Bringing a puppy dog into Germany

I bring puppy pads and let him out to pee on them in the lavatory. He usually crawls right back in his bag afterward (he loves his bag). Never a peep out of him during the flight (though he does get a little fidgety toward the end of the MUC-SFO trips). The SF vet suggested children's benadryl if necessary (dosage according to weight), which I tried in the beginning when he was small(er) but he doesn't need anything now.

Puppy pads? What are those? Are there diapers for dogs, actually? Because my dog isn't a puppy anymore (he's pretty small...I think for some airlines he would still qualify to be taken in the cabin rather than in the cargo hold (under 10kg??) I don't think he would pee on one spot if I told him to...he'd probably just pee on the wall or something. Not a pretty picture.

Puppy pads are pads you put on the floor. Absorbent and supposedly scented so as to encourage a dog to go on it. Apparently there are doggie diapers but, depending on how old he is, he'd probably try and get it off first and/or not pee at all if he's not used to it.

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@TMAC: Hurrah! Another mini schnauzer in town!

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"Puppy Pads" - have been looking for those since we ran out of the ones we brought over from Aus. Guess we'll be ordering some to be shipped in. Thanks Butter Bean.
PS we have a mini schnauzer-poodle. The Bogenhausen vets thought it hilarious that her Aus registration papers list her as a "Schnoodle"!
She copes well in the apartment and loves getting taken for more walks than she did at home where we had a little yard.

Mr&MrsC - the only place I've found puppy pads in Germany so far is at tiershop.de (called "Nappy Stubenrein"). Not cheap either, but the price sort of approachs what I pay for shipping a box of 100 from the US (privately, via regular mail, etc.).

Thanks for that. I guess it would make sense to get the dog used to the diapers beforehand, but he's really the type to try to bite it off. I'm just very skeptical, but I know the day will come where I will have to take him with me (e.g. when I go back home in a couple of years). I hope that he is considered small enough to travel in the cabin, cause he would definitely freak if he was put in the cargo hold.

how big is he lbherwick? usually the limit is 25 lbs, but some just say he must be able to move about comfortably in a carrier that can fit under the seat in front of you. Note that if you fly Lufthansa to the states, be careful not to get booked on its affiliate US Air, as USAir does not allow pets in cabin (Lufthansa proper and the United affiliates flights do). Mini-pup definitely can't go in cargo either...

I would try and get him used to puppy pads at home, then maybe you can try my "method".

Hmm..well I have no idea in pounds. I think he's about 9 -10 kg. Which would be...about 20 pounds. He's a little bigger than a Dackel (Dachshund ??) but definitely not as long. Maybe a little smaller than a full-grown Jack Russell Terrier. I can carry him in my arms easily, and he fits on my lap. (Me= 5'2, normal size) But when I imagine that under the seat space...sounds a bit cramped. I guess the whole economy cabin is cramped.

Kind of ironic isn't it? I get a mini-schnauzer and then I move to Germany... And just in case you're wondering, it wasn't planned! Anyway - he's a cool little pooch. Lots'a spunk!
Question for dog lovers - I used to live in Ottawa and I had a fantastic little dog park right in town. I knew everyone who went there and their dogs too. We went to the park together every day and most of us got to be great friends. So good in fact they are thowing a going away party for me next Saturday. Are dog owners in Germany just as friendly as they are back home? Or perhaps I was just really lucky where I lived? Thanks a bunch! TMAC

Here are some notes I took this week from Luftansa and Air Canada on taking your dog on a flight. Good luck!
Luftansa
1-800-563-5954
Up to date health cert. from a qualified vetrinarian. Health Report within 10 days of traveling. Clean bill of health dated 10 days before.
How much does he weigh IN the traveling case.
The maximum weight with carrying case is 18 lbs.

Dimensions – 45 inches the total sum of the dimensions or 115 cms.

In Hold – 49 by 29 by 33 inches is the max. crate size.

Can be hard or soft cover

Leak proof

They do scan the microchip at airport AND letter to go with it.
NEW INFO:
22 x 16 x 8 for in hold
The kennel needs to be bite proof, leak proof, stand up and turn around in, water and food avail, $175.00 plus tax.

Air Canada
1-888-247-2262
There is no weight restriction BUT there is a max. for dimension 21 ½ x 15 ½ x 9 inches
Kennel can be a hard or soft cover.
Pets MUST be able to stand up and turn around.

There is a restriction on the number of pets in cabin so check in advance to make sure there is space.
CHARGES: excess baggage rate x 2 is $350.00 plus tax for the dog.
In HOLD:

Wow, we'll be flying to Frankfurt out of Taiwan with our Labrador Retriever in a couple of weeks on China Air (bad rep, but the only direct flight ...) and they're charging us on a per kg excess baggage base which comes out to the equivalent of EUR 1,100.- for the ttl weight of dog & crate (44kg) ... I just wrote to the travel agent to check their quote again ...

Lufthansa charges €7 per kilo for flights within Europe. I get charged a flat fee of €90 to the US, but that's pet in cabin. They've never scanned his microchip and, in the last 2 years or so, only checked his papers twice.

Travel with dogs and cats is greatly facilitated by having a European Union Heimtierausweis. It is a pet passport that you can get from any German vet when your pet is getting his yearly rablies vaccination. I believe there is a €15 fee. After that, your Dog can travel to any nation in the EU (except UK, IRE, and Sweden) or the USA without any hassels whatsoever. On the downside, your pet needs to have the European ISO microchip, and the USA "Home Again" chip does not fulfill the requirement. So get your dog chipped here.

Antaresglow,
We traveled from California to Munich with our 9-wk. old Samoyed puppy and 2 cats, all in the cabin.

We chose the Samoyed breeder and puppy for the birth date, because we knew we didn't want our puppy in the hold, and (IN THEORY) if the dog is less than 10 wks. old he does not need a rabies shot to travel.

I say 'in theory', because our dog was seized at Frankfurt airport, even though we had every paper imaginable. It was some issue with the State of Hesse needing a 'special document'. It cost us 100 eu to spring him from jail.

My advice is: work closely with your vet in CA, document and paperwork EVERYTHING, get notarized German translations, and still mentally prepare yourself to get clobbered by the Border Patrol. Call Lufthansa and the German Embassy. Get names of people you talk to. Paperwork, paperwork, paperwork.

Lufthansa is the biggest animal-handling airline in the world. Try to fly L, even though they're rude. There is a direct LA - Munich flight in the summer.

We had pet tranquilizers from our vet but we didn't use them on any of our animals. They didn't need them! Carry food and ice cubes, but don't feed puppy on the day of the flight (unless you want him to upchuck). All our puppy wanted was an ice cube now and then. All our pets were in Sherpa bags, but don't stress if your puppy destroys it! Carry strapping tape in case he claws or bites a hole in the bag. Be prepared for your puppy to draw admiring crowds in airports, etc.

Flying with your pet is a test of endurance, but it's good in the end. Our Samoyed is a full-grown magnificent and happy dog. He's a 'conversation-starter' with Germans every day. He is welcome in many places that he wouldn't be in the U.S.

I highly recommend you get a puppy from a breeder in the U.S. It's the only way you can be sure of getting a dog of the right size and age to take aboard the plane. Also registered breeders insist on thorough vet care and documentation. Not only that, but US breeders breed dogs for good temperament, among other things. That is not so in Germany, we had a bad experience with that.

You probably don't have time to work with all the rescuers, pounds, etc. to find a puppy the right age to avoid the rabies requirement. I think your only chance at this point is to get a puppy through an AKC registered breeder. There are lists on the internet, google by dog breed. And by the way, if you google 'dog breeds' you can select the perfect dog for you on some sites (Purina has a 'dog quiz').

And by the way, connect right away with a vet in Munich -- your dog will need that rabies shot, among other shots and tick treatment, within weeks!

This is info on our vet -- and she is FANTASTIC. She speaks excellent English too.
Dr. Tanya Meyer
Lincolnstrasse 74
81549 Munich
Tel:089-625-8081
Emergencies: 0172-8959810

Good luck. Hope this helps.
M.

I know this is an old topic, AND I know that I have read Butterbean is leaving Germany, but I found an online shop where "Puppy Pads" can be bought for cheaper.

All-4-Pets - €0.42/pp - 60x60cm

Might be interesting for someone who travels a lot with their dog...

omg! I wish I/you'd found that 2 years ago when I first got here!

...quick...order now!

At the very least, shipping costs from Germany to France (it was France, right?) have got to be a lot cheaper than from the US.