Travelling with small dog

We have done this many times with our Jack Russell. Make sure you have the required USDA/APHIS paperwork for France and that your dog is micro-chipped with the 15 digit EU approved chip. You must also let the airline know you will have a dog with you well in advance (you will have to pay for the dog to travel)
Now watch out because you will probably get a bunch of naysayers telling you what a bad idea it is....ho hum. Just ignore them and have a great trip.
If you need more info feel free to PM me.

Ginger,

Travelling with a dog would not be a "fun" holiday for me, but it's certainly possible. There have been numerous posts here on that topic, so you could do a search.

You might find it helpful to have a look at THIS website which describes the steps you'll need to take prior to taking your dog abroad. I'd also suggest contacting whichever airline you're using, as they all seem to have different policies regarding pets.

Happy travels!

Ginger,
That is a UK site that Ken gave you. Go instead to the USDA site:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_welfare/pet_travel/pet_travel.shtml
If you do have further questions I am happy to answer you as I have done this type of travel many times and know exactly what you will need.
As I said most people on this site simply can't help but add their opinions about traveling with a dog...usually on the negative side. That is only their opinion...enough said. And Ken I am not attacking you, but the poster is asking for helpful advice, not how you feel about traveling with your dog. You gave her a website that is not a good guide for a person from the USA. I would think that she would have checked with her airline about their policies regarding dogs (Lufthansa IMHO is the best for dogs).
I can tell you on all of our trips with Thor we have had a blast, locals who usually would not likely strike up a conversation with you usually will because of your dog. Thor was welcomed by all in Austria, Switzerland, and Italy, that includes every restaurant, hotel, and cafe we went to. We are taking him again in 2014 for a biking adventure across Germany, Austria and Sud-Tirol.
Make sure that you clean up after your dog if she/he has an accident in the airport or plane (although on the plane it is 9 hours...my dogs hold it in their 9 hr sleep every night without incident and hold their urges until landing/waking).
Trust me, you will have a wonderful time (France is known for being even more of a dog loving nation than the countries we have been to) and will probably want to bring your dog on any subsequent trips you make.

"I can tell you on all of our trips with Thor we have had a blast, locals who usually would not likely strike up a conversation with you usually will because of your dog."

I often read comments on this website from people who want to know how to initiate talks with local residents. But be realistic, Jacques or Horst relaxing in his favorite café really isn't sitting there waiting, hoping to meet Ricknik Bob and Judy from Cleveland and hear all about their travel experiences. The above poster hit it on the head. A well-behaved, friendly dog will do most of the introductory work for you.

"Thor was welcomed by all in Austria, Switzerland, and Italy, that includes every restaurant, hotel, and cafe we went to." My experience in all of those countries as well, if a little bit less so in Italy. Switzerland, in particular, couldn't possibly be more dog-friendly.

Hello, thanks for the very informative tips.

We have quite awhile before the trip, and I wanted to know as much as I could before embarking on such an adventure.

First of all, except for one night in a hotel in Paris, we will be staying in a house for the remainder of the trip.

Also, we will have a car, so that should make life easier. Thinking of either Burgundy or Normandy.

He will be two years by our travel time, and does sleep about 7 hours without waking now. I would think a sedative should knock him out even more. Will try before the trip to see if any adverse reactions.

Alex, About the airport in the states, where would you take pooch to potty while waiting on a flight? Sometimes there are several hours. Would a training pad be helpful? On the flight, do you feed or give water before flight?

This is a special occasion and we won't always take him on trips. Family wants to meet the little rascal.

@Tom....thanks for being so refreshing and positive, when it comes to dog travel there is usually a shrill chorus of noooooooo!! We look forward to cycling Germany with Thor and have had nothing but positive reactions from our inquiries with hotels, B&B's, and Pensions.
Ginger,
The sedative route is dicey, I say don't ever do that if you can avoid it and do not administer anything without your vet's advice. We have used an herbal called Rescue Remedy (our vet recommended it) that relaxs Thor, but does not knock him out...after the initial takeoff acceleration he was quite fine (also adored by Lufthansa crew and stewards). Make sure you keep that USDA/APHIS paperwork with you...never needed it going to Europe, but when you come back USA customs will definitely want to see it.
Check out the particular airport websites for relief areas. With Thor we feed him the night before (assuming an am departure) give him water before the airport, then check in at the ticket counter(you must do this) then take him for a break before going through security. Do carry pads just in case. Follow all airline regs about what you can and can't do with your dog while flying...ie don't be trying to put him/her on your lap...keep your dog in the carrier, you can open it a little to pet.
What breed is your dog and what airline do you fly on?

Ginger is asking the right questions, is no doubt a very responsible dog owner and will have a most enjoyable trip. From personal experiences, unfortunately not all dog owners traveling with their dogs meet this reasonable standard. Have a wonderful trip Ginger.

Dogs and babies = guaranteed universal icebreakers

Our dog is a Pomeranian, and right now he is 8 1/2 lbs.

I thought they had to be sedated? We would never sedate unless the vet suggested and ordered something with correct dosage.

Alex, you don't feed on the day of travel?

We generally use United. Do they allow pets in carrier into the lounge? We have a membership.

I'd rather know the procedure for carrying a Pet
Way before we even book our flight so I can think this through carefully, and plan properly for his comfort. Would a front carrier be helpful while carrying through the train station? Someone had recommended one of these as an additional aid in travelling by public transport.

Just a little bit of kibble,not much at all, but a FEW treats on the plane won't hurt, plus little pieces of ice. No you do not have to sedate your dog to fly and if your dog is mellow you should be okay. Here is a link for you to check out, it has a lot of info that you will find helpful: http://www.dogjaunt.com/
I'll be putting up an info blog sometime soon about Thor's travels and what you need to come from the USA to Europe with your dog.
If you can afford a short hop domestically on a plane it may help as a practice run for you and your dog. United is fine as far as our experience went for a domestic flight. You want to make sure you have your Pom well-used to the carrier. We took Thor in the car always in his carrier, giving him treats when he jumped in, long before we flew with him. He got used to the carrier being a good place. If you are flying United see if you can upgrade to economy plus...extra room is nice. We always fly Lufthansa and are fortunate enough to do Business Class...Thor (and we humans) love it.
If you are speaking of trains in France you should be able to take your Pom on without a carrier, may need a muzzle though, something required on Austria's public transit/trains...not sure about France.

We also have a bigger dog, an Aussie Shepherd but he's older and has health issues so we would never take him with us.

Thanks for the advice and help. I feel better prepared to undergo such an adventure.

I don't have dogs, but my sister does. She has lived abroad in several different countries and brought her dogs from the US. So, from her, I've learned some things.

Be sure you get the European chip; she had to have her dogs "chipped" twice, even though she had requested the correct kind the first time. As she likes to repeat, if you're filling out the paperwork and the number of digits on the chip doesn't match the number of digits on the form, you've got the wrong chip.

Each airline has different regulations, and these keep changing. So, you have to check the airline(s) you are considering for their latest rules (and fees, which keep increasing). Similarly, check carefully on carrier sizes required (she once had to buy a new carrier just because of this; her previous allowed carrier was now a tiny bit too large).

There are limits to how many dogs can be carried on each flight; be sure to get your reservations in early so your dog is not "shut out" of your flight.

I don't know what she did about food or water before the flight. Her dogs were too large to go in the cabin, so they went as "baggage," and did fine. But, she emphasizes, under no circumstances would she let them go as "cargo" (the third option).

Several years ago I took my cat, Roma, to Italy. Cabin space for pets is limited, so check with the airline to secure a spot for your dog - at the time I paid about $100 roundtrip for carrier space under the seat.

I feel much better now about the prospect. Thanks so much.

Ginger.