If you’re thinking about training your dog to fly with you as a service dog, it’s important to understand what’s involved:
Legal Requirements
- You must have a disability and benefit from the dog’s assistance.
- The dog must be trained to perform tasks directly related to your disability.
- Laws vary around the world—some countries recognize owner-trained dogs, others only recognize dogs trained by ADI member programs, while others require specific documentation.
- In the United States there is no government recognized registration or certification.
- The US Department of Transportation has some specific forms and information that may be required. Links to laws are here.
Air Travel Requirements
- Flying is stressful—even for experienced service dogs. Dogs must be calm, confident, fully trained, and assessed in a variety of environments.
- Close quarters with people (and possibly other dogs) in a situation with no quick exit requires high reliability and control.
Behavior Requirements
- Service dogs must be calm, responsive, and tolerant. Service dogs should not show aggression, severe fear, or other unsafe behavior.
- Training can teach skills, but it doesn’t change a dog’s natural behavior patterns or how they typically handle stress. Forcing a dog into a role they aren’t suited for risks making a dog’s behavior problem worse and is potentially unsafe.
Time Commitment
- Comprehensive service dog training usually takes over a year.
- Training covers public access preparation, disability-specific tasks, and multiple assessments to ensure the dog can perform reliably in diverse environments.
Appropriate Training
- Professional guidance is important—even if not legally required.
- Taking a dog on a plane that is not appropriately selected or trained as a service dog can create safety risks for everyone, including the dog.
- Misrepresenting pets as service dogs can harm passengers, the dogs themselves, and damages the public perception of service dogs making things harder for people with disabilities who rely on service dogs.
Alternatives
- Small dogs may travel in the cabin as pets for a fee.
- Consider a pet sitter, reputable kennel, or daycare—most dogs are less stressed in familiar surroundings.
- A few airlines accept pet dogs for a significant fee (e.g. Bark Air, Retriev Air, K9 Jets)
Ready to Get Started?
- Find a qualified Service Dog Coach (SDC) for guidance.
- Service Dog Fundamentals—a short course gives an overview of the training process, laws, and is an introduction to how training concepts are applied to service dog training.