Making moving easier for dog

Moving is chaotic for people--that’s why there are so many blogs about moving to help us out--but if things can get this overwhelming for people, can you imagine what moving is like for your dog? Not only does he have zero verbal confirmation of what is going on around him, but he also has no control or say over the situation. So how do we make this easy for our four-legged best friends? Our professional movers at Moving Forward have moved plenty of families with dogs, and we’ve learned a few key ways to make the move easier for Fido.

Keep His Routine The Same

While certain details about your dog’s routine will be difficult to keep the same, the more you can keep normal, the less stress your dog will feel. Make sure meal times, bed times and bathroom times are around the same time of day. Keep your dog comfortable by maintaining the everyday routine.

Keep His Toys With Him

The house is going to start to get messy as you prepare to move, but you will want to make sure your dog’s toys and bed stay with him or where they always go. If he usually sleeps in the living, do your best to makes sure it stays that way. Again, any change in routine will cause your dog to stress out, which could leave to destructive behaviors.

Hire a Dog Sitter

During the actual move, hire a dog sitter or take your dog to a friend’s house to keep him comfortable and calm. All the moving boxes and strangers (i.e. professional movers) will only stress him out.

Exercise Your Dog

When you arrive to your new location, take your dog to the park and play some fetch. Get as much energy out as you can, so that way your dog will sleep well on his first night in a new home.

After The Move: Be Compassionate
 
Your dog will be in an unfamiliar place once you move, and he will need to take some time familiarizing himself with the new environment. Be patient. It could take a few weeks for your dog to assimilate, and it’s possible that they will pee in the house or start digging through the trash.

Have any tips for making the move easier for a dog? Share them with us! We want to help make these moves as stress-free as possible for all of our customers.

Getting ready to move yourself? Call Moving Forward today for your free estimate!