Owner's Way of Helping Anxious Pup Walk Through Airport Delights Internet

For many dog owners, a holiday isn't a holiday without their pet, but some canines like Pancake suffer from anxiety and fear of crowded places like airports.

Reddit user u/iStoleurvalor told Newsweek about a recent trip that caused his 1-year-old pup to feel overwhelmed.

According to the United States Department of Transportation, more than 2 million pets travel by air annually.

The owner said: "Pancake is extremely weary of strangers and pretty much anyone who isn't me and my fiancée, so she tends to freeze up in public."

To resolve the issue, the owner placed the pup on top of their hand-luggage case and wheeled her through the airport. This method was a success as the dog felt closer to her owners.

On April 18, Pancake's owner, 20, referred to the travel hack as a "simple fix" and posted a clip to the subreddit r/rarepuppers.

He said: "After going through security, Pancake froze up. So my fiancée set her on top of our suitcase and started wheeling her around. It definitely seemed to ease her nerves and she started to perk up! I think it made her feel closer to us, but she also seemed to like being the top dog. I think she was power-tripping a bit!"

8 Tips on How to Fly With Your Dog

Joe Nutkins, a U.K.-based trainer with 17 years of experience, has provided her top tips for people who opt to fly with their dogs:

1. Prepare before the day of travel. If you have a wheelie suitcase, use this on hard surfaces around your dog while playing a game with them. They can get used to the noise and movement, ready for the moving around the airport.
2. If they are going to be in a crate in the hold, ensure you have spent some time training so your dog is comfortable in the crate at home, in the garden, and in the car if possible.
3. If your dog will be on the plane with you, remember the spacing between seats isn't huge, so practice guiding your dog through narrow spaces. Try between lounge furniture, between you and a wall, etc. This will help on the plane, letting your dog settle in a new space.
4. Take your dog a blanket they usually use so they have something familiar to them. If they don't usually lay on a blanket, just add one to where they sleep.
5. You can use Rescue Remedy or Pet Remedy in the days leading up to the flight and on the day itself to help your dog feel calmer overall. Do start at least a few days before so it can get into their system.
6. Have tasty treats and a chew for your dog so each and every experience at the airport and on the plane is met with an excellent reward. This will help your dog feel more confident and build the focus on you rather than worrying about what is happening around them.
7. Take your dog's favorite toy if they play and have a game with them while waiting for your flight to keep it nice and fun for them.
8. Give your dog some guidance. When queueing, ask your dog to sit or lay next to you or in a 'middle' between your feet. This can help them relax more, knowing what they can be doing, with so much happening around them.

So far, the Reddit clip has racked up 9,000 upvotes and more than 100 comments.

One user wrote, "This is how we roll," while another posted: "Looking around like "yeah, that's right, I'm kind of a big deal"..."

"Airports are so weird. Kids crying non-stop, adults sleeping on benches or huddled together on the ground, a 0.33 beer costs 7 euros, dogs travelling on bags with wheels," wrote another user.

Update 21/04/22, 04:07 a.m. ET: This article was updated to correct the owner's gender.

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