3 Tips for Flying With Your Pet on an Airplane

For many folks, going on trips without their pet is simply out of the question. A vacation away from Woofy, Mr. Pickles or Noodle is simply not a vacation. Rather, for many people, this could feel like a separation from companions you love,which is simply excruciating.

The good news is that for these people, modern travel via air has expanded to make inclusions of four-legged passengers. Pet travel is something that most airlines now offer, either in the cargo hold of the plane or in the cabin. Depending on what airline you select the costs of travel with your pet can vary. There are requirements and restrictions you will simply need to consider. Before your flight, make sure you find out all the information you will need. Here are a few tips you might want to consider when flying with your furry four-legged pal.

Protecting Your Pets From Those Nasty Ticks!

Ticks are common all over the United States in many sizes and varieties. The most common tick that is found locally here in Arizona is the brown dog tick. Many people do not realize this, but a tick is not an insect. It is actually an arachnid, just like spiders. They have 8 legs, which helps to differentiate them from other small insects.

There are four life stages of ticks: egg, six-legged larva, eight-legged nymph and adult. After a tick hatches from the egg it must eat blood during every remaining stage of its life to survive. This means that a tick may survive for up to three years if it is able to complete a full life cycle. However, most ticks die due to inability to find a host for its next feeding. Ticks can feed on a many different creatures including mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians. This includes your pets, of course!

A tick finds its host by detecting body odors, breath, body heat, moisture and vibrations of animals in their surroundings. Often, when not on a host, a tick is "questing" for a host. Questing means that the tick is resting on the tips of grass and shrubbery and just waiting for a potential host to brush past so the tick can climb on. Some ticks will latch on immediately; others will search for a spot where the skin is thinner.

Should You Adopt A Dog?

There is no denying that a great many oldsters do live alone and may pass several days without seeing anyone, especially during the winter. The children are grown and have lives of their own to get on with and your friends are less mobile too. Television is your constant companion, and you can talk to it, but it is at best a one way conversation.

Why not talk to a dog instead? Now I know what you are thinking - too much work! But honestly, just between us, couldn't you use something to do? I thought as much.

A dog is a constant, loyal companion who will never argue about which TV show to watch and will ask for nothing more than food and a walk. A dog always has something to do and his favorite thing to do is whatever you are doing now. Dogs just want to be included - they love doing laundry and cooking dinner. They are not too keen on vacuuming; but that's OK, I bet you aren't either!

So I suppose the real question is not "should" you get a dog; but rather what kind of dog "should" you get? There is no wrong answer to this, but I suggest you give it some careful thought and seriously consider not getting a puppy unless you really like potty training.

• The many other considerations include:
• What is the state of your own health and where do you live?
• Do you have any allergies?
• Would you benefit from a large dog that needed two walks a day?
• Would a small dog that was paper trained be a more realistic option?