Just one more Sherpa question…

  • Houston

    ..ok…so it looks like i finally got myself a little basenji puppy.
    He is actually born at a breeder in Sweden, so my brother will fly him here right after the New Year, so the question is...as an 8-9 week old puppy, what size Sherpa should I get? I know he could fit into a smaller one, but should I allow for him to have room, or is smaller, cosier better?


  • I brought Bruce home from Maryland in a Sherpa, the same size as we used when our adult girl flew with our daughter.
    You're welcome to come see ours or even borrow it if you want!

    Terry

  • Houston

    Terry you are such a sweet heart, the only thing is I would have to send it to Sweden so the puppy could get used to it..maybe it is better I buy one. Do you have the medium or large size one?


  • Ours is the large. We put a little fleece pad in the bottom of it. Holly fit in it fine as an adult, Bruce was 10 weeks old and he had a little more space, but he just curled up anyway. I didn't have any issues with the airlines, but apparently some try to tell you the dog has to have room to stand up and turn around - like they could when they're stuffed under the seat anyway!

    Terry


  • Congrats…. Petra... how cool... "boy/girl"? Color? and I would opt for the Medium or Large. I have used both on 10 to 11wk old.

    Have you checked the airlines for carrry on pets? I remember a friend when she went to the UK to bring back a puppy, whatever airline she used did not let pet carrry on regardless of age....

  • Houston

    Thanks Tanza..yes, serendipity has finally set upon me..It is a little Red/white boy from Zahleka kennels..Zahleka Pippin Fridley..very excited.
    I spoke with KLM ( airline of my brother's choice) and they allow him to fly with them but only in a medium size carrier. Should I go for that then?


  • His pedigree looks pretty nice - lots of pretty dogs behind him. I think he will be beautiful, Petra!
    How long is the flight?

    Terry


  • @Basenjimamma:

    Thanks Tanza..yes, serendipity has finally set upon me..It is a little Red/white boy from Zahleka kennels..Zahleka Pippin Fridley..very excited.
    I spoke with KLM ( airline of my brother's choice) and they allow him to fly with them but only in a medium size carrier. Should I go for that then?

    If he is 8 to 9 wks, I would go with the Medium size Sherpa… Are you getting one of Frida's puppies? And if so, then he will be related to my C-Me

    And that was really sad that they lost Frida shortly after the pups were born...


  • @Terry:

    His pedigree looks pretty nice - lots of pretty dogs behind him. I think he will be beautiful, Petra!
    How long is the flight?

    Terry

    +1 - can't wait to see pics of your new baby. and what a sad story about the momma dog. I can't imagine the conflicting emotions.

    Patton is the grandfather to all of my dogs, so we're family now. :p


  • Congrats. Can't wait to see pictures. And I guess, we're family now too. Patton is behind both my dogs and probably my next one. :rolleyes:

  • Houston

    Meet Zahleka Pippin Fridley..

    Thanks all..yes, I am over the moon…he will be gorgeous..then again..basenjis all are in my opinion.
    Linda has some very pretty dogs in her kennel, Frida being one of them for sure. It absolutely breaks my heart how they lost her so tragically.

    The flight is long..first one short one from Sweden to the Netherlands, then a long, 9 or so hour flight from there to Houston. I am looking at a Sherpa backpack medium size carrier, that way my brother, whom so graciously is bringing him over to me, has some pockets for his own carry on..this is the only sherpa bag I've found with extra zipper pockets.
    Unless you all know of a different bag or brand even. I am very excited and so nervous..I sure hope he will be OK during this long flight...my brother is absolutely freaking out..he can't fathom the puppy being Ok during the flight, food, water, pee and poop wise..;)


  • What a handsome fellow…. and yes, many of us are now family by our Basenjis!

    I think the Medium back pack will work fine. How long between the flight from Sweden to Netherlands? Time inbetween to play and get the puppy tired? Mostly he will sleep even on the 9 hour flight. What I do is to put a puppy pee pad under the little fleese pad that comes with the Sherpa, that way if they have to pee, it will go through the pad and you can change the pee pad. Takes a "bit" of practice, but works pretty well. And limit the food and water... and do not feed during the flight or if you can 3 to 4 hours before. When we brought home C-Me, Franie and Trip from Chicago, they ate at 7am Central time and did not eat again till that evening West Coast time... and they did just fine.

    And if you had to give a little water, use an ice cube. Also I have taken a pup into the lavatory on the plane, put a pee pad on the floor and put the puppy on that... they would pee immediately.... but would only do that if they wake up during the flight.

    One thing that I really noticed is that the floor of the plane is really cold... so keep that in mind. One time after we took off, I just put the Sherpa on my lap for the entire flight.. not comfy for me.. but was perfect for the pup!!!

  • Houston

    Tanza, Thank you..is is a cutie.
    The layover in netherlands is about 2 hours..the flight from Sweden is dead early in the morning, like 6:30..
    I thought about the bathroom thing, right before I read your post..great minds think alike..as a seasoned travler with kids, I know you have to come up with your own solutions..puppy pad is the thing..
    Do you think a sherpa with open netting will be too cold? He could just drape one of the blanakets given out over part of it to insulate more, or should I have him have a blanket insie the bag? This bag only had three sides of netting, actually more like 2.5 sides as one is only half way down. Which might be a good thing. I know I always freeze my butt off on planes.
    Wher eyou frown upon when you put the bag on your lap? I can see some grumpy flight attendants not liking that. Better a happy quiet puppy than a mad 300+ people onboard..imo!!


  • @Basenjimamma:

    Tanza, Thank you..is is a cutie.
    The layover in netherlands is about 2 hours..the flight from Sweden is dead early in the morning, like 6:30..
    I thought about the bathroom thing, right before I read your post..great minds think alike..as a seasoned travler with kids, I know you have to come up with your own solutions..puppy pad is the thing..
    Do you think a sherpa with open netting will be too cold? He could just drape one of the blanakets given out over part of it to insulate more, or should I have him have a blanket insie the bag? This bag only had three sides of netting, actually more like 2.5 sides as one is only half way down. Which might be a good thing. I know I always freeze my butt off on planes.
    Wher eyou frown upon when you put the bag on your lap? I can see some grumpy flight attendants not liking that. Better a happy quiet puppy than a mad 300+ people onboard..imo!!

    EXACTLY … a quiet puppy is better then one screaming.... as the story goes when Carol Webb picked up her puppy and he screams blood murder until she took him out of the bag and put him in her lap... the Flight Attn, said "you can't do that"... She said "Your choice, quiet and sleeping, awake and screaming"... They opted for quiet and sleeping... but as far as just having the bag in my lap after we took off, no one blinked an eye...

    And yes about the blanket, we had the blankets they handed out wrapped around the sherpa and it was still cold, but the blanket covering it kept the drafts out. And I had my jacket under the Sherpa, since it was the floor that was so cold... I also had a couple of small stuffed toys in the sherpa they could snuggle with and a big bully stick that they could chew on, which helped put them to sleep. I used the big, big bully sticks because they can't really get a good grip to chew and chew... but it was just something there.. like a pacifier.

    Just tell your Brother not to be concerned about feeding the pup... better off not to....(in my experience anyway) and if he can keep him awake during the 2hr layover, chances are that he just might sleep the entire next flight.

    The one time I had an early, early morning flight, I got up at 3am and then kept the puppy awake till we left for the airport...ggg Talk about tired...Oh that was me that was exhausted!!!

  • Houston

    I remember reading that story about Carol..how funny and so true..I had that happen once when I flew to Sweden from Houston, with my then 6 month old daughter..the man behind me asked, rather rudely.." is she going to cry the whole way?" and I simply answered, "well I could arrange for that to happen"..He sat back down and never said another word, while the people around us told me "good for you" for telling him off..
    Darn people.

    I will have him have some chew sticks in there, good idea..and toys too, he will have quite a bit a room I gather, so stuff can easily be in there with him.
    Thanks for all your help.


  • @Basenjimamma:

    I remember reading that story about Carol..how funny and so true..I had that happen once when I flew to Sweden from Houston, with my then 6 month old daughter..the man behind me asked, rather rudely.." is she going to cry the whole way?" and I simply answered, "well I could arrange for that to happen".QUOTE]

    How perfect is that!!!! Great comeback!!!

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