Laura Daniel Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 Hi all, we are planning to move next year, so am starting the process of arranging everything for our dog to come with us. he is a healthy 9 month old French bulldog who I love to bits. i couldn't imagine life without him so leaving him is not an option. i wanted to hear of any positive stories from people who have flown there frenchie/pug to oz. i am aware there is a risk as he is a snub nose dog, I was wondering if he had his soft pallet operation and nostril widening would put him at a lesser risk? i am willing to do all I can to make sure his journey is as safe and comfortable as possible. i have had a quote from Petair and am happy with using them as they have great experience in flying animals. im just worried in case anything happened to him I would never forgive myself and feel am I being selfish by taking him as I'm not sure he would like the heat which is another reason I wanted to get his pallet done before we leave any advice/reassurances would be much appreciated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 Well, if you are moving somewhere in Aus where its going to be hot you are right, he won't like the heat. Humidity probably won't be appreciated much either. But that doesn't stop people keeping Frenchie's here. Although I feel bad for some I see that are clearly kept outside even on hot days (along with other breeds like bulldogs) or taken to markets and dragged round in crowds and getting all hot and bothered rather than being left at home where its cooler. I really feel for them and consider it pretty cruel to keep those breeds outside in stinking hot weather but lots seem to here. They cannot regulate their temp well and a warm day in the UK can see them suffer so goodness knows what a 35C day here in Aus could do to them. Get used to your dog being walked first thing (6am ish) in the morning or later in the evening in the hotter months. And try to find a house that has good working air con and perhaps a tiled floor for him to lie out on to cool off. Also a shallow bathing pool he can get in and out of. And consider if you are going to be at work for long hours the house can heat up quite a lot and become very hot inside unless the air con is on (and cost of this running while out all day plus other factors). I would discuss the operation you are considering with a knowledgable vet first and foremost. And if need be breeders who have shipped their dogs long haul. TBH its you putting the dog through this, an operation/anesthetic on a snub nosed breed isn't great for them generally I don't think but if its a vital op and the gains outweigh the risks then its something to consider. If its being done to help make you feel better about him travelling long haul, perhaps rethink the plan? I'd also consider the route and time of year the dog is shipped. Bot at Pet Air will know all the ins and outs of this and best time to fly etc I can assure you. Discuss this all with him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Daniel Posted May 11, 2017 Author Share Posted May 11, 2017 Thank you so much for your reply i am hoping to work part time and do not intend on leaving him outside all day that is cruel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 There are lots of French Bulldogs over here in fact they demand lots of money up to $10,000 and there are currently lots of scams going on. In fact a few weeks ago I received an email from Dogs Qld about a new task force they had set up to combat issues with breeders demanding large amounts of money. @BobPetairUK is also a fully qualified reputable vet so maybe ask his opinion about the OP and if he thinks the OP is worth going ahead with. Also there are not many airlines left who will allow you to fly them, again Bob will know this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 Here is the Frenchie article http://ankc.org.au/MemberNewsItemDetail/?id=2688 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Daniel Posted May 11, 2017 Author Share Posted May 11, 2017 Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobPetairUK Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 Firstly, good on you for starting the process nice and early and investigating things early too. I read that Frenchies are going to take over from Labradors as the most common breed of pets dogs, so this will be a useful thread for many people in the future. Look, if i had a French bulldog and i was moving to Australia then yes i absolutely would "put them through this" for all the emotional reasons - we love them and our pets are part of our families. I would, however, know that there are risks and the general risks are higher for a snub nosed dog than a normal nosed dog, but still the risks are very small. The most likely outcome by a long way would be a safe journey with no real dramas. In terms of preparing your dog, then surgery just to get them ready for a flight seems a bit extreme to be honest. There is probably similar risk to a general anaesthetic and surgery as there is for flight. The thing you can do to help is to get your dog lean (he looks pretty lean at the moment). Any dog who is fat breathes more poorly than a slim dog. Also flying your dog when it will be cooler to land in Australia is good, but they all fly to Melbourne now which is cooler than Sydney used to be. Get a bunch of quotes and work with whoever you are happiest to work with, but just ask for the crate size recommended. A company can offer to fly your dog in a smaller crate which makes it cheaper, but these dogs need big, open crates with excellent ventilation. The price for the flight is based on the volume of the crate, so you can fly a Frenchie in a normal sized crate compared to a "too big" crate, but actually your dog needs a "too big" crate to allow for the extra ventilation. Also, worth noting that the airlines will ask you to sign an extra disclaimer and so do we at Petair (not sure what other companies do). These disclaimers are really to impress upon the owners that there is an increased risk to flying snub nosed dogs and the decision and responsibility is yours. You are doing exactly the right thing. Investigating and researching so that you can make the best decision you can. And pet shippers and vets can certainly offer advice, so ask for it if you would like to. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Daniel Posted May 11, 2017 Author Share Posted May 11, 2017 9 minutes ago, BobPetairUK said: Firstly, good on you for starting the process nice and early and investigating things early too. I read that Frenchies are going to take over from Labradors as the most common breed of pets dogs, so this will be a useful thread for many people in the future. Look, if i had a French bulldog and i was moving to Australia then yes i absolutely would "put them through this" for all the emotional reasons - we love them and our pets are part of our families. I would, however, know that there are risks and the general risks are higher for a snub nosed dog than a normal nosed dog, but still the risks are very small. The most likely outcome by a long way would be a safe journey with no real dramas. In terms of preparing your dog, then surgery just to get them ready for a flight seems a bit extreme to be honest. There is probably similar risk to a general anaesthetic and surgery as there is for flight. The thing you can do to help is to get your dog lean (he looks pretty lean at the moment). Any dog who is fat breathes more poorly than a slim dog. Also flying your dog when it will be cooler to land in Australia is good, but they all fly to Melbourne now which is cooler than Sydney used to be. Get a bunch of quotes and work with whoever you are happiest to work with, but just ask for the crate size recommended. A company can offer to fly your dog in a smaller crate which makes it cheaper, but these dogs need big, open crates with excellent ventilation. The price for the flight is based on the volume of the crate, so you can fly a Frenchie in a normal sized crate compared to a "too big" crate, but actually your dog needs a "too big" crate to allow for the extra ventilation. Also, worth noting that the airlines will ask you to sign an extra disclaimer and so do we at Petair (not sure what other companies do). These disclaimers are really to impress upon the owners that there is an increased risk to flying snub nosed dogs and the decision and responsibility is yours. You are doing exactly the right thing. Investigating and researching so that you can make the best decision you can. And pet shippers and vets can certainly offer advice, so ask for it if you would like to. Thanks so much Bob our vet did say getting his pallet done would Really improve his breathing and allow him to live a more comfortable life? do you think it's a bit extreme then? As the operation is not cheap, probably 3k but if it is going to help him I will pay what it takes !! he is a slim muscly boy not an ounce of fat in him and he is crate trained, he sleeps in his crate every night and twice during the week in the daytime when I am working, I do come home at lunch to take him out it's such a hard decision to make but whatever happens I'm not leaving him - NO WAY ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 Personally I agree with Bob that surgery is a huge risk and I think travel is less risky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobPetairUK Posted May 11, 2017 Share Posted May 11, 2017 Nope, i think that if he needs the op then get on and get it done. If you are just doing to the op to help with the flight, then that seems a bit extreme. But if you are doing it to help him throughout his whole life then that makes more sense. i think i have explained what i mean Get the rabies work started early as that helps the planning be a bit more "ordered". As i said, if i was in your position, i would definitely fly a Frenchie or pug, but i would know there are risks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Daniel Posted May 11, 2017 Author Share Posted May 11, 2017 1 minute ago, BobPetairUK said: Nope, i think that if he needs the op then get on and get it done. If you are just doing to the op to help with the flight, then that seems a bit extreme. But if you are doing it to help him throughout his whole life then that makes more sense. i think i have explained what i mean Get the rabies work started early as that helps the planning be a bit more "ordered". As i said, if i was in your position, i would definitely fly a Frenchie or pug, but i would know there are risks. You have put my mind at rest THANK U the surgery wasn't just for the flight, it was to help him later on in life and especially living in a hot country ? Just need to convince hubby ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 12, 2017 Share Posted May 12, 2017 16 hours ago, BobPetairUK said: Firstly, good on you for starting the process nice and early and investigating things early too. I read that Frenchies are going to take over from Labradors as the most common breed of pets dogs, so this will be a useful thread for many people in the future. As an aside, this does make me rather sad re Frenchie's (and other breeds similar) becoming so popular/fashionable. Mainly because of the the breeding process of them, being born via cesarean and often not even being conceived in the natural way but using artificial insemination. I adore the breed and have long wanted a Frenchie (since about 30 years ago now) but have always held off as I can't reconcile myself with the artificial aspects and non natural birth for the bitches being the norm for the breed. Same for other breeds of this type I adore. I find in our part of Aus now Frenchies are everywhere (seriously, there are so many around its unreal) and bulldog types struggling in the heat here (we are in SA and summers are stinking hot). They really have exploded in popularity in recent years. Doesn't surprise me to hear they will outstrip labs and other breeds in the most popular stakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patphillips47 Posted June 23, 2017 Share Posted June 23, 2017 On 11/05/2017 at 18:08, Laura Daniel said: Hi all, we are planning to move next year, so am starting the process of arranging everything for our dog to come with us. he is a healthy 9 month old French bulldog who I love to bits. i couldn't imagine life without him so leaving him is not an option. i wanted to hear of any positive stories from people who have flown there frenchie/pug to oz. i am aware there is a risk as he is a snub nose dog, I was wondering if he had his soft pallet operation and nostril widening would put him at a lesser risk? i am willing to do all I can to make sure his journey is as safe and comfortable as possible. i have had a quote from Petair and am happy with using them as they have great experience in flying animals. im just worried in case anything happened to him I would never forgive myself and feel am I being selfish by taking him as I'm not sure he would like the heat which is another reason I wanted to get his pallet done before we leave any advice/reassurances would be much appreciated We flew our Shar Pei also a brachleptic breed and he was fine only thing is Emirates would only fly him on thier winter months as they say it's too hot on the ground in Dubai in thier summer months He has settled well and it's like he has always been here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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