Thursday, September 15, 2011

Moving Dogs - Tips and Tricks

By Diane Schmidt, About.com Guide
Moving pets is always a challenge. Recently, my sister and her husband just moved into a new place, taking their two cats and two large dogs with them. Now, while the cats took a few days to adjust to the new space, the dogs were excited by the change and were so anxious to see their new neighborhood. Still, my sister did prepare their pets by telling them about the move, trying to explain why things were a little unsettled, reassuring them that they would be okay. Since both dogs have abusive pasts, they tend to be a little more sensitive to change than dogs without a difficult past.


So, depending on the nature of your dog, you'll probably discover that they actually like the change that a move brings. Since dogs are more attached to you than to their home, they'll adjust quickly as long as you're around them. I still like to keep their toys, blankets and extra chew bones with me just so they feel comforted and to keep them busy.


Like with cats, keep dogs in a separate room when the movers are in and out of the house. Make sure you get dog tags printed and keep them on a leash when taking them for walks in their new neighborhood. This is a good idea even when first visiting a new doggie park - just until your dog becomes used to where they are and where they belong. It's also a great way to introduce them to new friends and to see how they're adjusting. Also, your dog will want to make frequent stops to mark territory, to track the other dogs' scent and to discover this new stomping ground. Let them explore, but be careful of changes to their walking environment such as traffic, street noise or other dogs fenced into yards. In my sister's case, her one dog had spent her entire life in the country, so dealing with traffic was a bit of an adjustment. Just make sure you keep a secure hold on your dog while you let him or her explore.


If your dogs are driving with you to the new home, and your new home is a further distance than what they're used to traveling, you may want to introduce them to some longer trips prior to the move. If you don't have any trips planned, you can easily take them on a day of errands where they'll need to spend a longer period of time in the car. This will get them used to being in a smaller space.


If you're flying your dogs, it's important to check out the airline and its proceedures when dealing with live animals. Read morein the article, Flying With Your Pets.


Source: 

http://moving.about.com/od/movingwithpet1/a/moving_dogs.htm



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