How to Move Pain-Free With Your Dog?

Moving and a new unfamiliar environment cause stress for dogs. To protect your pet, it is extremely important to prepare for the move thoroughly. Your dog must begin getting used to the change of residence well in advance, before the first moving box gets taped shut.

So how exactly do you move with a dog?

Veterinarian Aivi Org recommends visiting the new home with your dog several times in the weeks leading up to the move. "And it shouldn't just be a quick run-through, in and out fast, but you should definitely spend some time there. When a person sits down, their energy becomes calmer. The dog needs the opportunity to explore the place and sniff around calmly. It's good to bring some of the dog's toys and play with them in the new place. You should also feed your dog there, and you yourself could have something to eat while sitting down. You should definitely bring something familiar-smelling for the dog, such as their blanket or pillow – this helps create a sense of security and understanding that this new place is also a good place to be," advises the veterinarian.

If your dog is not used to traveling in a transport crate, you need to get them accustomed to it in plenty of time. The crate should be kept open in the room with the dog's blanket and toys inside, and occasionally some treats. Before the long journey to the new home, you should take a few shorter trips so the dog gets used to being in a crate in the car.

On moving day, if possible, take your dog to someone familiar until you're ready to leave, since moving furniture and boxes out creates a nervous and hurried atmosphere that causes great anxiety in the dog. It's also wise to not feed your pet before the long journey. "Dogs usually tolerate car rides well, but some dogs can get sick or whine in the car," explains Org. "During the trip, it's good to take breaks from time to time, put the dog on a leash, and go for a walk with them."

In the new home, you need to be patient for the first two to three weeks – that's how long the settling-in period lasts, during which your dog gradually becomes comfortable with the new place. "During this time, your dog should be with you as much as possible, meaning their time alone should be as short as possible," says Aivi Org. "Spend a lot of time walking with them, engage with them, let them be near you. If it's possible to take your dog to work, take them with you!"

Otherwise, the dog will feel abandoned and betrayed in the strange place, not understanding where the rest of their pack has gone. Then classic signs of stress and panic may appear in their behavior: barking, howling, destructiveness, chewing, soiling the house, disobedience, and they may also refuse to eat.

Aivi Org confirms that dogs live in a world of energies and as humans we cannot predict whether the new home we've chosen is energetically suitable for the dog or not. "What might bother them, we don't know: whether it's the energy of this place or the previous residents or some animal in the surroundings. Then the dog might try to run away, they don't come when called, they don't want to be in the house or yard much, they don't claim the place as their own," Org gives examples. "Eventually the dog accepts it, because they do things to make it good for the human. But the human should also try and make an effort to be especially positive during those first weeks so the dog accepts the new home more easily."

Article source: Arco Vara