Tips when moving

[MaggieMaysMommy]

Hello everyone! My husband and I are moving in a few weeks. We think our Maggie will love our new home...it has a small safe enclosed backyard much like the one she has now, and will be in a much warmer climate (she hates the cold, I don't blame her!). I would love any tips on how to reduce her stress and make things as smooth as possible. The long car ride will be no problem, she snoozes on my lap where ever we go. And she travels with us a lot. She will be spending the day with my friend when we pack up our house. But when we get to our new home we won't know anyone, so she will be with us. I read somewhere to walk your dog right away so they get used to the new neighborhoods sights, sounds, and smells. Other than that - what to do when the movers are unpacking our new home? She is a rescue and very skittish. Maybe I will keep her in her crate, in the car with music playing...???

[Yorkiemom1]

Congratulations on your new home and the move!! The only tip I would know for certain is I would strongly suggest you keep her crated while movers are there....I can PROMISE you, someone will leave a door open, and your baby will be GONE!!! GONE in a strange neighborhood, gone in a strange State, no sense of direction or sense of established territory to help here try to figure out WHERE she is supposed to be.....please, crate her!

Also, just IMO, I dont think I would immediately walk her around the neighborhood until you have a clear knowledge of who lives where, what dogs may run free and attack other dogs, etc....

Just some concerns I would have.....!

[Graneet]

When unpacking keep familiar thing near her, i just brought my stuff back to ohio, spooked he dogs but kept them calm by this. And stopping and playing with them.

[Scoobstersmom]

When I moved a while back, I anticipated that my pups would not do well with the change and the packing/unpacking. A few weeks in advance, I bought them much larger than they needed folding wire crates and set them up in the family room. The crates were not for sleeping but just for hanging out in. I got thick foam pads for the bottoms, put a little bed in each one, their favorite blankies and some toys. For the next few weeks, I fed them in the wire crates and also let them chew their bully sticks in the crates a couple of times every day. I wanted the crates to be well scented and familiar to them. I left the doors open so they would come and go through the day and they got very familiar and comfortable. On moving day, they stayed in the crates and the crates were the last thing we packed up, and into their traveling crates they went. When we got to our new house, the wire crates were the first thing unpacked and set up, and into the wire crates they went. Until the movers were done and gone and everything closed up, the only way they got out of the wire pens was on leash to potty. They did great and watched everything with curiosity, and I knew they were completely safe. The investment in time and money getting them ready for the move was well worth it. Once we were settled in, I was able to sell the pens on craigslist for almost what I paid for them. It worked out perfectly for both us and the dogs. Make sure you get tags with your new info and put them on the collar the day you move.


Diana