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Dogs in the Cockpit

Scott Chastain

Scott Chastain

Active Member
Again, He said to me, "Prophecy to these bones, and say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord God to these bones: "Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord."'"

Ezekiel 37:5-6
 
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cats n dogs

Well, I dont know about that. You might want to do a taxi test. I got bold one day and decided my cat should be an aviator. He didnt think so. He was good till I started the engine, then he started howling and ran under the seat. That seemed ok and I got airborne, but when I started a turn, he came out from under the seat and attached hisself on to my face with claws of steel and started howling in my ear. I finally got him to switch to the back of my neck and ears with all claws fanged out. That was his only flight. :eek:
 
The only thing I can think of is to make your rear control stick removable. You would not want Cleco to slide off the seat and wedge between the seat and the stick. I am not that far along but I think this should be doable.
 
I have a 3+ year old Rhodesian ridgeback who flies with me everywhere - the back seat of the 170 is officially his. I have a pair of mutt muffs for hearing protection. A buddy and I did a bunch of taxi tests and then some test flights with him flying and me watching the dog when Jake was a puppy. He has given me no problems whatsoever.

I plan on taking him with me in the -8 and somehow making accommodations for him in the back seat ... just haven't figured it out yet. One of the tricks is going to be covering the flap weldment tube that crosses the fuse.

Thomas
 
I have two small dogs and I have taken them with me once. It was a test of the mutt muffs. They didn't seem to mind the flight, but the mutt muffs did not work. The wouldn't stay on. I think the mutt muffs might work better for bigger dogs.

We removed the control stick on the right side, and my partner held them in check. They were docile. There was an article in "AOPA Pilot" recently about traveling with pets. That article mentioned nothing about hearing protection. I think it's a good idea, but don't know how to implement it for our dogs.
 
We have flown with our two Shihtzu's. We have used cotton balls which stay in, but may have limited sound dampening(better than nothing). We recently tried expanding foam earplugs, which initially probably seal up better, but each time one of the dogs lost one. Either way, neither dogs seem to mind the noise or the flight.
Full harnesses attached to the seatbelt with a short leash works for restraining. Mostly now our "kids" just sleep on their pillow in the back. Maybe they are just bored with flying in SpamCans.
 
Dogs at altitude

This has got me wondering....does anyone know if there has ever been a study done about the effects of altitude/flying on dogs? I'm a huge dog lover, and would like to take my 2 Cairn terriers with me when get my 7a in the air..but I'm concerned about their health..After all, dogs are not people...they hear things we don't hear..smell things we don't smell, etc..The O2 at 12K is marginal for us..does that mean it's OK for them?..or not enough? I know I may be reaching here..but I would like to be sure. Any flying vets out there that would like to offer their 2 cents?......
 
Mine loves riding in the car, and I'd like to take him in the plane. However, I don't see how Mutt Muffs would ever work with these ears. :confused:

 
Ya just gotta have the right Torque!

We take Torque with us whenever we can.

My wife's a vet (as in DVM not the military kind) and because his Bull Dog head is a bit funny shaped MuttMuffs don't fit very well so we stuff his hears with cotton. This seems to work fine. (Note, we haven't given up on the MuttMuffs, we just received some different Velcro straps for them but haven't tried them out yet.)

We put a thick blanket down in the baggage compartment and Torque gets excited on engine startup and takeoff. After that, he sleeps until we start letting down for landing. Then he is sitting up again watching the world get bigger.

As for altitude and dogs, they work just like us. On hikes in the Rockies I've seen dogs over 14K feet and they did better than some of my fellow hikers.

Funny story...
Nora, Torque, and I returned to our home airport after a weekend with friends. After landing at our short strip some friends came up to us laughing their heads off. As we came over the trees they could see Nora and I sitting up, looking down the runway, concentrating on the landing. Looking out the side window was Torque, tongue hanging out, watching the world go by.
 
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CraigH@KRPH said:
Mine loves riding in the car, and I'd like to take him in the plane. However, I don't see how Mutt Muffs would ever work with these ears.
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A Basenji? Man, a dog like that, you'd better remove the back stick or it will start flying the airplane! Smart dogs with way, way too much energy!

TODR
 
CraigH@KRPH said:
Mine loves riding in the car, and I'd like to take him in the plane. However, I don't see how Mutt Muffs would ever work with these ears. :confused:

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wads of cotton, maybe.

also, too bad you don't have an extra set of old seatbelts to make a nice harness for him.;)
 
To DR: You need a "best of" list and posts like this are why:

sportpilot said:
Well, I dont know about that. You might want to do a taxi test. I got bold one day and decided my cat should be an aviator. He didnt think so. He was good till I started the engine, then he started howling and ran under the seat. That seemed ok and I got airborne, but when I started a turn, he came out from under the seat and attached hisself on to my face with claws of steel and started howling in my ear. I finally got him to switch to the back of my neck and ears with all claws fanged out. That was his only flight. :eek:
Click to expand...
 
bkc3921 said:
they hear things we don't hear..smell things we don't smell, etc..The O2 at 12K is marginal for us..does that mean it's OK for them?
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khm said:
For a restraint:

http://www.ruffrider.com/

For hearing protection:

http://www.safeandsoundpets.com/index.html
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re: O2 at altitude: They do fine at 14k feet when raised 5000+ (denver to mountains). Experiment. Dogs have very tough respiratory systems, not very efficient but they work everywhere.

re: khm's post: Get both of those... ruffrider works for hardcore 4x4, no reason it wouldn't work in a plane. The hearing protection is mandatory.

re: mandatory hearing protection: If a dog, "lays down and sleeps" he's not always sleeping. This is also a natural response to a stressful environment. Curled up, tail over nose, ears back or down. As we all know, a dog's hearing is very sensitive. A rule of thumb: If you are uncomfortable with the level of noise your dog is in PAIN. His or her loyalty to you may preclude leaving the area. They ain't too smart so we have to look out for them.

I'm no pilot but I am a dog guy.
 
Cat in a Pitts

I saw a video once, maybe it was linked somewhere on VAF, that showed a guy taking a kitten for a ride in a Pitts or Eagle. He did a lot of inverted flight and had the kitten walking on the upside down canopy. There may have been a few claws deployed into his cloth helmet as well.

Anyone have a link to that video? This thread makes me think of that and laugh, would love to see it again.
 
smoore said:
re: O2 at altitude: They do fine at 14k feet when raised 5000+ (denver to mountains). Experiment. Dogs have very tough respiratory systems, not very efficient but they work everywhere.
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Canine respiratory systems are similar to ours. However, they don't need as much O2 as we do, since if they get drowsy (one of the prime clinical signs of hypoxia), it's not a big deal. Most small aircraft aren't going to be at an altitude where high altitude disease (altitude-induced pulmonary edema) is going to become a problem for long enough to worry about it (although if you hear your dog start coughing at altitude, it might be prudent to drop down to 5-6k for a while).

For those of you who want to play Snoopy with your dog, there's always Doggles. I'm sure you can find a scarf somewhere too. :)
 
Hope this helps Cleco to not have a Ruff ride

Scott Chastain said:
One of the things I've been thinking about while painting the RV-8---actually, while spending hours and hours and hours color sanding between coats---is how I might arrange to make the passenger seat a safe, comfortable place to put my dog on long trips. Cleco, the Sharpei-Lab I adopted 9 years ago when I started building, absolutely hates it when I leave her with my parents on these trips, so it is only fitting that I take her along with me.

My biggest concerns are:

1) Hearing Protection: I've been thinking of ways to make a headset for her that would strap on over her head. It wouldn't have to be an ANR, just a modified ear muff of sorts;

2) Restraint System: I have the Hookers, but I'm sure there are other ways to positively keep the dog in her seat when things get bumpy.

Like I said, this is only something I'm thinking about. Am I way off the mark on this? I'd appreciate any input---and especially photos---from those of you who've "been there, done that." :rolleyes:

Thanks!
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My wife has her inseparable friend, a Goldie named Gracie.

She likes to go for rides in my wife's sports car, so my wife got her a dog seat belt/harness that works well, all it has for an ID or Brand is a tag that says "Four Paws", it pretty well does the trick and the "dare I say Dog" oops princess, seems very comfortable.

If you google "four paws harness" you will get plenty of valid returns.

Hope this helps Cleco to not have a Ruff ride.;)
 
Suggestions to get a puppy used to flying

My wife and I just adopted a puppy, my wife named her Darby and I got to pick out a middle name, so Darby Chandelle it is. Immelmann is too much of a mouthful.

IMG_8723.JPG


We have always had big dogs and got a small dog with the goal of having her fly with us.

Beyond #1 cockpit safety, #2 hearing protection, and #3 harness(see #1)
do those of you who fly with your dogs have any tips to get our dog used to it?

Thanks
 
I have strong doubts my dog will ever fly with me. That said, I plan a series of introductions to the idea starting with the dog in the plane, the if that works, harnessing him in. Advancing to starting the engine, taxiing, and finally a lap or two around the pattern. Each step will be on its own day. I know from experience my dog will tolerate most "new experiences" but if he didn't like it, he will be clear when that same experience presents itself.

My plan is to remove the rear seat and stick from the RV-8 and make a bed area the extends into the baggage area and a full body harness.

Like I said, I have serious doubts but will let him make the final decision :)
 
We take Molly, our German Shepard, most places we go and she has never shown any sign of issues. We tried the muff and it is very hard to keep it on, usually after just a few minutes it comes lose and off, so we have given up on it. We also have traveled in 12/13K altitude and she was OK, just as playful when we got to the beach.
 
Whippets

I've taken 2 of my whippets flying in the RV7 with Mutt Muffs, which didn't stay on too well with their narrow heads. First test was taxiing around on a foggy day when I couldn't fly anyway. Then flying with my wife in the right seat with the instruction to keep them in the back no matter what happened until we were at a safe altitude. They were fine and settled in with some mutt muff adjustment. Same instruction on landing.

I had a previous dog climb in my lap during a sketchy, off-camber narrow off-road climb in my Jeep, so the idea of a dog in my lap while flying is pretty freaky.
 
All of what Humptybump said, plus start getting your pup used to the plane asap. Someone on VAF suggested starting the engine before putting the mutt muffs on, so the dog can hear how much quieter it is with them on. That has worked great with our last 2 dogs.

Jim Berry
RV-10
 
Really?

Aaron, I think it was so kind of your wife to grant you the privilege of picking a "middle" name for your dog! Like anyone is EVER going to use that!:D

Methinks you've been had my friend!

Now MY dog is named Izzy, after the hot blond on Grey's Anatomy!

Somehow though, that's been kind of morphed into Isabella........sigh. Women.
 
Veetail88 said:
Aaron, I think it was so kind of your wife to grant you the privilege of picking a "middle" name for your dog! Like anyone is EVER going to use that!:D

Methinks you've been had my friend!

Now MY dog is named Izzy, after the hot blond on Grey's Anatomy!

Somehow though, that's been kind of morphed into Isabella........sigh. Women.
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Very true, no one will ever use that name. My wife does have the ultimate trump card "...you're building a plane in the basement and we live at an airport" Oh how I suffer :D
 
Flying with the dog on the 4th

We took Darby for her first flight on the morning of the 4th. We took quick hop to an airport 20 miles away, got out walked around, got back in and flew home. She acted like she was riding in the car, didn't even care about the mutt muffs. :D

20130704_091543.jpg
 
mill2978 said:
We took Darby for her first flight on the morning of the 4th. We took quick hop to an airport 20 miles away, got out walked around, got back in and flew home. She acted like she was riding in the car, didn't even care about the mutt muffs. :D

20130704_091543.jpg
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i hope she didn't try to put her head out the window!
 
We took our two previous beagles up in our Cozy and plan on taking the current two up in the RV. In our experience, dogs that ride in the car well, usually fly well. After the initial engine start, they act the same as in the car, Maya would curl up and go to sleep, Astro would sit up and drool, watching everything. The current two both settle down and nap in the car, we'll taxi with them and do a few short hops to get them comfortable with it. For us the tricky part will be convincing Piper she doesn't need to ride up front, Hunter is just Mr. Perfect and will likely be easy.
 
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