Few Steps to Follow When Moving With Your Dog

 INTRODUCTION

The move is a four-letter word and by the way, so does the word hate. Most of us hate moving to a new place as there is a lot of hassle involved with packing and unpacking.  Now moving can be a dreadful experience as there is the stress of planning everything from deciding what to pack and arranging transportation. Now even our four-legged friend who is uprooted with the surrounding of your old home may find it difficult to adjust and it may be downright traumatic. 

Now we need to understand that dogs are territorial animals, this makes them have a great sense of belonging to their current home, and when in a new environment they naturally will feel uneasy. To solve this problem we will be sharing some useful practices to make your moving process easy and minimizing the possibility of your dog having anxiety or stress. We will be discussing three phases, which are before moving day, moving day, and after moving.

BEFORE MOVING DAY

• Familiarize your dog– it is vital to make your dog comfortable around boxes, bubble wraps. newspapers and tapes before the actual packing can be done. Always have treats with you, this is to ensure that the dog has a positive feeling with boxes around and whenever you notice your dog developing negative feelings then it is best to distract them with treats. This practice will allow your dog to gradually get used to changes around them. 

• Keep the old cart or bed– When moving to a new place, we always want to start fresh where everything has to be new but most dogs are attached to their home and routine. So the kindest act would be to bring all the unwashed bed or cart to your new home before you move as this will give your dog a familiar smell and this will help them feel at home in the new surroundings.

• Keep them Entertained– During the process of moving it is vital that you keep your dog entertained to prevent them from becoming bored and anxious. Since your house will be in the state of disarray, this is the perfect time to take advantage by setting up a hide and seek games with your dog. This keeps your dog mentally entertained and stimulated.

MOVING DAY

• Cut down your dog’s food intake– On the night before the moving day, the food portion for your dog should be reduced. This is because your dog may experience motion sickness when traveling a long distance in a vehicle. Now even after arriving at the new home, the food portion should be kept small as motion sickness can happen after the trip is over.

• Keeping yourself calm– It is hard to keep yourself calm when you are in the middle of an enormous house move. Now, as a responsible dog owner, it is crucial you don’t let your dog pick your emotions.

AFTER MOVING 

• Keeping your dog’s behavior in check-  Once you have arrived at your new home, then are reasons for you to worry regarding how your dog will behave in the new environment. If your dog is a young dog then there is a risk of them chewing their way around your new home. This is how your dog will explore their new environment while the older dogs tend to mark their territory by urinating. It is best to stay close to your dog and show them around the areas to which they have access. It is also advisable to bring along their unwashed blankets and toys so they don’t need to mark their territory. 

• Continue old routines- Now continuing old routine is one of the best things you can do to help your dog settle in as dogs love habits and routines like walks and game of fetch. This is also the perfect time to introduce your dog around the new neighbourhood and meeting new people and dogs under close supervision.

• Proper maintenance of hygiene– this is the most crucial part to ensure your dog stays healthy and the environment around the neighborhood stays clean as well. Now when your dog takes toilet breaks it is important to clean up to maintain cleanliness. There are some companies who offer services to help you clean up wastes left behind by your dog and Doo Care is one of those companies. Doo care is one of the top providers of pet waste management services in Downers Grove, Lombard, and Naperville.

CONCLUSION

The best way to move your pet dog to the new house is to plan extensively considering the feelings and the needs of your dog. Planning in advance will make the moving smooth and following the steps above will reduce the chances of your dog suffering from anxiety and stress.