Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)After reading stories of people traveling with pets who were turned away at the gate/denied boarding because of a non-compliant carrier, I was quite concerned with how I would transport my new puppy from Dallas to California. I settled on the Sherpa brand because of their partnership with several airlines and the guarantee they provided.
Despite the guarantee from Sherpa, I was still concerned about whether my 8 week old, 8.6lb Boxer would actually fit in this bag. She stood 11.5" at the shoulder, which is taller than this bag - and the seat dimensions on Southwest indicated an 8.25" height. I purchased the Medium and Large Original Deluxe Sherpa Carrier and took both to a Southwest ticket agent to confirm if either complied. The Agent took one look at the MEDIUM carrier and said it would definitely work. The Large would be a challenge (the construction is rather rigid and not easy to bend). My pup was definitely taller than both bags. When she sat down in the MEDIUM bag, her head was at the perfect height for her to gnaw on the zipper surrounding the top opening of the bag. This kept her pre-occupied and did no damage to the bag. When it was time to enter the airport, I simply had her lay down and I zipped up the top. She had plenty of room to stretch out and to shift positions. Boxers tend to sleep on their sides with all four legs extended (like a horse) and my pup was in this position frequently.
The bag is of good quality. It is not luggage - three of the four sides are made of mesh which allows for air circulation and enabled my pup to see/smell me during the trip. I was also able to see through the mesh sufficiently enough to check on her throughout each flight. I read in other reviews that the bag did not feel sturdy with the pet inside...I only used the handles (not the shoulder strap) to carry my pup and when she was awake and active while I was carrying the bag, it did feel a little off balance at times. The same occurred when she was curled in a ball toward one end of the bag. But I would not describe the bag as unstable - there is a sturdy board that lines the bottom of the carrier and has velcro strips to hold down the fleece pad. I felt no sagging and at no time did I feel my pup was unsafe while carrying her. The zippered pocket on the end of the bag was large enough to hold my wallet, Kindle and a ziplock bag of puppy chews.
So, if you are traveling on Southwest Airlines, the MEDIUM carrier slides perfectly beneath the seat in front of you (we were on 737's). I do not think the Large would have made it without considerable 'smooshing.' Also, I'm guessing that in a month or so, there is no way my baby Boxer will fit comfortably in this carrier...for long term use, it is definitely sized for smaller breeds.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Original Deluxe Sherpa Carrier (Medium)
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