Customer Reviews

Sherpa Classic Medium Deluxe Orginal Navy Pet Dog Cat Kitten Soft Sided Crate Carrier Airline Carrier 17"L x 11" x 10.5", Carrier Weight 3.6 lbs

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

I was nervous about taking my 13 lb dog in this thing on a long flight with a layover. I did give him half a tranq, but he didn't really konk out, although he was very relaxed. There was a little panting going on, not sure if he was hot or what. The crate does fit all the way under the seat with a bit of coaxing. The frame will bend a little to get it under there. If you take a middle or window seat you can maybe leave it out a little, but on the aisle the attendant will likely make you put it all the way under. I think this is the biggest dog crate you can get under a seat. My dog did not fill the crate, he could not stand up in it when its zipped at the top, but still, it was ok. I saw a woman with a 20lb dog in a similar crate and she said they travel a lot. That dog nearly filled the space. My dog could curl up. Do spend time getting him acclimated to it before you go. I also had a wheeled cart because I had to make a dash for a connection, it worked just fine. It was a collapsible one from Target, where the wheels fold in flat. Quick and easy to pop open and get moving with.

this is the perfect carrier to be used on airlines - fits comfortably under seat in front of you - and gives ample breathing room for cat or dog. our cat weighs 12 lbs. and fit it comfortably with room to spare.

I bought this bag for my 12lb dachshund to fly from Houston to New York. It is the largest bag that is approved by Continental (the large is not guaranteed to be allowed on).

She is 21 inches long, but can fit in this and turn around (because of her proportions).

I was very concerned that she was big for it, but at check-in they didn't notice I had a dog - had to check she was attached to the ticket. No comment from them (other than 'she's cute', no problem.

At boarding (where I've heard horror stories that people can be refused so late it gives you no time to get another option) no-one said anything - it just looks like a bag. She sat under the seat comfortably with another blanket in there and chilled out. The various zips mean you can have her on your lap (can't get them out) and stroke them during the flight.

Getting off the plane one of the air hostesses noticed the bag and commented - 'you have a dog?' but nothing other than an observation and a smile.

This bag is great, I was concerned it wasn't going to be big enough for my dog but it was ample sized and I'll be travelling with her loads more from now.

One other thing, log onto sherpa website and so long as the dog isn't refused because they're too big for the bag, if you get bumped planes for any other reason (eg overbooking) they'll always reimburse you and make sure you can get on - all free of charge...

Definitely a good purchase...

These reviews are somewhat misleading indicating that South West accepts this product which is a medium size. They only accept the small Sharpa size.

This carrier is well made and easy to use. I needed to transport my cat on the airplane and this is the only one that seems to qualify. It did fit under the seat on Southwest fine but my cat is 15.5 lbs. and a little heavy for it. She huddled in one end which made the carrier off balance so I could not use the shoulder strap to carry her. I ended up skooting her along like a roller bag (there are plastic feet on the bottom) and that worked fine! She was not too heavy for the carrier - just too heavy for me.

I searched online for a puppy bag that had a opening at the top but had lots of mesh on all sides for open air flow. Also a opening in the front. The Sherpa bag met all of my requirements and it's cute! It's got a great pouch for leaches, puppy pads, etc in the back too. It's very convenient and I love it!

I have been using the Sherpa since the early 1980's after using another brand and finding out the airlines did not accept it. My yorkies are always very comfortable and travel well in this bag.

Our 11 year old mini-Dachshund loves her carrier. This is the second one purchased. We keep one in the car and one in the house or garage depending on where she is spending the day. When she gets tired of helping with whatever is going on, she heads for the carrier to take a nap. When she is in the car in the carrier, she never makes a sound. It is her hideout.

The Sherpa Medium Deluxe Pet Carrier arrived as advertised. The top zipper is a little hard to close so usually let her out on the front side instead of out the top.