# Picking up new puppy from the airport. HELP!



## Machiavelli's

Hey Everyone, :wave:

My new German Pinscher Puppy will be here next week! Not sure how the procedure goes, so if anyone knows in detail what happens it will calm my NERVES lol. I live in Lexington, KY, puppy will be shipped from Welcome, MD, through Delta. My breeder is shipping either to LEX airport or SDF (1 hour away), I told her which ever one is shortest travel time. I need to call her in a couple of days to tell her my schedule, so she can coordinate with weather requirements. So my questions are:

1) Anyone know the procedure the shipping procedure (especially during winter)? 
2) What should I have with me the day of pick up?
3) Should I leave puppy in crate until we get home or should I let him out at the airport?
4) Anything else I'm forgetting to ask? lol
5) How the heck do I put pictures up?
Thanks everyone!


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## Kyllobernese

I will answer one of your questions. Since it is a puppy, I would not take it out of the crate at the Airport as it probably is not leash broken and could get scared and bolt on you. I would take along some old towels and once you have it in your vehicle, you could take it out and put fresh bedding down for it if the crate is messy.


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## DJEtzel

Congrats! Can't wait to see pictures!

1. Depends on airline. Delta does not have good reviews for shipping pets unfortunately and has killed numerous without taking blame. 

Kitten freezes to death
Dog escapes Crate and is found dead
Three French Bulldogs die in 120 degree weather
Pug freezes to death 

2. I would have clean blanket in the car, paper towels, wet wipes for dogs, poop bags, a few different sized collars or harnesses and a leash, or slip lead, small bag of food and bottle of water with bowl. Cleaner and paper towels + grocery bags for clean up of any accidents in the crate.

3. I would let them out on concrete preferably to hopefully go, or away from the airport where dogs are not likely to have travelled. 

5. Upload them to a place like flickr and share the code!


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## samshine

Machiavelli's said:


> Hey Everyone, :wave:
> 
> 1) Anyone know the procedure the shipping procedure (especially during winter)?
> 2) What should I have with me the day of pick up?
> 3) Should I leave puppy in crate until we get home or should I let him out at the airport?
> 4) Anything else I'm forgetting to ask? lol
> 5) How the heck do I put pictures up?
> Thanks everyone!


I would take the puppy out if they have a secure indoor place where you can open the crate and get the collar/leash on. If not maybe you could manage that in the car? I would bring a leash, collar, water, water dish, and also some cleaning supplies in case there has been an accident in the crate. Towels, maybe paper towels, mild cleaner for the crate, and self-rinse shampoo if you have it. Oh, and poop bags.


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## CobbersMom

My little guy came by plane and it was quite a long trip for him, from Idaho to Pennsylvania. The shipping area is usually not in the regular terminal. Obviously every airport will have a different setup, but when I picked Cobber up at Pittsburgh's airport, the shipping terminal was quite far away from all the human passenger areas, and he wasn't available for pickup until at least an hour after the flight landed, because they have to unload and then take all the shipping items (including pets) to this other shipping terminal. As I recall, I needed my own ID and there will be a confirmation number from the airbill -- the breeder should email all of that to you ahead of time, along with the flight number and arrival time.

I had all the things with me that have already been mentioned, and when I got Cobber in the car and shut the car doors (so he couldn't go anywhere), then I opened the crate, slipped on the collar and leash and took him outside to a grassy area that wasn't used for much of anything. If you have someone helping you, one person can be with the pup and the other can clean up the crate as needed. Then you're all set for the drive home, and since you will be driving at most an hour, you shouldn't need to make any more stops along the way. Good luck!


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## Machiavelli's

Thanks for the info guys! I forgot all about cleaning supplies lol.....and DJetzel - I've read stories and the stories are the reason for my worries  Hopefully everything will be okay, I would be devastated if anything were to happen to him. UGH I don't even want to think about it!


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## Gally

I would phone ahead to Delta and ask them where their shipping terminal is located. I had the same experience as CobbersMom when we picked up our pup. The terminal will probably be far away, like you need to get in your car and drive 5-10 minutes from the regular airport. Make sure you have your ID, the shipping confirmation number and a receipt showing ownership of the dog.


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## Greater Swiss

Machiavelli's said:


> Thanks for the info guys! I forgot all about cleaning supplies lol.....


YES cleaning supplies! Especially if you have that hour long drive home, and even if you don't. If you haven't already invested in a seat cover of some sort for your car, preferably water proof/ resistant, you might want to consider that (you'll probably want some eventually anyway!). I'm not sure how you're planning on transporting the puppy in the car, but if you aren't planning on crating your puppy (and maybe even if you are!) for the drive you might want to consider getting someone to come with you to help with the puppy (or do the driving so you can fuss on the way back!). 
I didn't pick Caeda up from an airline, and it was only a 10 minute drive home, but I'm telling ya, someone to help would have been handy....of course I didn't think ahead enough, and all I had was a cardboard box the breeder gave me (oops, newbie or what lol!). She did dribble in the box a bit on the way though, even in that short time.


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## Donna88

Greater Swiss said:


> YES cleaning supplies! Especially if you have that hour long drive home, and even if you don't. If you haven't already invested in a seat cover of some sort for your car, preferably water proof/ resistant, you might want to consider that (you'll probably want some eventually anyway!). I'm not sure how you're planning on transporting the puppy in the car, but if you aren't planning on crating your puppy (and maybe even if you are!) for the drive you might want to consider getting someone to come with you to help with the puppy (or do the driving so you can fuss on the way back!).
> I didn't pick Caeda up from an airline, and it was only a 10 minute drive home, but I'm telling ya, someone to help would have been handy....of course I didn't think ahead enough, and all I had was a cardboard box the breeder gave me (oops, newbie or what lol!). She did dribble in the box a bit on the way though, even in that short time.


 I'm glad you've said that, when we pick our puppy up it's just a 10 minute drive but me and my partner will be going. He seems to think I'll be okay holding him.... but as much as I would love puppy cuddles all that way, will it be safe (I don't mind getting wee'd on if it comes to that) but would you suggest a crate or box for him?


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## lforrest0913

When I first picked up Argus from the shelter I put him in his kennel in the back of my car (it's a hatchback so it's not like he was locked in the dark trunk) with some towels and a blanket I didn't particularly care about just in case he peed, pooed, or chewed up his bedding. Luckily for me Argus is excellent in the car and now rides safely in the back seat - no kennel necessary - but if he had been nervous or made a mess he couldn't have done much damage in his kennel with the towels I put in there.


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## ThoseWordsAtBest

Machiavelli's said:


> Thanks for the info guys! I forgot all about cleaning supplies lol.....and DJetzel - I've read stories and the stories are the reason for my worries  Hopefully everything will be okay, I would be devastated if anything were to happen to him. UGH I don't even want to think about it!


The odds are quite slim. In a four year time span during a Dept of Transportation study, Delta had 43 dogs lost or killed. The "biggest" offender Continental had 58: http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/traveling-pets-airlines-dog-deaths/story?id=11198807 You take a bigger risks with your dogs doing every day things.

When I picked my dog up I transported the kennel to the car, then took her out of the crate inside the car. Then took her out to go the bathroom. She did not go in the crate during the flight, but they require the crates to be lined with absorbing material in case of pee. I had a towel and some wet wipes just in case and you may very well need them for a wee one. You live close, but we had a 2 1/2 hour trip and I forgot to bring scissors to cut the zip ties on the kennel. Had to hack at them with my keys.


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## andi42

Machiavelli's- how did it go? I pick up my puppy next week and I am so nervous about the whole flight process. She is flying from London, England to Vancouver, Canada... so it is a LONG trip for such a little thing  She is also not allowed to eat for quite a while before her flight.. so we are thinking possibly 20 hours without food. I will be bringing food and water, but will be feeding her only a little bit when I pick her up so she doesn't get sick, and then more later.
I am hoping to pull over somewhere and completely empty the crate she was shipped in, clean it out, and put some new bedding in it for her. I have someone coming with me to help so we will put a leash on her and have one of us hold her, just to be safe.


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