LANCAIR ES PLT OVERSHOOTS ASSIGNED ALT WHEN DIVERTING DUE TO HIS DOG IN DISTRESS IN THE BACK SEAT.

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WE DEPARTED AND PICKED UP OUR CLRNC AIRBORNE. MY WIFE WAS SITTING IN THE BACK SEAT SO SHE COULD TEND TO OUR 2 DACHSHUNDS WE HAD WITH US. ONE DACHSHUND STARTED TO BARK CONTINUOUSLY AS WE PASSED 5500 FT CLBING TO 7000 FT. I REQUESTED TO RETARD THE CLB UNTIL WE COULD GET THE DOG SETTLED DOWN. I RPTED THAT ONE OF MY PAX WAS HAVING TROUBLE EQUALIZING HIS EARS; HOWEVER; THE CTLR MUST HAVE HEARD THE DOG BARKING IN THE BACKGND. AFTER A FEW MINS; IT WAS CLR THAT HIS BARKING/DISCOMFORT WAS NOT GOING TO GET ANY BETTER; SO I ASKED TO DIVERT. I WAS GIVEN VECTORS AND A DSCNT TO 2000 FT; AND TO EXPECT THE ILS APCH. I WAS FLYING USING THE AUTOPLT AND INSTEAD OF TAKING THE TIME TO SELECT THE ALT (2000 FT); I JUST PUSHED THE 'VERT SPD DOWN' BUTTON TO START THE DSCNT WHILE I DUG OUT THE APCH PLATE. WE WERE IN VFR CONDITIONS; BUT I SEEM TO REMEMBER THAT THE CTLR GAVE ME SOME REASON WHY THE ILS WOULD BE REQUIRED. I THINK IT HAD TO DO WITH SOME OTHER TFC. I BEGAN TO SET UP FOR THE ILS APCH AND WAS INFORMED THAT I MAY GET A VISUAL APCH. THEN THE CTLR ALERTED ME TO MY ALT EXCURSION AND ASKED IF I COULD SEE THE GND. I TOOK CTL (TURNED OFF THE AUTOPLT) AND CLBED BACK FROM 1600 FT TO MY ASSIGNED 2000 FT. I COULD SEE THE GND; BUT I DON'T THINK I TOLD THE CTLR SO. I APOLOGIZED FOR THE ALT EXCURSION AND THE CTLR WAS VERY HELPFUL WITH GETTING ME TO THE RWY FOR A VISUAL APCH. MY MISTAKE WAS IN MISPROGRAMMING THE AUTOPLT. I SHOULD HAVE ENTERED THE PROPER ALT; THEN MONITORED THE ALT MORE CLOSELY DURING THIS VERY BUSY TIME. REMEMBER; THE DOG CONSTANTLY BARKING IN THE BACKGND? WE GAVE THE DOG SOME VALIUM WHILE ON THE GND; WAITED FOR IT TO TAKE EFFECT; THEN CONTINUED THE FLT UNEVENTFULLY. WE BELIEVE THAT THE DOG MAY HAVE SPIT OUT HIS INITIAL DOSE OF VALIUM.