Tips for moving with dogs
When it’s time to move house, you have to think about the best way for each member of the family to go through this transition in the best way. For this reason, our dog also deserves us to do everything in our power to make the move as peaceful as possible. Below, we’ll go over some guidelines and practical tips to make our move with dogs stress-free.
The Days Leading Up to the Move
A few days or weeks before the move we can start to take into account some preparations. In this way, we will pave the way and make it easier for our pet to move home. At this point we must remember that dogs have a strong territorial feeling and also a highly developed sense of smell that allows them to identify their things and their territory.
Not washing your belongings
Your bed, blanket and toys will be your support when you arrive at the new home and will allow you to adapt more easily while everything around you takes on a sense of home of its own. Therefore, we will not wash anything that is part of your daily life or that contains familiar smells that can provide you with so much comfort in the first few days.
We will also avoid packing your things until the last day, as you could miss them or even realize that they are inside a box thanks to your keen sense of smell, which in any case will create uneasiness.
Maintaining Your Routine
The boxes will start to pile up in some areas, everyone at home will be more active and our routine will change. However, none of this should deprive our pet of its own routine of walks, games, grooming and cuddling. To provide stability, we must provide the usual attention and care. We must pay special attention to the walking and eating times, because if we alter them, our dog may suffer anxiety because he is waiting precisely for these desired moments.
Leave your belongings at your disposal until the last moment
Closely related to the previous measure, letting them have their bed and blanket until the last moment will allow them to stay calm for longer and avoid stress. So, we don’t pack your stuff too soon. In addition, at any time we may need their toys to entertain them and help them release stress. Even when the final moment arrives, we recommend leaving a toy handy, as well as its water bowl/feeder and objects to travel by car if necessary.
The big day has arrived: How to manage the move with your dog
Finding a safe place
Strange people will enter our dog’s territory and this will surely cause nervousness and restlessness. This situation may seem strange to you and you may not understand it, so it’s a good idea to try to keep them out of the moving process.
If we are lucky enough to have someone who can take care of our dog on moving day, it will be a good option to keep him out of the whole process. In addition, we will be able to be 100% focused on the move and it will be somewhat more bearable for us. If, on the other hand, we do not have this option, we can also find a place where he can be quiet, for example the garden if we have one, or a room where he is comfortable, so we will avoid possible accidents. This is especially important if our dog is small and sociable, as many times it will want to go and greet the movers, who could inadvertently step on it or get a scare because they do not know the usual behavior and movements of our dog.
Supervision
If there are at least two adults in the house and we do not have the opportunity to keep them “away” from the move because for some reason it is not possible, we recommend that one of them is always by their side to convey peace of mind and ensure, on the other hand, that they do not escape or go for a walk alone in the vicinity. We must consider that during the move we will find the door of our home open or ajar most of the time. This, together with the strange situation that can result for our dog to see how strange people move all his belongings, could lead him to make unexpected decisions such as running away from home.
Wide sleeves
The established order in our home will fade away and our energy will be more active than usual, so it is very likely that this will affect our dog’s behavior. If for some reason he makes an unexpected mischief, we must be patient and avoid reprimands, since according to experts they could be counterproductive. On the contrary, to help him in this process we must look for ways with which he can get back in touch with his normal day-to-day life. Therefore, it will be very practical to have one of his toys to distract him by playing one of his usual games. This will help you reconnect with your routine.
Recognizing the new home
Once they arrive at the new home, we must not forget that the one who will have the hardest time adapting to the new environment is our dog. It is at this precise moment when routines must become more important than ever, while their toys, their blanket and their bed, must be put in the place we assign them and, of course, they must not wash anything until they feel comfortable in their new home.
If we follow these tips, our pet will soon feel at home and will once again be the king or queen of the house.
Other Moving Tips
In addition to this one, we have written other articles to help you make the move a more bearable process. Among all of them, we highlight our tips for organizing a move and packing boxes. We’ve also written some ideas to make a move with cats easier and an article options for donating furniture, clothes, and items before the move.