Natasha Rose Can D'Ijuma: travel with dog

Showing posts with label travel with dog. Show all posts

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Planning for International Dog Show Tours

Today my fancy turns to international dog shows. I am to wondering what it would take to schlep all the necessary equipment AND Natasha Rose to an international dog show- that is one outside of Chile. As we are North Americans living in South America, raising a Vizsla from Argentina and showing her in Chile you could say we already were very internationally involved and to bring her to show in our home in the USA would qualify her as participating in an international show!

And to think I stress about overweight on my one suitcase!

I do this once and Jorge will never complain again about my 4 suitcases for a 3-day weekend

Ohh thank goodness Natasha Rose only needs a damp towel and a little nose cream to make her beautiful.
Ok plus a little brown shoe polish to cover the bald spot on her coat she got from a romp in the woods.

Watching our Chilean handler, Fernando Burgos' American Akita, Kenzo Von Dabuso place in the Colombian International Show Friday, March 16, 2012:

Watch live video from TV Ci-Sud on Justin.tv

and anticipating our Argentinean breeder, German Rodriguez showing his Vizsla, Dukesa Wild Can D Ijuma today I want to learn more about the prepping and paying involved in bringing a dog across borders to show internationally.

So while I wait to watch today's expositions live--

Watch live video from TV Ci-Sud on es.justin.tv

I'm doing some investigation on the subject and will be collecting the information. I will organize it later and set it up as a separate tab as I have planned for the gun dog info.

Please chime in here if you have any information, insight, tips or warnings to add to my "research."

And best of luck to all in Colombia!

Friday, March 16, 2012

Hunting & road trip survival with your dog

We discovered on our first day into the field with Natasha Rost that hitting the road with your dog is like trying to hit the road with your baby. Both need many items that will often take up more space than expected. To be better prepared for the next trip checked about to see what other items we should consider adding to our growing Travel with Natasha check list. So as a memo to self...

Whether on on the road for field training, trials or a hunt a here is a list of items to pack for your dog. Essentials include a portable kennel, food and water jug, and their appropriate dishes. We use a collapsable dog water bowl and feeder made of nylon that zips together. Make sure you have enough food and water on hand especially if out for many days or if the day is hot. Five gallons of fresh water will last the average dog about a week. Pack standard dog kibbles that your dog is accustomed to at home, but consider some other food items to stimulate a canine appetite provide added energy for when your dog is too tired to eat much or sometimes anything. A meat-based canned dog food or some savory chicken noodle soup full of fat and carbohydrates poured over kibbles will usually do the trick. And don't forget treats to reward her in the field.

Another essential is a first-aid kit and any meds they may be on. Discuss with your vet the items that may be needed for your kit: antibiotics, eye wash/drops, doggy aspirin to help relieve soreness from over exertion. All of the essentials need to be quickly accessible. Other recommended items include de-skunking ingredients, leash, whistle, training collar/transmitter/battery charger, chargers, dog towels, bed spread for motel bed, neoprene vest, chewing devices. If the day (or evenings) are chilly you'll want to pack a dog coat or blanket and bedding.

A large rubber maid plastic waterproof container is ideal for a storage bin. Or if your auto allows, building drawers into the back is a handy way to store items. Keep your storage bin or drawers stocked and ready to roll on moments notice.

Other items you may want to toss in the box for you include ear plugs, dishes, forks and knives, bird bags or dog waste.

Once you have your dog bag or box packed then you need to make sure the actual travel is easy, safe and calming for her. When we travel we keep Natasha in doggy seat belt. Travel kennel/crate is another option. We have discovered that Natasha tends to get car sick so it is also best not to over feed/water her and be certain there is sufficient air flow. Paper towels or wipes for easy clean up come in handy for those times when she does become sick.

Natasha travels safely in her harness.
Photo by DC Martinez

Other recommendations include a Leatherman for when the dog happens to have a close encounter with a porcupine or cactus.

Treat your dog as you would your own baby, NEVER leave your dog in a closed car. Doing so when the weather is warm can literally be a death sentence for your pet. Five reasons why leaving a dog in a hot car can be deadly are:

Dogs are especially vulnerable to heat-related illness because they can only cool off by panting and through the pads in their feet.
Even on seemingly mild days, an enclosed car can be deadly. In a Stanford University study, when it was 72 degrees outside, a car’s internal temperature climbed to 116 degrees within one hour.
Enclosed cars heat up quickly. In a study by San Francisco State University, when it was 80 degrees outside, the temperature inside a car rose to 99 degrees in 10 minutes and 109 degrees in 20 minutes.
A dog's normal body temperature is between 101 to 102.5 degrees; a dog can only withstand a high body temperature for a short time before suffering nerve damage, heart problems, liver damage, brain damage or even death.
Studies show that cracking the windows has little effect on a car's internal temperature.

If you plan to travel across the border with your hunting dogs, the customs agents might request a vet-signed copy of your dog’s shot records. You’ll need proof of rabies and other common inoculations to ensure a hassle-free crossing.

Have Dog, Will Travel: Road Trips with Your Dog
Must-Know Tips For Traveling With Hunting Dogs
Essential Gear for Traveling
Hunting Dog Travel Tips
Hot Cars Are Death Traps for Dogs

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Beyond the Westminster dog show, pet travel isn't always easy

By Laura Bly, USA TODAY

Sure, it's a dog's life for pooches staying at the Hotel Pennsylvania, the host hotel for this week's Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. After all, what guest (and its owner) wouldn't drool at the prospect of a "paw mall" gift shop, canine concierge, and 24/7 doggie spa with treadmills, "his and hers relieving area" and masseuse?

CAPTION

By Todd Plitt, USA TODAY

But if you're not Westminster's Best of Show winner (a Pekingese named Malachy) or its competitors, finding dog-friendly accommodations might be tougher than you think.

Though review site Oyster.com did a recent round- up of seven other New York hotels that go out of their way to cater to canines, a new survey commissioned by the Northern California-based online guideDogTrekker.com shows that while 8 out of 10 dog-owning travelers find hotel policies and amenities important when selecting accommodations, 42.3% are concerned about expensive hotel pet fees and 34% are confused over pet policies. Read more

Learn more about Traveling with dogs
Read about flying with Natasha Rose,
And Samson our Maltese:

Chile Dog- Gringo Style

Flying the Friendly Skies with Samson to Santiago

¡Bienvenida a Chile Natasha!

We left Argentina the evening of October 24, 2011 with Natasha and Procyon on board the LAN and touched down rin Santiago, Chile at 11:30 PM.

Prior to leaving Jorge had packed a bag of puppy kibble that the breeder had given us. I explained to both that the dog food would not be allowed through customs. There was some debate on that detail so I decided to just keep mum and let Jorge have an experiential learning opportunity later.

We left Argentina knowing we had followed the flying requirements to the letter:

LAN CARGO REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SAFE TRANSPORTATION OF YOUR PET :

In order to be accepted for air transportation, Pets must be at least two months old.
Provide an original health certificate signed by a licensed veterinarian stating that the animal is healthy enough to travel by air, is free of injury, and current on all vaccinations*. The certificate must be issued ten days or less from the date your pet will be transported.
All pets must meet applicable government regulations, including those for Agricultural Institutions at the countries of origin, transit and destination. Permits might be necessary for entry at destination, or if your pet is an endangered specie. Contact the local authorities and corresponding embassies for their regulations governing animals.
You must have an appropriate cage or kennel to transport your pet. In some locations, LAN CARGO offers a cage and kennel rental service. Specific guidelines for the acceptance, care, handling and container requirements are published in the IATA's Live Animal Regulation Manual.
Please contact LAN CARGO at least a week before the day you wish to transport your pet, to make a reservation.
If you are traveling with one of the LAN Alliance carriers, LAN CARGO can make arrangements so that your pet travels on your same flight. These reservations must be coordinated at least two weeks in advance in our Counters.

Our luggage made it ok through customs. Now all we had to do was to pick up our two month old puppies and make our way over to the SAG counter (Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero- animal and agricultural arm of customs), get them checked out and be on our way!

Thats when we discovered that we needed to have looked at ALL the requirements, especially those related to arriving in Chile.

Yes, there was that pesky item 7 we just didn't pay any attention to:

7. In case of pet transportation within Chile, other requirements apply.

Little did we realize that in order for the puppies to ENTER CHILE they needed to be THREE MONTHS old:

CHILE

1.- What are the requirements for pet transportation within Chile?

The pet must be at least 3 months old.

Jorge and I shot each other a look of panic as we stood in front of the SAG agent imagining the possibility of having to leave the puppies behind at the airport's SAG office for a month. The issue was the puppies needed to have had ALL their vaccinations. Of course this meant they were missing their 3 month series that included the rabies vaccination.

The SAG agent would not let us pass without our first calling in a vet to come into the airport and give the 2 month old pups an early third dose of rabies vaccination, a requirement for entry into the country. Lucky for us the SAG agent had a directory of vets within a close radias of the airport and who, for an added fee, would be very happy to help out.

Nearly an hour and half later the puppies were given an early rabies shot and we were on our way home... oh and without puppy food. I won the bet that SAG would not allow dog food into the country either. Jorge had to throw away all the food that the breeder gave him for the trip home admitting he was smarter now!

We informed Juan Carlos about the vaccination troubles and that we'd be arriving later than expected with his puppy, Procyon. He was there at our apartment eagerly awaiting our arrival.

We all made it home finally, but not until nearly 1:30 AM. And despite the early morning hour Natasha still wanted to play making herself quite comfortable in her new country and home.

Read my first experiences of traveling into Chile with our Maltese, Samson:
Chile Dog- Gringo Style
Flying the Friendly Skies with Samson to Santiago

Photos of the ride home: