How To Take Your Dog To France — On The Styled Side

So you want to bring your dog to France?

We get it! France isn't just a hop away from the US, you have to add the skip and the jump. Most likely, you'll be spending more than a week in Europe, after taking so long to get there!

Maybe you're moving to France (so exciting!)...or, like me, your furry ones are your babies and you would just rather have them with you.

Whatever the reason, France is a great choice to bring your pup along and I'll tell you all that I learned while going through the process here!

Unlike in the US, you can bring dogs most places with you in France. To the mall, restaurants, bars...you just can't bring them to museums, monuments, and big grocery stores (my neighborhood store was fine with pups). So once you get there, your dog can be much more a part of your life than in the US, which is great!

This a long and slightly involved process (but don't get discouraged!), and so is this post... so if you want to skip to the bullet points scroll on down!

Navigating the Airlines and Emotional Support Animals

When I moved to France, leaving Murphy behind was not an option. I just wouldn't have made the move without him. He was barely over a year old, about 14 lbs, and his unique personality was already apparent at that age. He'd been to puppy school, but I'd be lying if I said he was "well trained"!

I was flying on American Airlines on miles, and when I found out that they don't allow pets in-cabin on transatlantic flights, I panicked, to say the least. I had heard and read the horror stories about pets being checked as baggage, and there was NO WAY I was going to do that. Murphy would've completely freaked out (he's slightly attached to me), and the thought of him alone under the plane in a crate was unbearable to me. It was at that time that a little bell started ringing in my head about a friend's mom who traveled with her (not so small) dog in the cabin as an Emotion Support Animal (ESA). A couple of hours of googling later, I had a plan. Fortunately (in this case only), I am terrified of flying. I know, for someone who wants to travel for a living, that's ridiculous. But true. I have a prescription for Xanax for it, and well documented Dr. visits. So I thought that I truly would benefit from having Murphy on a plane with me, not only for his sake.

*Note: You don't need the prescription or Dr. visits to get 'certified' (wait now we're wanting to be certified as a little nuts?)

I read a lot of reviews and decided to go with Chilowee for my evaluation and certification. There are definitely some sites out there that are cheaper, I had just read about some bad experiences people had with others where the airlines wouldn't accept their letters and I didn't want to risk it.

*UPDATE: I have recently used Emotional Pet Support and had a great experience for a cheaper price!

One of Murphy's favorite fountains in Clermont-Ferrand

I took an online questionnaire that was clearly divided (at least in my opinion) into sections for different mental illnesses, anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar, etc. It was pretty long, but not too bad. I was a little stressed - I wanted to come off just crazy enough, kind of like Goldilocks! In the end, I just answered honestly about my fears, feelings and anxieties. I mean, we all have them, right?

Once completed, the questionnaire is reviewed within 24 hours. After that come at least 2 phone/Skype sessions with a counselor, and yes, they'll ask you lots more questions, some personal! I was so glad a week later when I received the official documentation.

Being the Virgo I am, I immediately called American Airlines to ensure what I received would suffice. I had already bought my ticket, but they said to call again within 48 hours of the flight to get special seating. (I ended up upgrading to first class with my miles to make it much easier on me with Murphy - and of course, it was!)

In the meantime, my vet and I were frantically filling out paperwork, sending things to the USDA, making sure we had the correct microchip for Europe, so I suggest you love your vet, because you will see a lot of him/her!

I wanted Murphy to look official, so I ordered a vest with an ESA patch from Etsy, and an ID tag as well. It never hurts to be over-cautious!

Taking the Trip

So the time came to leave for France! Since I took care of most everything far in advance for Murphy, my biggest issue was the number and weight of my bags! Upon check-in, I gave the attendant my letter for Murphy and all was well. I brought a carrier for him, but honestly, I didn't use it once. What I DID use (to board the flight and throughout my travels) was my "puppy bjorn"! Now, this won't work for big dogs...in fact, Murphy has pretty much grown out of his, but if you have a smaller dog who won't stay put or fit in a cute purse-type bag, this is awesome! I just wish they made sturdy ones in cuter patterns! ;) For our next travels, since we'll have Scotty with us too, Eric is going to go for a doggy backpack...I guess it IS a little more manly!

*UPDATE: Yes, the last time we traveled, I was the girl who had her doggie in a REAL Baby Bjorn! And it worked perfectly!

So I just walked right onto the plane with him in my pack, sat down, put him on my lap and all was golden. I'm lucky - Murphy will be very content almost anywhere as long as he's on my lap. My vet and I talked about it, and decided that a little doggie Xanax for him wasn't the worst idea. She had me try out the dosage before we left to make sure it wasn't too little or too much. He was alert when he wanted to be (like when the sweet flight attendants brought him a plate of sausage for breakfast!), but was also just very chill the rest of the time.

One of my biggest fears was that he'd have to go to the bathroom during the flight.

Quelle horreur!

My solution? I packed a couple of puppy pads and planned to just take him and the pads into the bathroom if he started whining. Luckily, he went out after the connecting flight, and our long flight was an overnight, so he really never had to go. But I think my puppy pad idea is brilliant! ;)

The flights were a breeze (except for the part on the way from Tulsa to Dallas where I hadn't taken enough Xanax, there was a lot of turbulence, and Murphy officially earned his ESA wings).

Getting into France

Now for French customs. I was so nervous because my French was nowhere up to customs par, and there was just so much paperwork I didn't know what was what. I went up to the customs window with Murphy in the bjorn, the officer asked me typical questions about foreign travel, stamped my passport, and said merci. Um...not one question about Murphy. No papers requested. I was confused so I asked if I needed to go somewhere else for Murphy and the guy looked at me like I was a bit nuts. So I walked on, thinking I would encounter another customs window when I retrieved my (many, too many) bags -another post all together, but as I walked away, I realized I was in the main part of the airport. And that was it!

Now, this is not to say that you don't need the paperwork. You do. I'm sure that if one signature was missing I would've been asked for the paperwork everywhere. Murphy's law, right?

In a Nutshell

So there you have it. That was my process in a long nutshell. Traveling throughout Europe with Murphy was so easy. People were so much more accommodating to dogs there than in the States. And forget what they say about the French being mean...because of Murphy, I ended up talking to a lot of French people (mostly dog owners in parks, etc.) that I never would have otherwise, and who were nothing but sweet and patient with my language abilities and Murphy's 'unique' personality!

So here's what you need to remember:

If you are getting certified for an ESA, go with a reputable company like Chilowee or Emotional Pet Support. It's worth the extra money to know that it will work with the airlines.
Don't panic about your answers to the questionnaire or the phone sessions! We all have anxiety and it's ok to express yours.
Check with your airline to get their specific requirements for Emotional Support Animals, like American's page here.
Find a vet who is patient and knowledgeable, and with a sense of humor - there's a lot of paperwork to fill out! Find the current regulations here.
Consider some doggie xanax for the flight. Thundershirts are also great calming agents.
Grab a vest, ESA patch and an ID so your pup feels and looks 'official'.
Try a puppy bjorn or backpack to stay hands-free for easier luggage carrying, and maneuvering in airports and train stations. (They are also perfect for touring French cities on bicycles!)
Bring puppy training pads with you on the flight to take in the bathroom if your pup has to GO.
Take tons of pictures! It's truly so neat to have pics of your pup in places most humans only dream of going!

Murphy hiking the Sentier Littoral in the south of France

Another great resource for traveling anywhere with your pet is this Facebook group!

Any other specific questions or if you have more advice about traveling with dogs to France, please feel free to address in the comments!

Bon Voyage!!