Make your next vacation dog friendly by flying one of these airlines!

At Fido Factor we’re all about checking out great local spots with your dog, but we also appreciate a great dog friendly vacation! Whether your idea of a dog friendly trip involves, surf, snow, or exploring one of the country’s great cities, our mission is to make your getaway one that your dog can be a part of. Luckily traveling with your dog is easier than ever thanks to more and more hotels opening their doors to our four legged family members; but traveling by plane with your dog can still be difficult. Few industry standards exist for dog friendly air travel, leaving dog accompanied travelers guessing which airline provides their pooch with the best travel accommodations. To help tackle this issue we’ve gone ahead and researched the dog airline policies for six of the largest carriers and crowned one, the most dog friendly airline.

To come up with our rankings we looked at each airline's dog safety policy, dog travel options, dog specific programs, price, and general dog friendliness.

Southwest - 6th Place

In-Cabin: Yes ($75/each way)

Checked Baggage/Cargo: No

For an airline that touts itself as the low cost alternative, it shouldn’t be surprising that Southwest offers one of the lowest cost options for traveling with your dog. If your dog is small enough to fit under the seat, just $75 will buy a one way ticket. Travelers with large dogs will need to look for other alternatives; Southwest does not offer a checked baggage option for dogs traveling with their owners. What we found particular concerning, and the reason Southwest ranks at the bottom of the list despite their bargain pricing, the airline goes out of its way to note first aid and oxygen will not be administered to dogs that become ill during flight.

Delta - 5th Place

In-Cabin: Yes ($125 per container/each way)

Checked Baggage/Cargo: Yes ($200 per container/each way)

Delta offers what we would consider the bare minimum when it comes to dog friendly travel accommodations. Not only are their fees higher than industry average but they’re based on one way travel, charging an additional fee on round trip flights. Dogs who can comfortably fit under the seat are permitted to ride in-cabin, all other dogs must travel as checked baggage.

American Airlines - 4th Place

In-Cabin: Yes ($100 per container/each way)

Checked Baggage/Cargo: Yes ($150 per container/each way)

American Airlines offers the standard dog transportation options we’ve come to see from most major airline carriers. If your dog is small enough they can ride in the cabin with you, otherwise you’ll have to fork over an extra $50 to have them ride as checked baggage – just make sure they’re not over 100lbs. American Airlines does distinguish themselves from other dog friendly carriers with their list of “Animal Relief Areas”  - assuring dog owners can easily find a place to take their dog for a quick squat in any airport.

United - 3rd Place

In-Cabin: Yes ($125-175 varies on the time of year)

Checked Baggage/Cargo: Yes ($175-250 varies on the time of year and crate size)

United knows their dogs. We know this because United is one of the few airlines that restrict short-nosed breeds from traveling as checked baggage from May 1st to September 30th do to the likelihood of warm weather. Restricted breeds include Boxer, English Bulldog, and Pug. If your dog happens to be a small short nosed breed you are welcome to carry your dog on year round, assuming they can fit comfortably in a carrier and placed below the seat. Before flying make sure to check United’s website to see if your travel window is limited by the type of dog you have.

JetBlue - 2nd Place

In-Cabin: Yes ($100)

Checked Baggage/Cargo: No

As a relatively young airline, JetBlue continues to use free drinks, free snacks, in-flight television, and outstanding customer service (minus the JFK runway fiasco), to achieve one of the most customer friendly reputations in the business. The airline is now employing the same strategy to attract customers flying with their dog. Their “JetPaws” program provides dog owners with a free pet carrier bag tag, a pet travel etiquette guide, and 300 TrueBlue points for traveling with your dog. JetBlue also provides its dog loving customers with a free pet travel guide – something near and dear to our hearts – that lists pet friendly hotels, restaurants, parks, and veterinarians. So why did JetBlue finish second? Your dog will need to be small enough to fit comfortably under the in-cabin seat, there is no checked luggage option.

Continental - 1st Place

In-Cabin: Yes ($125 each way)

Checked Baggage/Cargo: Yes (Call for rates, 1-800.575.3335)

Continental is unique in that they offer a travel option for large dogs, but do not allow dogs to travel as checked baggage. Instead, if you are planning to head out on a dog friendly vacation and your dog is too large to ride in the cabin, you’ll have to transport them as cargo. The good news, Continental has the most dog friendly cargo option in the business. Their PetSafe program offers confirmed booking prior to departure, a dedicated 24-hour animal support team to monitor weather conditions, the ability to track and trace your dog from origin to destination, and transportation in climate-controlled vehicles between connecting planes. Continental also has a mileage reward program through the PetSafe program. Continental OnePass members earn one (1) OnePass mile for every dollar spent when transporting their dog.

Captain had a great time playing with Trax, Keoni, Ziggy, and the rest of the SOMA Dogs. He also met a few new Vizsla friends. After all the fun it was time for a bath at Point Isabel's Mudpuppy's Tub & Scrub. We love the fact that this dog park has its own cafe, dog store, and dog wash.

Check out some of the photos from Point Isabel below or our full set of photos on Flickr.

After our park time and shopping we headed to Stray Bar for the party to celebrate the Beast of the Bay awards.  The party featured live music and an raffle to support the Hearing Dog Program.  Some of the raffle prizes included a stay at The Inn at Schoolhouse Creek, Hearst Ranch Dog Food, and toys from Pet Food Express.

Be sure to check out the March issue of Bay Woof for the most dog friendly Bay Area businesses and locations.  If you want an excuse to visit Stray Bar there is another dog friendly event on Feb 12 from 4-8 PM to benefit the Hearing Dog Program.  For more great photos from the event check out our Flickr set.

We also met lots of great dogs including Bear, Bond, and Maverick, the number one Duck Toller.  Check out some of the photos below or view the full dog show album on Flickr.

Amy Dog & Christmas Present

Thanks to everyone who entered our December contest for a two night stay at any one of the 40 dog friendly Shilo Inns.  Our contest winner was Chris from NYC.  Chris added some great reviews, like this one for Animal Kind Vet Hospital and this one for Park Slope Dog Run.

Our contest runner up was Joshua's Mom in Portland, OR.  She added some thoughtful dog friendly reviews for places like Washington Park and Charlton Kennels.  Joshua's Mom will be getting one of our new Fido Factor T-shirts.

Finally, we want to thank Shilo Inns for sponsoring the contest.  Shilo Inns has consistently been honored as one of Oregon's top priviate companies.  They are passionate supporters of America's Veterans as well as our four legged friends.  Please check out on of their 40 dog friendly properties on your travels around the Western United States.

Contest Details:
To enter, simply click here. The contest will run from Nov. 26th - Dec. 30^th, with the winner announced the first week of Jan. Users generate entries by adding dog friendly reviews to existing Fido Factor listings or by adding new dog friendly listings to Fido Factor. Each dog friendly review or new listing counts as an entry. The user with the greatest number of entries will win the Shilo Inns package.

As usual any reviews or locations added in our home city of San Francisco will generate a donation that Fido Factor will pay in your name to support local homeless animals. Reviews that are incomplete or inappropriate, as well as locations that are not dog friendly will be excluded.  Fido Factor employees and their family members are not eligible to enter.

Dogs love shopping too!

The Thanksgiving holiday is just a few procrastination filled work days away, time to start dreaming of yummy Turkey, buttery stuffing, and if you’re like 63% of Americans, candied yams. Oh the dinner, the family drama, and the dog begging for table scraps… precious holiday memories. Not to worry though, soon your mind will turn from second helping remorse to savings, savings, savings! That's right, Black Friday is back. The day we excuse ourselves from civility in pursuit of the bargain.

But what about the dog? Consumer Reports says the average consumer will spend 13 hours holiday shopping this year. Long hours perusing the best deals means time away from the home and time away from the dog. Sad. What if there was a way to spend as much time as you wanted shopping, without having to worry about your dog being home alone, tied up outside the store, or racking up an expensive doggie daycare tab??? 1,000 points if you guessed the solution was Fido Factor. That's right, Fido Factor has made dog friendly shopping easy. Browse our 330 dog friendly retailers on our website or on the go with our free iPhone app and shop the day away with your best friend. Fido Factor details each stores' leash policy, permitted dog sizes, breakables, if other dogs will be there, treats, water bowls, and more. You will also want to be sure your dog is comfortable around large crowds. If Fido is skittish in groups, this Friday might not be the best day for a first jaunt around the city. Even if your dog is a crowd veteran we encourage all owners to review the following safety tips before venturing out with the dog - City Dog Basics

If all this info wasn't enough, take a look below at some of our favorite dog friendly stores offering special bargains this Friday. We've highlighted the dog policies for each and the Black Friday hours and sales, the only thing you need to worry about it is shaking off the Thanksgiving food comma. So grab the dog and spend some money, apparently we're in some sort of recession.

Best Buy Dog Policy: http://www.fidofactor.com/location/14843/best-buy

Special Hours: Doors open at 5am, tickets handed out as early at 3am – WOW.

Sales: Too many to list, check the link http://www.bestbuy.com/doorbusters2009

Nordstrom Dog Policy: http://www.fidofactor.com/location/2883/nordstrom

Special Hours: Doors open from 8am-9pm.

Sales: All clothing 33% off, Ladies shoes and boots 33% off

Pottery Barn Dog Policy: http://www.fidofactor.com/location/224/pottery-barn

Special Hours: 10am-9pm

Sales: Pottery Barn is keeping quiet about particulars, all sales announced Friday morning.

DSW Shoes Warehouse Dog Policy: http://www.fidofactor.com/location/562/dsw-shoe-warehouse

Special Hours: 8:30am-9pm

Sales: All Gucci products on sale

*All dog related information based on locations listed and subject to change. Please verify individual property policies before visiting.

Now that we've buttered you up we want to share how you can personally keep the momentum going by helping us to a third win. To participate all you need to do is follow this link to submit Fido Factor as the best "bootstrapped" or privately financed Startup Company for the TechCrunch awards - "The Crunchies". No need to download, research, or write anything, just click "nominate" and you're done. Entries can be cast daily through 12/6/09 so vote early and vote often.

And lastly because we never get tired of talking about ourselves, we'll leave you with a brief update of some recent and upcoming Fido Factor media coverage. Due in a large part to your early adoption and interaction with the site, Fido Factor was recently covered in social media outlet Mashable and Fido Factor CEO Justin O'Neill was featured in two video interviews, one on bnetTV.com and one on Nerdstalker.com. Additional upcoming coverage includes a feature story on ABC Bay Area at 6 PM PT the day after Thanksgiving on Friday, November 27, and a San Francisco Chronicle Article scheduled to run during the first week of December. Keep an eye out and give yourself a pat on the back helping us achieve this success.

According to the 2009/2010 APPA survey:

62% of US households own a pet; 39% own a dog

Total Pet Industry Market Size

2009 - $45.4B
2008 - $43.2B
2007 - $41.2B

Annual Dog Ownership Costs

$453 - Surgical Vet Visits
$217 - Food
$225 - Kennel Boarding
$219 - Routine Vet
$127 - Groomer/Grooming Aids
$77 - Vitamins
$66 - Treats
$41 - Toys

As urban dog owners these numbers are not even close to what it costs to care for our citified Vizsla.  For example, in San Francisco doggie daycare costs about $500 per month.  Our "routine" vet care seems to be about $100 per visit and when our puppy came down with kennel cough and pneumonia the vet bill was $1500.  If you think that sounds expense, the NY Times recently reported that some French Bulldog (Frenchie) owners spend up to $40k over their dog's lifetime.  Needless to say owning a dog can be expensive but it is worth every penny!