Traveling with a protection dog requires more planning than traveling with a small dog. Hotels, airlines, and villa staff will have questions for owners of protection dogs, and most of these questions can be settled by phone and email before departure.
A protection dog works for the adult who handles it, so it is essential to decide who will give the commands on the road. This adult must be present at check-in, in the hotel lobby, and at the villa door.
Pre-Trip Arrangements
At Slovak Protection Dogs USA, the adults who will give the dog commands take part in in-home training. Before booking a trip, it is necessary to read the pet policy of the hotel or villa and then call the property to speak with the front office manager or the concierge.
Ask whether the dog may stay in the suite while you are at dinner, which public areas it may enter, and whether a ground-floor room with direct access to a lawn is available. Get the answers in writing by email, so you have the agreement when you arrive.
For a private villa, put the same questions to the owner or the management company, and inform them that the dog is trained for protection work.
Flight Arrangements
On most commercial airlines, a pet rides in the cabin only if it fits in a carrier under the seat, which leaves out an adult German Shepherd. A protection dog does not count as a service animal, so it flies under the airline’s ordinary pet policy.
Read the airline’s pet policy for your exact route and dates, as many airlines carry a large dog only in the hold or as cargo, and each sets its own limits on when and where it does. On a private charter, the operator sets the rules, and some operators let a large dog ride in the cabin.
Ask for the charter company’s pet policy in writing and provide the dog’s size and weight when you request the quote.
Related Post: Trip.com COO urges AI adoption amid travel slump
When traveling with a protection dog, it is essential to keep its day as close to its home schedule as the trip allows. This includes walking the dog and running short training sessions at the same hours as at home.
Bring the dog’s own bed or crate, so it has a familiar place in the suite from the first night. Introduce villa staff and drivers one at a time, and agree with the staff where the dog may go, keeping it out of the kitchen if the house asks you to.
If a driver picks you up at the airport, let the dog meet the driver beside the car before the first ride.
Start making these arrangements as soon as the travel dates are set, since the airline’s answer alone can decide whether the dog flies with you.
A dog entering or returning to the United States must appear healthy on arrival, be at least six months old, be microchipped, and travel with a receipt for the CDC Dog Import Form. The remaining requirements depend on the dog’s travel history, including the countries it has been in during the six months before entry. Check your destination’s own entry rules with that country’s official authority when you book the trip.
Carry the originals of any signed or endorsed certificates your destination requires, such as a veterinary health certificate, and keep printed copies of every document in the same folder as your passports.
Special Considerations
Certain trips may not be suitable for a working dog, such as crowded festivals or itineraries with frequent hotel changes. In these cases, it may be best to leave the dog behind with a trusted handler.