Tips for a fearful dog?

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Mtns2Skies

Final Approach
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Mtns2Skies
70lb Amstaff mix... He LOVES car rides but for some reason is terrified in the plane. I took him for one flight around the pattern with the wife in the back with him and he was pretty fearful with tail inbetween his legs.

Tried again the next weekend and while we could get him in the plane eventually, he started barking and was terrified once the engine started up. He was too nervous to even be taking treats at that point. I shut down and that was it for flying that day.

We're going to try and go slower and warm him up to being in the hangar and around the plane, then maybe feed him in the plane so he associates it positively.

Anyone else have furry friends that you need to convince to fly?
 
Mtns2Skies said:
Anyone else have furry friends that you need to convince to fly?
Click to expand...

Fly and go on vacation with the dog? Nope and nope, that's what kennels are for. I mean, I love my dog, but vacation is vacation, and that includes a vacation from caring for the dog.
 
I have good luck with both of my dogs. The first one ditched any form of "real" ear protection so I was relegated to putting cotton swabs in his ears. He otherwise seemed to enjoy flying, he'd stare out the back window like we were in a car and didn't get stressed in the hangar

My second dog has only been up once, and did fine luckily. Napped mostly, sometime would stare out the window.

**Maybe your dog will acclimate, but I don't think you can force this. It's noisy, unnatural, hot.. it's a weird environment for a dog.

OP, did you use any ear protection? Loud noises can be stressful to dogs. Maybe making it quieter in the cabin would help with the stress?
 
My dog was terrified of the engine noise the first couple flights, but now she jumps on the wing before I can get the door open. Of course she starts howling to get out as soon as I'm on final sometimes during a long flight. LOL
 
Some dogs are terrified of noises such as fireworks - it’s just who they are. If it was an emergency and you had to fly with the dog use ear protectors and get a tranq from the vet

But don’t force the dog to fly. Heck - read the thread about spouses who don’t like to fly. Sometimes it’s just not if the cards.
 
Go slow. Let him/her hang around the hangar to get use to the plane, then taxi around slowly in the non-movement ramp area with the dog in the plane, finally going for a short ride in the pattern with the dog wearing mutt-muffs or similar hearing protection.

My golden retriever took to flying in the back seat of my 172 like a duck to water.

BackseaterBaxter small.JPG
 
Bill Jennings said:
Fly and go on vacation with the dog? Nope and nope, that's what kennels are for. I mean, I love my dog, but vacation is vacation, and that includes a vacation from caring for the dog.
Click to expand...
I remember one of my first trips to OSH (10-12 yrs?). Put the dog in the kennel. I think he had more fun that I did. I stayed in un-airconditioned dorm, breakfast was dorm food, lunch was crap at the field, and dinner always took hours even with reservations. My feet hurt every evening. He had room service, airconditioning, and all day to play in the yard with the other dogs. Yep, I think he had the better time.
 
Try some taxiing around the airport. If he likes car rides, that would be quite similar. After a few of those "trips", take off, go around the pattern once, land, and taxi a little more. After writing this, I think that might have been a better way to try things for my wife too.
 
My dog pukes.
I don't even have to start the engine.
As soon as you put her in the plane, she starts to drool.
Within 45 minutes to 1 hour, tops, she pukes.
Same in the car.
She's very consistent. She is only 6 months old, so maybe there is hope?
 
My basset hound released so much gas that I thought he had left me a present. Luckily he did not, but when I landed 240 miles away I arranged for a car ride home for him.
 
Once, when a flying buddy and I were buzzing around the patch with all pets safely enjoying life at home, we eventually landed at KADM, Ardmore, OK. The friendly lineman walked over to see if we needed services as we shut down the engine. We said no, and then the lineman pointed out the baggage door was open and not latched.

My buddy's quick wise ass mind made his mouth say, “Oh Shlt!!!! Where’s the dog!?!?!?”

The horrified expression on the lineman's face was priceless.

So was the look of relieve when we let him in on the joke.
 
LOL. Like a scene from Vacation / Chevy Chase
 
Mine has such bad separation anxiety as long as I'm there shes fine. She just sleeps, same as car rides. Which is weird because being a German shorthaired she bounces off the walls in the house.
 
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