The process of moving house can be very stressful, with a never-ending list of tasks to tick off and hundreds of boxes to pack and move. If you have a furry friend, moving house can be just as stressful for them as it can be for you. To your dog, a new house brings a whole new environment with different challenges and smells that could cause them to feel unsettled and unhappy.
Moving day can also be a very dangerous time for your dog, with people walking in and out of each room and boxes stacked around the house. Luckily, there are many ways that you can make moving to a new house a little easier for your dog, so we’ve put together a list of our top 10 tips when moving house with a dog.
1. Give your new home positive connotations
The first thing that you should do when you move into your new home is to create happy connotations for your dog. At first, they may feel worried that the new home is unsafe, which could cause them to feel nervous or even frightened in your new home. You can reassure your dog that your new house is a good place by playing with them and creating happy memories there.
2. Stick to their routine
Just like many humans, dogs often thrive off of routine and can quickly feel uneasy if their normal routine is disrupted. As soon as you can, make sure that your dog’s daily routine is carried out, in the same way that it would have been in your old home. This will give them a sense of comfort and normality.
3. Establish a sleeping area
Many owners will let their dogs sleep in their beds on the first few nights of being in a new home. That’s fine if it’s what you usually do but not if you plan to revert to your dog sleeping in their own bed again. While this may seem like a good idea at first, doing this for a few nights will make it much harder to encourage your dog to sleep in their own beds in the future. Get your dog to sleep in its own bed from day one.
4. Take your dog exploring
Dogs love to get a sense of an area by retrieving smells and learning how to navigate their surroundings. You should take your dog exploring around your new area so that they can learn where they live and become familiar with their new walks, friends and neighbours. This will help your dog to feel more comfortable in your new home.
5. Update your dog’s microchip
If your dog has a tracking microchip, make sure that the details of your address are updated as soon as you move. In a new area, dogs are more likely to get lost, so this step is highly important when moving to a new house.
6. Get a dog sitter on moving day
To stop your furry friend from getting hurt during moving day, it may be a good idea to ask a friend or family member to look after your dog for you. This will prevent them from getting hurt by falling boxes or from tripping up the movers.
7. Invest in a pheromone diffuser
If your dog is struggling to settle in your new home, it may be a good idea to invest in a DAP pheromone diffuser. These diffusers emit the pheromones that are emitted by female dogs after they give birth to puppies. This pheromone is shown to have a calming effect on both puppies and adult dogs.
8. Travel medication
If you have to travel far to your new home, it may be worth talking to your vet about any medication that your dog could take to make them feel more relaxed on the journey. This will help your dog to stay calm, which will make the move a lot easier for them.
9. Make your new house dog proof
Before letting your dog run loose in your new home, check the property for any hazardous items, chemicals or other dangers that could be a threat to your dog. For example, you may find some open wiring or maybe even broken glass that could cause your dog serious harm.
10. Check your garden
As well as checking your house to make it dog-proof, you should also do a check of the garden. If your dog has a tendency to explore, make sure that there are no holes in the fence or areas where they can easily escape.
By following our 10 tips for moving house with a dog, your furry friend should feel settled into your new home in no time and before you know it, they will be loving their new environment.