Dog Jaunt

Jul 11 2013

PetEgo’s Pet Tube: Chloe’s current car safety solution

For three years, Chloe’s car safety solution was a combination of the medium-sized Snoozer Lookout car booster seat (strapped to the car with the right rear safety belt) and a harness-and-belt that she wore while in it (clipped to the right rear “latch bar” of our car). I felt pretty good about that approach, right up to the day that I watched a series of videos filmed by the Center for Pet Safety, showing what happens to a crash-test dummy of a Boxer wearing a number of safety harnesses/tethers (makers unidentified) in a 50 mph crash.

I was so horrified by the videos that I immediately swapped Chloe’s harness and tether and Snoozer booster seat out in favor of the Pet Tube from PetEgo. It was not a popular move: Chloe missed seeing out the window, and my husband missed canoodling with her. A year later, though, I can report that Chloe travels comfortably in the Pet Tube, and my husband has stopped sulking.

Chloe in her Pet Tube, which hangs, via two adjustable straps, from the headrest of a car seat; that panel hanging down in the foreground zips closed to shut her in.

More about the Pet Tube in a moment, but those of you who travel a lot with dogs (going to dog shows, for example) will be wondering why I didn’t choose the safest option of all, a crate like the classic PetMate Sky Kennel or the snazzy new 4Pets Dog Box, strapped to the car with a safety belt or tie-downs. If I were starting from scratch, with a new puppy, that’s what I’d do, but I felt like that would be too much of a change for Chloe’s comfort. She had grown accustomed to being able to see us, everything in the car, and a good chunk of the outside world from her booster seat, and from a crate she’d see none (well, much less, anyway) of those things. She was cranky enough in the Pet Tube for the first couple of weeks, and it at least lets her see easily around the car.

[1/28/14 It turns out that this entire next paragraph (and the picture, above) is wrong: In fact, per the video reader that Terri posted in a comment (see below), the Pet Tube is actually secured by fixing its two straps around the back seat. Please see my update post for more details. Now, mind you, the Pet Tube worked for us for over half a year as I’ve described below, and I don’t believe it’s unsafe used that way — and it certainly is easier to move from one car to another if the straps are merely hooked over the headrest. On the other hand, secured around the seat back, the Pet Tube doesn’t budge — and it can be installed even in cars without headrests.]

The Pet Tube turns out to be a good choice. It took me awhile to figure out how it works best — initially, I left the straps long, and pulled the right rear seatbelt across them to keep the tube pinned closer to the seat, but a few months ago I realized that if I dramatically shortened the PetTube’s hanging straps instead, there was no need for the safety belt. In an accident, if the hanging straps were cinched short enough, the Pet Tube would swing up and forward without hitting the passenger seat in front of Chloe.

Here’s what I like about the PetTube: It has excellent ventilation and visibility. Both ends zip open, so when the tube is hanging from your car’s right rear headrest, you can load your pup into it from the right rear door, and also reach into the tube from the driver’s seat. It can be collapsed into a thick pancake (18″ in diameter and about 3″ thick) and secured with a zipper, so it can go into a suitcase for those trips where you’ll be driving at your destination. Chloe likes the PetTube because she can change positions without getting tangled up in a harness strap (and no harness means that loading and unloading her is easier on us too). Although it’s an awkward shape for a carrier, I like the fact that you can attach a shoulder strap to it in a pinch — it doesn’t come with one, but if you have an extra, stow it in the car for emergencies.

Here’s what I’m less fond of: The “optional” comfort pillow really is a necessity, since it creates a firm, flat platform for your pup to lie on (we add a soft pad on top of that — neatly, the same size supplemental pad we use for Chloe’s large SturdiBag, the XS Pet Dreams Plush Sleep-Eez pad, also works in her PetTube). That’s not a calamity, but the pillow does take up a significant amount of suitcase room. The PetTube also requires a real headrest to hook around — on a couple of occasions, we’ve found ourselves in cars with only vestigial headrests on the back seats, and Chloe’s had to ride in the right front seat area (if this happens to you, be sure to disable the right front air bag).

On balance, I’m happy with the PetTube. A hard crate would be safer, there’s no doubt about it, but the features (and convenience) of the PetTube work well for us.

Amazon links:

Petego Pet Tube Car Kennel

Petego Comfort Pillow for Pet Tube, Small

Petego Comfort Pillow for Pet Tube, Large

Pet Dreams Plush Sleep-eez Dog Bed

Jul 9 2013

Canine Casual Ultimate Backpack Carrier winner

The giveaway for the Canine Casual Ultimate Backpack Carrier I reviewed back on June 17 ended last night, and today I get to announce that the randomly-chosen winner is Joan M. (I don’t think there are two Joans with a last name starting with “M” on the newsletter subscription list, but just in case, I’m sending a congratulatory e-mail to the right one).

Photo by Tops Pet Products

Yay, Joan! I hope you’ll be as pleased with the backpack as we are. Please note that Joan won because she signed up for Dog Jaunt’s newsletter — I plan to offer Dog Jaunt’s future giveaways to the subscriber list, so sign yourself up using one of the many subscribe/newsletter buttons sprinkled around this page (heck, if you hate the newsletter, you can always unsubscribe).

Jul 8 2013

Reader’s report: Modifying a Southwest Airlines carrier to be taller

In last Wednesday’s blog post, I mentioned that while the in-cabin pet carrier that Southwest Airlines sells is a workable option, it’s improved by a modification a reader sent me. In its “resting” state, the bag is 8.5″ tall. Unzipped, a gusset allows the bag to be 10.5″ tall — but the gusset has no support, so it tends to collapse back down on your pup’s head.

Enter reader Andee and her clever modification, explained in this annotated photo:

If this is just too darned small to see, send me an e-mail and I’ll mail you the full-sized image.

Andee explained that “The side arches bend in a couple of inches for when the top is zipped at 8.5″ to go under the seat, and are pulled back to the sides by the elastic when it is expanded to 10.5″. Owners may also want to cover the arches with a heavy duty rubber netting or a fabric if their dog is a gnawer or would find it fun to put his head between the arches and the sides (I’ve owned that dog, LOL!). Anyways, it worked for us and if someone is planning on using their SW bag more than once, the effort may be worth it — it was to me to not have the top sitting on Rose’s head during our trip.”

Rose is Andee’s beautiful Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Here they are together on a day trip to Sarasota, FL:

Please note that Rose is every bit as big as Chloe, and maybe a little bigger, and Andee says she fit comfortably in the Southwest in-cabin carrier

And here are two more pictures of Rose, because there are simply never enough Cavalier pictures in the world:

Thanks so much for your report, Andee! I think your directions will make that Southwest bag a better choice for many travelers who, like me, thought it would cramp their pup’s style.

Jul 5 2013

Photo Friday: Scoop law sign from Arlington, VA

Here’s a fun one, sent in by reader Jessica — no picture for me to admire or revile, just straightforward text:

After all, who’s picking up whose poop? Yep, we know who’s really in charge….

Thanks, Jessica! I’m adding this post to Dog Jaunt’s scoop law sign collection — to see others, click on the “scoop law” tag below this post, or type “scoop law” in the search box.

Jul 3 2013

Should I buy the in-cabin pet carrier my airline sells (or approves)?

An earlier version of this post is one of Dog Jaunt’s top hits — clearly, it’s a question that a lot of you have, but the info in the old post was getting dated. Here’s a re-do, with fresh information.

Nowadays, only two major U.S. airlines will sell you an in-cabin carrier: JetBlue and Southwest. Please note that while AirTran and United say they do, I learned yesterday from customer reps that AirTran has in fact discontinued that service, and United sells only hard-sided carriers for cargo transport. Alaska Airlines used to sell in-cabin carriers at some of its ticket counters, but no longer.

JetBlue’s in-cabin pet carrier

The carrier that JetBlue sells reportedly weighs 2 lbs. and measures 16″ long x 8-1/2″ high x 10″ wide. It costs $50. It has zippered openings on one end, one side, and the top; there are a respectable number of mesh ventilation panels; and one of them is located on the carrier’s top, so you can see your pet while she’s at your feet (as she will be during most of your travels).

The JetBlue pet carrier [Photo by JetBlue]

It is, however, and as JetBlue itself points out, “a small pet carrier” (emphasis in the original). The height of a carrier should be the same (or about the same — on a few occasions, Chloe has traveled in carriers an inch or two shorter than she is) as your dog’s height at the shoulder. In a JetBlue-sized carrier, I wouldn’t try anything larger than a Chihuahua or a Pomeranian or a Yorkie (as pictured).

We often fly with Chloe on JetBlue (our preferred airlines, given where we live and where we go, are JetBlue, United, Southwest, and Virgin America). She’s 12″ tall, about 16″ from nape of neck to base of tail, and weighs 13 lbs., and would never fit in the JetBlue carrier. She typically travels in a large SturdiBag carrier, which measures 18 L x 12 H x 12 W inches.

If you look at Dog Jaunt’s growing collection of airplane under-seat space measurements, you’ll see that the best seats on a JetBlue A320 for a traveler with a pet have under-seat spaces that are either 10″ or 11″ tall (on an E-190 the space is 9″ tall). The large SturdiBag works because its top and sides are extremely flexible (also, Chloe does not fill it completely, and prefers to travel lying down and curled up, so there’s room for the carrier top to flex down into).

Southwest’s in-cabin carrier

I started out pooh-poohing the carrier that Southwest sells, but they changed its design a while back, and a reader sent me a great mod that I’ll soon post, and now I’m much more positive about it. It measures 18.5″ L x 13.5″ w x 8.5″ h — but it has a top gusset that expands to add 2″ to its height, bringing it up to a respectable 10.5 inches. It costs $48. The gusset tends to droop downwards; the modification I’ll post keeps the gusset elevated. It has a lot of mesh ventilation panels, and, again, one of them is on the top, so you can look down into it at your pet.

The Southwest Airlines pet carrier [Photo by Southwest Airlines]

That’s a nice-sized carrier — a little longer, in fact, than the one Chloe uses, and and inch and a half wider. If I only flew on Southwest, and if Chloe were just a bit shorter, I’d buy their carrier, and install the mod.

Since we do fly on other airlines, I prefer Chloe’s large SturdiBag. I like the quality of the SturdiBag, and I like the extra inch and a half of height it offers. It fits comfortably onboard (as you’ll see when you look at the measurements actual travelers have recorded, Southwest’s under-seat spaces provide more headroom than the simple 8.5″ listed in the airline’s official measurements). Other airlines might react negatively to the Southwest carrier, since it is so wide.

Sherpa’s Pet’s Guaranteed On Board option

Guaranteed On Board (“GOB”) is officially a creature of the Quaker Pet Group, but of their brands, you’re most likely to know Sherpa’s Pet Trading Co., maker of the soft-sided carriers that started the soft-sided carrier movement. Frankly, I don’t like their carriers. The one I’ve minded least is the Delta Deluxe carrier we bought to bring our cat Cora home from Ohio, but even still, it’s got flaws.

Nevertheless, the Sherpa carriers are popular, and if (1) you have a small pet who complies with an airline’s official maximums, and (2) you’re nervous about your upcoming trip and would love to take some of the worry out of it, you might want to consider the GOB program.

Here’s how it works: Sherpa represents that certain of its carriers are acceptable on certain U.S. airlines. If your dog fits in an approved carrier for a particular airline, and yet you are still prevented from boarding with her, Sherpa will refund you the cost of your flight plus your pet travel fee. Please note that there is a form to fill out (click on “Airline Forms” in the menu at the top of the main GOB page), which will generate a certificate that you will need to bring with you to the airport on the day of travel. Please also note that there is a long list of exceptions and caveats. I have no data to give you about how many submitted claims are actually paid.

I have not used the program myself, because (1) I don’t like Sherpa carriers, and (2) Chloe is too large for the small Original Deluxe, American Airlines Duffle, or Element Duffle carriers, the only ones Southwest accepts under the program. She does fit in the Delta Deluxe carrier (the same one our new cat Cora used), so if I were nervous about traveling with her on American, Delta, or United (all of which accept that carrier under the GOB program), I’d dust it off and use it — and fill out the GOB form.

That’s getting confusing, so let me take a step back and break it down by airline. Here are the Sherpa carriers that each will accept under the GOB program:

American — The small and medium American Airlines Duffle; the small and medium Original Sherpa Deluxe carrier; the Delta Deluxe carrier; the small Element Duffle; and the medium Ultimate on Wheels carrier (plus the Cat Tote)

AirTran — The small (only) American Airlines Duffle; the small (only) Original Sherpa Deluxe carrier; and the small Element Duffle

Alaska — Same as AirTran

Delta — Same as American

Southwest — Same as AirTran

USAir — Same as AirTran

United — Same as American

If you have a large small dog like Chloe, the only parts of this program that will interest you are American, Delta, and United. If your dog is a very large small dog, American drops off the list, because they have an upper weight limit of 20 lbs., and you’re unlikely to get a GOB refund when your dog+carrier is over the maximum weight. If your dog is that large, in fact, it’s probably also unlikely that you’d get a GOB refund for a Delta or United flight, though the basis for denial of boarding would instead focus on how your dog fits into the carrier.

If, however, you have a small dog (i.e., one who truly fits in a GOB carrier for your airline, and meets that airline’s age and size requirements), the program might be a good choice for you — but only if you’re really nervous about flying with your pet. Otherwise, why bother? You have a small dog who meets your airline’s requirements, and your carrier complies with the airline’s requirements — heck, you can put your feet up and relax.

Jun 28 2013

Photo Friday: A facelift for Dog Jaunt

Today the big news is Dog Jaunt’s new look! You’re, well, looking at it, so here’s a reminder of what the site looked like yesterday:

Dog Jaunt’s look for the past three years or so.

You’ll be distracted, as I am, by the adorableness of the new dog collar menu and ID tag search bar, but the big change is at the top — those three boxes gather together information and posts about different kinds of transportation and make them the first things you see. The other big change is less obvious: The new look is also mobile-ready, so the site now works on iPads and smartphones.

It’s my hope that all the changes will help folks navigate around the site more easily, and lay their hands on blog posts that help them more readily. There are still some changes to make and loose ends to tuck in. If you see a loose end that I’ve missed, please let me know, and please also let me know what you think of the new look!

My heartfelt thanks and undying love to my husband Walter (what looks like an overnight change is, in fact, the result of a heap of work) and my friend Chandler O’Leary, illustrator extraordinaire and the proprietor of Anagram Press, who created the design in a matter of hours (literally — I watched her do it). Their sweet tempers and mad skillz astonish me.

Jun 26 2013

Pet relief area at California’s Long Beach Airport (LGB)

Long Beach was the second airport pet relief area I wrote about. In early 2009, a month after we brought Chloe home from her San Diego-area breeder, we flew back down to California — but this time to Long Beach. Here’s what I said back then:

While there is no official pet relief area at this adorable airport, it’s so small that you can rapidly exit and find a patch of greenery outside the baggage claim area. My favorite is the bit of lawn under the flagpoles, pictured at right. There is a poop bag dispenser at this location, and another near the south crosswalk by the outside snack shack (look for the phone booths — the bag dispenser is next to them).

Brief, right? And the picture I included was tiny.

Here’s the same picture I posted in 2009, but much larger. The old terminal is behind my back and to my right.

I’ve learned a lot since then — well, at least I’ve learned to make the pictures as big as possible! — but the basic information about LGB didn’t change much (we return there every February) until this spring, when the airport’s never-ending renovations finally…ended.

So what’s changed? The old terminal, a blast of nostalgia from the early days of commercial flying, is still there, thank goodness, and it remains charming. The green poles holding poop bags also remain, in their same locations, and it’s still nicest to take your pup to the grassy patch under the flagpoles. What’s new is the new terminal, of course, which is not only lovely but also has a kind of indoor-outdoor area where I wouldn’t have encouraged Chloe to pee or poop — it’s not equipped with grassy patches or poop bag poles — but where it did seem okay to let her out of her bag to stretch her legs.

How I love my panorama app — this is the full length of the new walkway/”patio” area, with the entry to the actual new terminal to the right and the exit to the left. Please note that the wall of glass windows facing me is, in reality, flat.

I suspect people don’t change flights in Long Beach, but rather just arrive there or leave from there. If you’re arriving there, the new space won’t change your pet’s life — you’ll just dash out together to the pet relief area, collect your bags, and head off into sunny SoCal. If you’re departing from Long Beach, though, you’ll love the new space. You’ve arrived early, right, because you just do, and you’ve taken your pup to the pet relief area. You’ve checked in, and now you have some time on your hands. Normally, at this point, Chloe is zipped into her bag and waiting next to me at the gate for boarding to begin, because where else can she be? At Long Beach, now, she can wait with me in what’s really a large walkway/patio connecting the terminals. We’re only a minute away from the gates, so I’m not nervous, and Chloe can be out of her carrier and poking around, or snoozing, as she chooses:

So much nicer to wait for a plane this way than being zipped into her carrier.

This post is part of an ongoing series of reviews of airport pet relief areas we’ve visited. To see others, visit Dog Jaunt’s handy guide to airport pet relief areas.

Jun 24 2013

Southwest and AirTran: No pet “reservations” on shared itineraries

10/18/13 Thanks to reader Rebecca for nudging me (see the comments below) to update this post. Since I wrote it, Southwest and AirTran have snuggled into a cozier embrace and now you can bring a pet on a “shared itinerary” (that is, travel plans that include flight legs on Southwest and AirTran planes). However, you can only make advanced reservations for your in-cabin pet on non-shared, AirTran-only itineraries. If you fly entirely on AirTran flights, “Advanced reservations must be made by calling AirTran Airways at 1-800-AIR-TRAN (1-800-247-8726), and the Pet Fare payment will be required at that time.” Southwest’s pet page is currently poorly written, and speaks only about shared itineraries, but I am confident that its usual first-come-first-served policy still applies to Southwest-only itineraries.

If you are traveling with a pet, be sure that your itinerary includes only flights on one carrier or the other (and if you plan to travel on AirTran only, book your travel through AirTran, not Southwest). This issue arose many months ago, shortly after the merger between Southwest and AirTran started taking practical effect. I held off posting about it, partly because my to-do list has taken on a life of its own, but largely because I thought the problem wouldn’t last long. That appears not to be the case.

So why is this an issue? Haven’t the airlines, well, merged? Yes, but complete integration takes time. AirTran’s website explains that “Though AirTran Airways is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Southwest Airlines, the two are still operating as separate carriers.” They apparently anticipate being fully integrated by the end of 2014. In the meantime, you will be be allowed to travel with a pet on “shared itineraries,” i.e., either (1) a travel plan that includes both Southwest and AirTran flights, or (2) a travel plan consisting of AirTran-only flights that you’ve booked through Southwest’s site.

~~In neither of those cases will you be allowed to add a pet to your reservation, per Southwest’s website:~~

“Shared itineraries or AirTran-only itineraries booked through Southwest channels cannot be purchased for Pets, Unaccompanied Minors, or Groups. Please note that you cannot add a pet to a shared itinerary over the phone, nor can you add a pet to a shared itinerary upon arrival at the airport. Pets are not permitted to travel on shared itineraries.”

Earlier this year, a Dog Jaunt reader found herself in trouble when she purchased an itinerary on-line that included both Southwest and AirTran flights — when she called to add her pet to her reservations, she learned she couldn’t. She managed to get herself an all-Southwest booking, but I’ve no doubt her blood pressure suffered.

The two entities have similar pet policies in some respects (neither accepts checked pets, and both charge a $75 fee). They also both regard a pet carrier as a replacement for either your carry-on or your personal item, which is a big benefit to people who prefer not to check luggage. One difference is that Southwest tells travelers what space is available under their seats, while AirTran specifies a maximum carrier size. Another is that AirTran permits only one pet per traveler, and Southwest will let up to two pets share a carrier.

An important difference to note between Southwest and AirTran is that ~~despite a preamble that suggests otherwise (“Reservations for small cats and dogs can only be booked by calling Southwest Airlines at 1-800-I-FLY-SWA”),~~ Southwest does not in fact reserve a spot on the plane for your pet: The very next sentence reads “Pets will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until capacity is reached.” AirTran, by contrast, will reserve your pet a spot: “As limited space is available, advanced reservations must be made.” [10/18/13 As I’ve tried to indicate with my strike-throughs, Southwest has edited its pet policy to remove the misleading “reservations” language — now they’re quite clear that “Pets will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until capacity is reached.”]

We travel a great deal on Southwest, and to date their policy has not caused us trouble — five pets per flight are allowed, and we have not yet been in a situation where six pets showed up. It does take one worry off your mind, however, to know that your pet has an in-cabin space waiting for her; we appreciate the airlines that accept reservations for in-cabin pets, and I hope that Southwest adopts AirTran’s policy when the integration process is complete.

Jun 21 2013

Photo Friday: Ralph the Bichon/Cavalier is ready for Paris

I pretty much twisted reader Anne’s arm to let me post this picture, but how could I not? Sure it’s blurry, but many (oh, many) of the pictures I post here are blurry. Anne wrote to me about her upcoming trip to Paris with Ralph, her 13 lb. Bichon/Cavalier mix — who’s clearly got his bags packed and is ready to go:

Anne drew my attention to his “beret and squeaky passport”

This photo knocked even my husband sideways. We decided that it was the squeaky passport that did him in (for me, it’s Ralph’s perfect air-host demeanor — he’s just so well turned-out!), so I looked on-line for squeaky passport toys, and found one on Amazon (as of today, though, they’re sold out, so here’s an alternative source). Here is it from the front, still in its plastic bag, because wouldn’t it be a fun thing to give away?

“It’s a dog’s world” indeed (sorry about the glare!)

Thanks so much, Anne, for letting me post Ralph’s picture! I hope you guys have a wonderful time in Paris, and that you send us more pictures.