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Moving With Your Dog

  • 18/05/2014

Moving is never an easy task. There is always so much to do and so many things that can happen and go wrong. It can be a very stressful and scary time. As humans, though, we know why and where we are moving, as well as who is moving with us. And while we may be moving to a new house, or even to a completely new city or state, we know what to expect. For a dog, it is very different.

For a dog it can be the most frightening experience that has ever happened to them. They don't know where they are going or who is going with them. They don't know what is going with them. Unlike us, Fido does not have all the details at his disposal.

It is up to us, the owner and family, to make the move, transition, as easy as possible. But how can we do that? I have ten tips to help you transition your dog to their new home.

Tip 1: Be organized when you are packing. Dogs are very smart when it comes to something new happening. Even before you go anywhere all it takes is for them to see a box and their whole world can come apart. You want to do your best to ease your dog into moving. Make sure that when you are packing keep things neat and orderly. If at all possible, when you first start packing put boxes in a room that is away from your pet. Also don't pack their stuff until the last possible minute and make sure you let them smell the box that their stuff goes in.

Tip 2: Do not leave your pet alone when getting ready for the big move. I know this can be difficult with trying to get everything ready as there is so much to do. If you have to leave your dog, leave them with a friend or relative while you do errands. Or better yet, set up a doggie play-date. This will let your dog know that you are not abandoning them and that you love them very much. It will lessen their anxiety and calm them down.

Tip 3: Make sure your dog has an item that they love around all the time. This could be something like an old towel that they love to chew or a squeak toy. No matter what the item is, make sure that it does not get packed and you always know where it is. Make sure your dog has their special something with them at all times, except of course on walks. By doing this, you will bring comfort and piece of mind to your four legged friend.

Tip 4: Make sure your dog's special something has a familiar scent. One thing that can help your dog is to have something that smells familiar. By taking their special something and rubbing it on you or your family members, you will be bringing much needed comfort to your four legged friend.. Now, I know this might sound funny to you or maybe even a little gross, but scent for a dog is a very powerful thing. A dog's sense of smell is over 100 times more powerful than an adult's. This act alone can give your pet a sense of safety and security during a hard time such as moving.

Tip 5: Talk and touch your pet often. Continuously talking to your dog can be soothing and reassuring. And while dogs may not always understand everything that we say,they sure know the sound and tone of our voice. Our tone is one way the lets the dog know what is going on and how we feel. When we use calm soothing words with our pooch than that can translate into a less anxious canine.

Touch is also something that can be very powerful in conveying our feelings about what is happening at the time. Stroking Fido behind the ear or on the neck can help relax both of you. This is especially important during the actual move. Take a few minutes out and sit and give your dog a good rub down. It will work wonders during the difficult transition.

Tip 6: If possible, allow your dog to visit their new home before you move in. Dogs like to explore and smell new places. By allowing your dog smell their new home and all of the new surroundings before you unpack or even bring anything in can bring them piece of mind. Like I mentioned before, scent is so important. Allowing your dog to familiarize themselves with the new environment will help them to feel more comfortable. Also, let them sniff everything as you bring it in to your new home. Your dog will quickly realize that this is your stuff and they will draw a sense of security from it. He will also be very happy once he finds his box with his stuff in it.

Tip 7: Unpack your dog's things first. The first thing, or as close to the first as you can get to be unpacked should be your dog's box.This will let him know that he is staying, and once you start to unpack your stuff it will give him a sense of security knowing that you are staying too. Remember to keep the boxes in as an orderly fashion as you can. Not an easy thing to do but the less mess you have the easier it will be for your dog to make sense of what is going on and to acclimate to the new situation.

Tip 8: Place your dog's bed in an area that is close to you and your family. With his stuff being unpacked comes a comfy doggie bed or some blankets. Put this in an area that will be close to everyone. This is his home now as well as yours. A great thing to do is have some laundry that has not been done, maybe some dirty bath towels, that you can put in their area from the old place. They will take relief in the scent and this can reduce stress.

Tip 9: Talk your dog on long walks to familiarize them with their new neighborhood. Help familiarize your dog to his new surroundings. Introduce your pet to new neighbors and people that you meet. Make it a point to go up to people and have your dog sniff them. Be careful though, some dogs won't take kindly to this at the beginning and they may become very protective of you and the new environment. Dogs are very territorial and some breeds are aggressive about it. Know your dog and the breed.

Tip 10: Start a routine as soon as possible. To make sure that your dog is adjusting as quickly as possible,start a routine as quickly as you can. If you took Fido on a walk every morning at your old home, try and continue to do that to at your new home. Routine is a good way to get your pooch acclimated.

Remember through all this,loving your dog and showing them affection is the most important. It can be difficult and hard to move to a new place but following these steps and being there for your best friend will help both you and your dog to feel at home.

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