Moving into a brand new home can be a very exciting experience for everyone in the family; however, it can be a little trickier when it comes to your four-legged friends, as they do not fully understand what is happening and can thus become more stressed than excited by the event. The good news is that there are a variety of things that you can do in order to make the relocation a good deal easier on your beloved pet, which in turn will make the experience less stressful for you. When you are making a move it is a good idea, if possible, to leave your dog with a family member or friend while the move is actually taking place. This means that your pet is kept well out of harm’s way while the physical moving of furniture and so on is happening, which cuts down on the risk of any unfortunate accidents.
Another option is simply to leave your dog in the backyard for the duration, provided that it is fully fenced off and there is no possibility of him or her getting out and accidentally getting lost – a stress you do not need at any time, and especially not on the day of the move! If neither of these options is terribly practical then there is another possibility, which is to crate your dog while the relocation is underway.
You should make absolutely certain that the crate is big enough for your dog to be able to stand up and turn around in, as well as allowing him or her to lie down and be comfortable. You also need to remember that your dog needs to have access to water and should be let out of the crate every couple of hours. During the course of making a move from one home to another, it is inevitable that items will be dropped, that doors will be left wide open and that there is going to be a great deal of commotion going on; the best method to ensure that your beloved animal is kept safe during all of this is simply to keep them well away from it. During the process of packing up all of your belongings for the move, you should take the time to do some advance planning in order to make the transition as smooth as it can possibly be for your pet.
Rather than attempting to pack all of your possessions in just one or two days, plan to pack over a lengthier period of time, as this can also help to relieve the stress on your animal – not to mention yourself. Remember to pack their food and water bowls, blankets/beds and toys into a separate box that will be easy to access after you have arrived in your new home. Dogs tend not to like change and the more familiar you can make the new setting feel to them, the easier it will be on them.
Lance Grooms
