She should sit and allow you and the kids to go thru doorways before she is allowed to proceed, for example. 

If you were told she knows commands, and she doesn't perform for you right away, don't be surprised. Once she understands who is in charge (ie any and all humans), she should remember just fine. 

There is an adjustment period anytime you bring a dog into the house...the older the dog, IME, the longer the adjustment period.


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## therunbunch (Oct 5, 2009)

After reviewing everyone's comments (Thank you!) I have made a couple of arrangements... My brother-in-law will be able to keep 1-2 of my children. Mom will stay in the car with the other 2 while I pick up the dog. Might have to use a cart or something to roll crate to the car, or might leash her and drag the crate, depends on what's available and I am only one person. These are just the limitations and there's no other way around them as we don't know anyone else in the area (just moved here a month ago). Will have a bag handy with all the stuff mentioned above (your lists and mine) and will be prepared to transport her in the crate. I can fold the 3rd row seats down and a crate (even a really large one) will fit fine. Will wait until we are home to have a meet and greet.. and only after I've socialized with the dog a bit alone, myself, and can assess where she is with her stress level. Will let her investigate the first floor of the house and allow her ample visits outside to do her business. Sounds good??


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## therunbunch (Oct 5, 2009)

OH.. and she IS trained up on commands. She's one of Black River's own dogs, not just a puppy that was bred, but a dog that they have breeded and had for years. She is amazing with their kids and I will expect no less with mine... but I am realistically prepared for her to be completely out of her element.. but will hope she'll be thrilled and mellow. I will definitely post how things went and pictures!


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

bluemoonluck said:


> You need to immediately and without question let her know that you and your kids are alpha to her. This doesn't mean you need to be aggressive or mean to her, quite the opposite!!


This is where working on "sit" in the yard and then insisting on sit before entering the house comes in. You are letting the dog know who is in charge before even entering the house, but doing it in a soft, nonconfrontational manner.


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

I absolutely will not take a dog out of a crate at the airport.

I've got a 4-5 hour drive home from the airport, so I do stop at a quiet park and take the dog out on a choke chain and leash for a potty break. Or, if I am receiving Papillons, they get turned into a portable exercise pen to pee and get a drink. 

If you are going straight home and it is not far, don't let her put until she is closed inside a secure fence.

The law is that the dog _must_ have a drinking cup in the crate, so you can probably pour her some water through the door once she is inside your car. Give her distilled water for that first drink. She is going to have to get used to your water, and inside the crate is not the place to do it.

If she is true to the breed, she will be a lovely sweet girl. She will not mind you at all until she gets to know you a bit. Be sure that the kids give her some time to get settled in. She'll be unhappy if she lived with another family for several years and has lost them. They are loyal dogs. She will transfer her affection to you, but don't expect it in the first hour.

She is gorgeous, by the way.


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## therunbunch (Oct 5, 2009)

Oregon, thanks for that reminder about the transfer of affection. I guess it's easy to forget that the poor thing won't likely be as excited about all this as we are!


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