Moving With a Dog Doesn't Have to Be a Doggy Downer

By Scott Boone

Image courtesy of Maxpixel

A few weeks ago, I devoted an entire blog to helping people with cats learn how to deal with their feline friends during a move.  This week I thought I’d look at the other side of the equation.  Did you know that there are more than 90 million dogs in the US?  Unlike cats, which are more independent and less likely to heed your every wish, dogs are more than happy to follow your commands, provided they are properly trained.  That being said, dogs, as opposed to cats, are pack animals.  This means that they have a well-defined concept of territory, not to mention who is the top dog.  When you pack up and move your family from one location to another, this has a tendency to throw your dog’s sense of self out of whack.

Leader of the Pack

The good news is, as long as you are considered the leader of the pack, your dog will follow your lead.  The bad news is once you start assembling boxes and packing up your belongings, Fido is not only going to notice, your dog is going to react.  With this in mind, the best way to begin the packing process is to do so in stages.  By that, I mean it is far better to work on packing up a few boxes a time, preferably out of sight of your dog.  If your dog spends most of the time outdoors, this should pose no problem.  If your dog spends the majority of its time indoors, the jig will be up if you don’t take care.

Image courtesy of Maxpixel

Dogs under stress are known to impede a move by chewing on boxes, knocking boxes over or even leaving their owners nasty little presents to show their disdain.  (I once had an Irish Setter chew up an entire seat cushion prior to a move.)  If you have an indoor dog, better to have one of your kids take the pup out for a long walk, or head out back to play fetch, rather than have it wonder what the heck is going on while you pack.  The reason dogs tend to stress out during a move has to do with instincts that were honed long before you had a wolf in your living room.  Any time a pack breaks camp, this is a sign of lean times ahead.  Therefore, you need to take your dog’s psyche into account any time you’re getting ready to move.

Doggone It

If you want to keep your dog’s stress levels in abeyance, not only is it a good idea to make sure the pup doesn’t discover the move too early, you should pack the pup’s possessions last.  If your dog has a favorite room that it spends most of its time in, wait until the last minute to pack it up.  One of the biggest anxiety that every dog has is being left behind.  Being kicked out of the pack is tantamount to a death sentence for the average wolf.  Just because your dachshund looks very different from a wolf, that doesn’t mean its instincts aren’t wolf-like.  If you value its well-being and don’t want to add any additional stress to your move, learn to think like your dog.

Speaking of well-being, while every pet owner should schedule trip to the vet at least one week prior

Image courtesy of flickr

to the move, this is especially important if you plan on moving with your dog long distance.  Not only can your vet make sure your dog is in tiptop shape before you hit the road, the vet can also prescribe anti-anxiety meds that will help keep your pup calm.  While you’re there, it’s also a good idea to request your dog’s medical records, including the immunization passport.  This will make it much easier to register your dog with your new vet once you get moved in.

Mad Dog Mayhem

By the time moving day arrives, you will have enough on your plate.  The last thing you want to have to worry about is your dog.  To keep your dog from stressing out or getting out, I recommend asking a friend or neighbor to dog sit while the movers are loading the truck.  This will keep the pup out from underfoot and it will ensure that Fido doesn’t run out the door unexpectedly.  Since one of your dog’s super-senses is its hearing, keeping it away from the noise and mayhem of the move will also be a much more pleasant environment.

If you don’t have a friend or neighbor to help you on moving day, Plan B is to have one of the kids take your dog out for a long walk. The hustle and bustle of movers toting your belongings in and out can be frightening to a dog.  If you don’t have any kids and are forced to leave your dog indoors for the duration of the move, find a room as far away from the movers as possible.  Place a Do Not Disturb sign on the door and tell your movers what’s inside.  Above all, make sure you leave plenty of food, water, toys and the dog bed in the room to help your dog while away the hours until the movers have gone.

I

Image courtesy of Pixabay

f you plan on taking your dog with you in the car, make sure you either put the dog in a carrier, or buckle it up.  Pack plenty of snacks, a water bowl and your dog’s favorite toys for the trip.  Plan on making pit-stops to walk your dog every couple of hours.  Above all, make sure you take your dog’s medical records in the car with you and make sure your dog’s ID tag has your phone number written on it. 

Dealing with Your Dog After the Move

Just as you took your dog into consideration during the move, you need to do so again once it is time to move into your new home.  Being territorial animals, a dog’s sense of smell puts Facebook to shame.  Within seconds of arriving at your new home your dog will know more about the animals in the neighborhood, not to mention any pets that previously lived in the house, than you will find out about your neighbors for months. 

This also means you should NOT let your dog loose inside or outside the house until well after you have moved everything in and the movers are long gone.  Your dog will need some time to explore the new surroundings inside your new home before it will feel at home.  The backyard and neighborhood can be extremely stressful since dogs are territorial. 

As long as you take the time to gradually introduce your dog to its new surroundings, give it plenty of TLC and lots of walks, moving with your dog doesn’t need to be a doggy downer.

With over 4,000 moves, Scott's Discount Movers has handled moves of all sizes, including local and cross country. If you are looking to move your home or office, you can depend on Scott's Discount Movers to provide a stress-free relocation.