How to Prepare Your Pooch for Flying...Without Sedation.

STEP 1: GET HOLD OF YOURSELF (AND YOUR ANXIETY)
So, you have decided against drugging Fido...but, possibly sedating yourself. Good idea! Anxiety that you feel on d-day WILL BE FELT by your 4-legged pal. It bears repeating its so important. So please re-read that last point. Have a glass of wine. Take some downers. Meditate. Go for a run. Whatever you have to do, but for god's sake don't lavish your friend with goodbyes...do this the day before. Don't change your tone of voice. Squealing and yelling arouse suspicion. Consider taping your mouth shut if you can't control it...a constant threat to my husband. And, don't do ANYTHING outside of the ordinary. Remeber, Fido is your child, but also a dog, they don't know what the hell is before them. They don't know they might end up in Madigascar by accident. Let's keep it that way!

STEP 2: UNLEASH FIDO'S PASSION FOR THE CRATE
Its not good enough that your pooch is willing to hang out in the crate for a while or jockey in for a treat now and then. They must learn to LOVE their crate (huhmmm...bungalow I mean). It is where the sleep every night. Its where they go to get away from you. Its where they eat their favorite treats. Its cozy, warm, soft.

Goes without saying that you never use the crate for punishment and never force your pooch in...they have to want it, ya know.

Our terrier first practiced walking in on her own to get a treat. After a week or so of treat motivation, she would go in without ceremony..."hey, its cozy, warm, soft...they say its a bungalow!" Next, we closed the fort up and hung out so she could keep a visual on us..."i know you are there...is this some kind of sick, twisted game you 2-legged's like to play?" Closely followed by the same, but this time we went into another room. Finally, after a couple of months of song and dance, we practiced leaving the house..."hello, what the hell am I suppose to do if there is a fire...you bastards!" Our absence was for a few minutes at first, then progressed to a couple of hours at the longest.

STEP 3: BUILD ROUTINE, ROUTINE, COMPULSIVE ROUTINE
Because this is a "Compulsive Parent's Guide", I must admit that we did something that most parent's won't do - we practiced putting the crate in the back of the car, putting our adorable terrier into the crate, and then cruising around Honolulu for a while. A few times can't hurt and your tension and Fido's will be a lot lower. The more you can emulate the events of d-day, the better. Who care's what the neighbors think!