Moving with a Dog? Here’s How to Help Them Adjust to a New Home

Moving can be overwhelming for your dog, but there are simple things you can do to help them feel safe and settled. Certified Dog Trainer Robert Haussmann shares expert advice on how to prepare your dog for a move and support them after the big day. Disclaimer alert: This information is just for educational purposes! Every pet is different, so always talk with your vet or trainer for specific advice on your pet's situation. We don’t accept any liability for any loss or injury that occurs as a result of watching videos on Kinship's channel. (Fyi: We also don’t accept any liability for extra training treats given…but we doubt your pet will mind.) (C) Kinship Partners, Inc. All rights reserved.

TRANSCRIPT

Wondering how to get your dog used to your new home? I'm Robert, this is Cookie Bear. Let's get into it. So, let's talk about what you can do before the move. First, boxes and moving supplies should be brought in way before the move. Give your dog time to get used to them, see them in the space. You can even associate them with play, treats, meal times, things like that. Just remember that dogs can do damage to boxes and bubble wrap can do damage to dogs, so make sure they're not unsupervised in the same space leading up to the move. Be sure to carve out some time for your dog going on walks doing some training, plenty of play time. This helps alleviate the stress while you're packing and carrying on. One other thing you can do if you have access to your new place, bring your dog over there a couple of times before the big day. Want to make sure that if you have the chance let them familiarize themselves, take a little inventory of the space. You can even bring their bed over ahead of time, do a little play session, some training sessions, just so it's not a foreign space on day one. After the move let's talk about a few dos and don'ts. Do stick to a routine. Everything that's changing your dog's life, at least their routine stays the same. That means time of walk, when do they get walked, time of when they get fed, extra special time they get to spend with you. Don't buy new pet accessories. It could be tempting, new house, new pet accessories, brand new bed for your dog, but remember their smell is all in the bed that they already have, the toys they already have, they're familiar. You don't want everything to change all at once so give it a month or two before you start changing up what they've got. Don't leave your dog alone for long periods of time at first. Give them some time to adjust to the new space. Even if they're okay right now being left alone they might just need a little bit of a buffer to get comfortable in their new environment. Do spend time on the floor with your dog playing and wrestling. Not only does your dog get super excited to play on the floor with you which is their domain, that's usually where they spend time, but it also helps spread your scent around. So these are a few things you can do to make a stressful situation slightly less stressful at least for your dog. Thanks for watching, see you next time.