Hello, everyone, and thank you so much for the help and advice on flying a dog to Europe from the states and buying dog food, etc., in Paris. We are here in Paris for 6 months, and our 2-year-old golden retriever, Crosby, made the trip very well and is getting used to the sounds of the city. (He is a Lake Michigan dog in the USA, so he's used to sand and waves as opposed to sidewalks and traffic.)
I have a couple of things to note. One is that Lufthansa was so superb with the dog. The Lufthansa gate people at Detroit loved him and said leave him out on the leash till it's time to go, and we'll give you the crate back. And I have to say that even though we had every document known to dog that you would possibly need to ship an animal to Germany, not once were they looked at! Not in Detroit, and not in Frankfurt. In fact, in Detroit we were told not to tape them onto the kennel as they might get lost. They said You'll need them at the other end. But not so. The TSA went through the crate in Detroit and then had us put the dog in. Even that was casual. I had a Kong full of his favorite food with a chicken strip sticking out of it. Very weird looking if you don't know what a kong is. I just said, "This is a kong with food and a chicken strip." They said Oh, Okay. But they never looked at the papers! And in Frankfurt, the kennel came out on the large parcel conveyor belt with nobody in attendance. There was a guy at the end of that belt who helped my husband lift the kennel onto our luggage cart, but he was not an official. No one asked to see paperwork.
The NH Hotel attached to the Frankfurt airport has free shuttle service who handled all our luggage and crate and dog. The driver loved the dog, wanted him up front. The hotel was reasonably priced and well-kept. A very nice typical three-star European hotel with restaurant and room service. The crate would have been awkward in the room, so they kept it up at the front desk. Across the street is a pocket park of woods with trails which is great for walking a dog. All for around $200 US.
The next day we picked up our reserved van at the airport (Europcar) and drove to Paris. Piece of cake! A lovely drive through the French Champagne district, about 5 hours. I highly recommend Lufthansa and this hotel to anyone traveling with a dog who needs to go in cargo.
My vet, who has a client with a dog who goes back and forth between Michigan and Germany due to being in the military, said this would probably be the case. So I highly recommend Lufthansa. It was a nonstop flight, and the cost for our 80-lb dog and 20-lb + crate was $400. Every other airline wanted $1500-1700. Plus they had good rates for us as well.
Secondly, thank you to all who recommended dog food, esp. Seulement Naturel who ships Fish4dogs and other food for free online (if 39 euros or more). I could not sign up with them online as they would only recognize billing addresses from Belgium or France, and my Visa billing address is in the states. I emailed them twice, and they finally called us on our French land line and offered to place the order over the phone. By that time we had identified another brand here in the city (Arden Grange Sensitif) and had picked that up. I might still go to them for some items for Crosby, but it will apparently have to be done by phone with someone who speaks English. They told me I could call and leave a message if no one is there, and they would call me back.
We got the Arden Grange at Miaow Waou on 30 Rue Faidherbe, a small pet supply store with grooming salon run by a young couple. It's either the 11th or 12th. We also made a grooming appointment there. They don't speak much English, but we have had fun trading our mutilated French with their little English and asking each other words in our respective languages. I think we will become friendly customers. They love golden retrievers there! And of course, Crosby loves them. He loves everybody who pets him!
Bon soir!
I have a couple of things to note. One is that Lufthansa was so superb with the dog. The Lufthansa gate people at Detroit loved him and said leave him out on the leash till it's time to go, and we'll give you the crate back. And I have to say that even though we had every document known to dog that you would possibly need to ship an animal to Germany, not once were they looked at! Not in Detroit, and not in Frankfurt. In fact, in Detroit we were told not to tape them onto the kennel as they might get lost. They said You'll need them at the other end. But not so. The TSA went through the crate in Detroit and then had us put the dog in. Even that was casual. I had a Kong full of his favorite food with a chicken strip sticking out of it. Very weird looking if you don't know what a kong is. I just said, "This is a kong with food and a chicken strip." They said Oh, Okay. But they never looked at the papers! And in Frankfurt, the kennel came out on the large parcel conveyor belt with nobody in attendance. There was a guy at the end of that belt who helped my husband lift the kennel onto our luggage cart, but he was not an official. No one asked to see paperwork.
The NH Hotel attached to the Frankfurt airport has free shuttle service who handled all our luggage and crate and dog. The driver loved the dog, wanted him up front. The hotel was reasonably priced and well-kept. A very nice typical three-star European hotel with restaurant and room service. The crate would have been awkward in the room, so they kept it up at the front desk. Across the street is a pocket park of woods with trails which is great for walking a dog. All for around $200 US.
The next day we picked up our reserved van at the airport (Europcar) and drove to Paris. Piece of cake! A lovely drive through the French Champagne district, about 5 hours. I highly recommend Lufthansa and this hotel to anyone traveling with a dog who needs to go in cargo.
My vet, who has a client with a dog who goes back and forth between Michigan and Germany due to being in the military, said this would probably be the case. So I highly recommend Lufthansa. It was a nonstop flight, and the cost for our 80-lb dog and 20-lb + crate was $400. Every other airline wanted $1500-1700. Plus they had good rates for us as well.
Secondly, thank you to all who recommended dog food, esp. Seulement Naturel who ships Fish4dogs and other food for free online (if 39 euros or more). I could not sign up with them online as they would only recognize billing addresses from Belgium or France, and my Visa billing address is in the states. I emailed them twice, and they finally called us on our French land line and offered to place the order over the phone. By that time we had identified another brand here in the city (Arden Grange Sensitif) and had picked that up. I might still go to them for some items for Crosby, but it will apparently have to be done by phone with someone who speaks English. They told me I could call and leave a message if no one is there, and they would call me back.
We got the Arden Grange at Miaow Waou on 30 Rue Faidherbe, a small pet supply store with grooming salon run by a young couple. It's either the 11th or 12th. We also made a grooming appointment there. They don't speak much English, but we have had fun trading our mutilated French with their little English and asking each other words in our respective languages. I think we will become friendly customers. They love golden retrievers there! And of course, Crosby loves them. He loves everybody who pets him!
Bon soir!
