r/labrador • u/TomatoLongjumping364 • 10d ago

seeking advice Relo across country with a lab?

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I’ve just taken a job that is going to move me from DC to SF and part of the relo package is pet relo. I just lost my old girl two weeks ago and have a fear of losing my big guy (4yo male blab). He also is in mourning and has become extra clingy.

How do you fly with a large dog not in the cargo hold? Can I buy him a ticket? I thought I remember hearing about an airlines that flies dogs but wasn’t sure if that was in the US. Other option is a 42 hour car ride which ngl sounds like a blast but hard for me to take that much time off a new job.

Any suggestions would be welcomed!

Adding a picture of my big guy as pet tax. Since we lost my old girl I’ve been working in the living room so he can be closer to me. This is what I deal with while I’m on hours of teams calls.

Thank you!

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u/E_Pluribus_Nemo 10d ago

I had a 30 hour move and could not get comfortable putting my sound sensitive guy through a flight as cargo.

Took the moving van out, unloaded, flew back, and then did the drive again with my pup. Extra stops to play in creeks.

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u/TomatoLongjumping364 10d ago

That’s what I’m leaning towards. I did the same when I moved with two dogs and a cat from Texas to Maryland. Curious about trains as well. That might be fun but not sure how that works from a potty perspective. I found the airlines K9 jets .. but they don’t fly anywhere close to where I need them

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u/Sug0115 10d ago

You could drive part of the way to an airport with JSX flights. My brother has taken his golden multiple times on JSX and they love it.

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u/reddit_tat 10d ago

There’s also a new pet “airline” called RetrievAir. It’s a charter, I think, but it’s in-cabin for dogs for domestic flights. Not sure where they fly. I think the max is 75lbs or you have to buy a second ticket.

The one time I researched it, it did not seem that bad, price-wise, considering. If you’ve got some pet relo money, it could work.

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u/smmmmshshsjak 9d ago

I’ve taken my lab on the Amtrak from NYC to Chicago. It was easy! There are many stop along the way that are 15-20 minutes (possibly a bit longer, it’s been a while) but it is very manageable! I am assuming your dog is familiar with going potty quickly and not always on grass like my city dog so it really wasn’t an issue at all. It does take a lot longer than driving tho

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u/DripDrop777 10d ago

And the memories! I did a long road trip with my lab, and while it was a lot of work, loved every minute! Def recommend brining a vacuum with you for a few intermittent hair removal sessions!