Question
My two dogs are 14kg and 10kg each.
The airline rules in our country only allow dogs in cabin up to max 10kg including the crate...
How horrible is it for a dog to be carried in the luggage area? It'd be for a custom (non international) flight of approx 1 hour.
Answer
I've transported many dogs (and a few cats) in the cargo hold - I occasionally volunteer as a "transporter" to help with a dog rescue.
Generally speaking, the dogs were fine. A couple were a bit "weirded out" but quickly recovered with some attention (snuggling, walks, play).
Your experience may depend on the airline in question - the one I use most (Alaska) does a fantastic job with pets in the hold. You may want to research the experience of others for your specific airline.
But - in general, for most dogs - it will be fine. And one hour is a nice short flight to try your pups out and see how they respond.
Oh, also - there was a period of time when people recommended drugging your animal, but that advice has changed. Imagine being stoned and thrown into somewhere loud and new and perhaps a bit scary; that wouldn't be a great experience. So no drugs for the pups. You can get some wine for yourself it if helps you relax :-)
Answered By - entiat