We are lovers of extra large dogs. Elaine's first dog out of college was a Great Dane named George Michael who was also Sarah's dog, Reba's, first best friend. To us super, large dogs mean bigger kisses, great cuddlers, and more to love all around.
Here’s the thing, taking Elaine's German Shepherd to the vet is pretty easy. She has an SUV and he lays nicely on the backseat or sits up with his head out the window. Taking her Great Dane to the vet was a whole other story. She had to put the back seats down, make sure he laid down (because he couldn’t stand properly in the car), and make sure she parked in a spot large enough for him to get in and out of the car easily. If getting to the vet is harder with an extra large dog, you can imagine what it’s like to move across the globe with an extra large dog.
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR MOVING WITH YOUR FOUR LEGGED GIANT
Be honest about your dog’s measurements. Dogs need an extra 4 inches above the top of their head/ears (whichever is taller) in their crate for an international move. They also need lots of room at the back of the crate and the sides - enough to sit, stand, and turn around comfortably. With extra large breeds this usually means crate extensions or a custom crate. Pets with Passports can help you find and purchase both if needed.
Many airlines only have a few planes that can handle the dimensions of such a large crate (either a 700 series, a 700 plus crate extensions, or a custom crate). This means that extra large dogs might need to be driven to an airport a little farther away to catch a flight.
Your dog’s flight costs are either based on the weight of your dog and the crate or the volume of the crate in the cargo hold (how much space the crate takes up). This means the larger the dog you have the more expensive the airfare will be.
Most countries will be fine with your Irish Wolfhound or your 100 lb Labrador. However, some countries and cultures do not appreciate the gentle giants as much as we do. We can help you navigate any extra paperwork or procedures that are required in some countries simply because you have a “large dog.”
No one loves these gentle giants more than we do. If you running into problems or need help traveling or moving your large dogs please contact us here.
Fun Fact - We once helped a client move her brindle Great Dane from Washington DC to Dubai. We built a beautiful custom crate for the pup with lots of room and lots of air holes and air pockets because we knew it would be hot at the airport in Dubai. When the client (who was clearing customs on her own) showed up at the airline’s cargo facility the workers told her, “no dogs arrived today”. She was of course very scared and worried because she had tracked her dog’s AWB and it said the dog had arrived. Finally one of the workers said, “no dogs have arrived, only the tiger”. the client then laughed and called her dog’s name really loud. The dog of course barked back. The poor airline workers saw the large striped animal and didn’t want to get close. They assumed her striped Great Dane was a tiger.
(Zoe the Great Dane moved from Texas to California via a long car ride with Elaine and Sarah)