How to Travel With Pugs

Pugs are friendly and outgoing.

The pug is a toy dog with great personality. Pugs weigh up to 18 pounds, so they are not difficult to carry when you travel. They are also adaptable and travel well. When traveling with your pug, your pet must be safe and have all it needs for the duration of the trip, so that the experience is not overly stressful. Make traveling arrangements according to the length of the trip and the means of transportation you use.

Things You'll Need

• Crate
• Leash, collar, identification tag
• Airline registration confirmation
• Blanket and bedding
• Food and water bowls
• Tape
• Toys
• Litter box
• "Fragile" and "this side up" signs

Instructions

1. Prepare a crate for your pug. Regardless if you are traveling by plane or train, you need to have a crate. The crate should be large enough so that the pug can stand up and turn around in it, and it must also have space for the food and water bowls. If you are flying, check if you can take your pug with you in the cabin or whether the crate needs to be checked as a baggage. Airlines have requirements for the size of the crate, so check these details when you purchase your tickets.

2. Take the leash, collar and identification tags when you travel. Airlines typically require you to register your dog so that it will be on the same flight with you. Make the registration at the time you purchase the tickets. Bring the registration confirmation as well.

3. Line the crate with a blanket and bedding. The blanket and bedding should have a smell that is familiar to your pet to reduce stress. Avoid taking brand-new blankets or bedding. You may also place an old T-shirt that has your smell, which gives the pug a sense of comfort.

4. Tape the food and water bowls to the floor of the crate. Fill the bowls with food and water. Calculate the amount of food according to the duration of the flight.

5. Place a few of your pug's favorite toys in the crate so that your pet can play if bored. Pugs like challenges, so you may place a chew toy or a toy that has treats inside.

6. Place a litter box with sand in the crate, especially if the flight is more than two hours long. Tape the box to the ground, ideally opposite to the place where the bedding is.

7. Place "fragile" and "this side up" signs on at least two sides of the crate.

Tips & Warnings

• If your pug is typically nervous when you travel with it, consult your veterinarian to recommend you a tranquillizer. Avoid tranquillizers if your pug has a heart condition or if it is older, because tranquillizers have severe side effects.

• If you travel by car, you don't have to take a crate. However, strap your pug to the seat with a pet safety harness. Don't allow your pug to travel in the front seat, because the airbag may harm it.

• If traveling by car during winter, heat up the car before you bring the pug. Pugs are small dogs and they are sensitive to cold. In summer, start the air conditioning to prevent your pug from overheating.

• Pugs are brachycephalic dogs, which means that they have a short nose and may have respiratory difficulties when traveling by air, especially if they are older. Talk to your veterinarian prior to taking a trip with your pug.

References

• I Love Pugs: Traveling with Your Pug
• Pug Pros: All About Pugs
• Pet Health: Concerns in Brachycephalic Breeds