Shipping
When it comes to shipping Shih tzu puppies there are several things you need to know.
First you must find an airline that will ship them. Some airlines won't for example American no longer ships shih tzus as cargo.
There are some airlines that will ship them because when they take them off the plane they put them in a cargo van with air conditioning.
Some airlines won't ship them if the weather is over 75 degrees. Because the shih tzu puppy / dog can get over heated. This can lead to health issues even death.
Since the shih tzu breed is a brachycephalic (snub nose) so they can not take the heat like other breeds can. When getting ready to ship your shih tzu puppy their are several things to do:
1. Schedule an appointment for your puppy with your veterinarian no more than 10 days before the flight. The dog will need to get a rabies vaccination if he is more than 12weeks old in some states or 3 months old in other states. This will need to be administered by your veterinarian. The doctor must fill out a health certificate for the puppy; it's required by most airlines for a pet to travel as cargo.
Never have your shih tzu vaccinated or wormed less than 5 days before the flight,
2. Purchase an airline-approved crate/carrier for your puppy, one that is made of hard plastic with metal mesh panels at the sides and a metal mesh door at the front of the carrier. The carrier should have ventilation holes on all four sides and should be big enough for the dog to sit, stand, turn around and lay down in comfortably.
On the back, front and sides you will need to make sure there are screws that hold it together. The create below is a good example of what you would want to get a puppy.
3. On the top and on each side you will want to put a label, this Label should have 1-inch letters that spell out "live animal" . The two labels on each side should also have arrows pointing upward along the side, indicating the correct orientation for the carrier. Some people also tape a photo of the dog/ puppy on the create for identification purposes. You will also need to put the Shippers name address, phone number, on the create, along with the person who is receiving the shih tzu name, address, and phone number. You will also need to put the last time the puppy ate and drank on the label as well.
4. Call the airlines to make a reservation ship your shih tzu puppy. Some airlines, require a reservation no less than 72 hours prior to the day of departure. When calling be prepared to tell the airline representative the name, age, breed, size and weight of the puppy, along with the weight and dimensions of your crate/carrier.
5. Some people freeze your puppy's water in the water dish so it has a chance to melt during the flight and won't spill prior to takeoff. You also need to make sure you put some of the puppies food on top of the create so an airline attendant can feed him/her if there is a delay.
6. Line your puppy's carrier with newspaper, towels or shredded paper to absorb any potential accidents the pup may have, and place him inside. Securely close the door to the carrier. Make sure you have his food and water container attached also, most people attach them to the door.
7. Most airlines will NOT accept a dog/ puppy more then two hours before the flight leaves. So arrive at the airport no less than two hours prior to take off.
8 When checking your puppy in at the airport, you will need to provide his/her health certificate, your State Id and your information and the contact information for the person picking the puppy up when he arrives at the destination.
9. Once the puppy is on the plane contact the person picking your puppy and make sure they have all the following information. The puppy's flight number, arrival time, air bill number or shipment confirmation number.and the phone number to the airlines cargo facility. Then have them call about an hour or hour and a half before the puppy is due to arrive to make sure the plane is on time. At that time the will need to ask where to go and pick up the puppy. Some airports have a cargo facility and others you may need to go to the ticket counter. Most the time it take about 30mins to an hour to get the puppy ready for pick up. The person picking up the puppy will need to show their state identification when picking up their puppy. .
10. Once the puppy has arrived make sure you call the person picking up the puppy and check in.