Moving is stressful at the best of times, but when you add pets to the mixture it gets hard not to let something get neglected. Usually the ones that lose out, are the ones who can't remind you every five minutes that they haven't been fed, walked, or watered lately.
If it is feasible for you, you might find it is much easier on everybody if you find the dogs a place to stay for a couple of days while you are moving. Not needing to worry about if they've been fed or let loose, and not having them underfoot during loading might be worth the cost of boarding them if you don't have friends or family willing to take them.
If you can't ship your dog elsewhere though, you can still get through the next busy days with some planning.
When we were down to the last couple of days before the movers showed up, I was so busy with packing up the house that an entire day would go by without realizing it. Those that could talk were fed on time, but the dogs would end up eating late and delaying our much-needed rest. What I had to do (once I realized what was happening) was assign the care and feeding to a family member. In my case, my son.
If it's still your job, in addition to everything else, then you might find it helpful to work a strict schedule, keeping certain time slots open for your dogs' care. Don't feel bad if you have to set alarm clocks for feeding times. Setting aside these times will also reduce your stress levels that are likely elevated from all the moving business, since just the act of spending time with your dog will work to calm you.
During the Packing
There's nothing quite like the frustration of tripping over your dog every time you turn around. Your dog can sense your mood changes and as you get more stressed out, the more he will want to be near you. Unfortunately that has the opposite effect. Because he's in the way, it's easy to get upset and angry. For everybody's sake, during the active packing stage, put your dog in his crate or a safe room. But don't forget to take care of his needs, too.
When the moving van is being loaded, make sure you have all of your dog's things in one central location, and ready to be loaded last (so as to be unloaded first).
At the New Home
Luckily, unlike cats, dogs are less attached to the actual location. It's the people and things in a home that a dog desires. Your dog should settle down very quickly after the first few days, as long as his favorite people and personal items are still available.
He'll want to thoroughly inspect the new property before completely settling in. During this inspection, you might notice a few unorthodox behaviors. Don't worry; they usually go away after the first few days.
More Dogs Quick Tips
If it is feasible for you, you might find it is much easier on everybody if you find the dogs a place to stay for a couple of days while you are moving. Not needing to worry about if they've been fed or let loose, and not having them underfoot during loading might be worth the cost of boarding them if you don't have friends or family willing to take them.
If you can't ship your dog elsewhere though, you can still get through the next busy days with some planning.
- Designate a dog caretaker within your family unit.
- Set up a time schedule, or even alarms to help remind you if your dog can not.
- Secure your dog in a safe place during the actual loading of the moving van.
- Keep all of your dog's items together in one place for easy locating.
- Have your dog's things in place and ready for inspection in the new home before allowing your dog free reign.
- Take his behavior with a grain of salt. After all, he's just been through a very stressful move, too.
When we were down to the last couple of days before the movers showed up, I was so busy with packing up the house that an entire day would go by without realizing it. Those that could talk were fed on time, but the dogs would end up eating late and delaying our much-needed rest. What I had to do (once I realized what was happening) was assign the care and feeding to a family member. In my case, my son.
If it's still your job, in addition to everything else, then you might find it helpful to work a strict schedule, keeping certain time slots open for your dogs' care. Don't feel bad if you have to set alarm clocks for feeding times. Setting aside these times will also reduce your stress levels that are likely elevated from all the moving business, since just the act of spending time with your dog will work to calm you.
During the Packing
There's nothing quite like the frustration of tripping over your dog every time you turn around. Your dog can sense your mood changes and as you get more stressed out, the more he will want to be near you. Unfortunately that has the opposite effect. Because he's in the way, it's easy to get upset and angry. For everybody's sake, during the active packing stage, put your dog in his crate or a safe room. But don't forget to take care of his needs, too.
When the moving van is being loaded, make sure you have all of your dog's things in one central location, and ready to be loaded last (so as to be unloaded first).
At the New Home
Luckily, unlike cats, dogs are less attached to the actual location. It's the people and things in a home that a dog desires. Your dog should settle down very quickly after the first few days, as long as his favorite people and personal items are still available.
He'll want to thoroughly inspect the new property before completely settling in. During this inspection, you might notice a few unorthodox behaviors. Don't worry; they usually go away after the first few days.
- If the new home has had animals in it before, your dog may decide to mark his new territory thoroughly. Unfortunately, that also means inside the house, especially if the former occupants have marked those same spots before.
- Your dog may growl or bark at every noise throughout the night. Until he establishes that some noises are just going to be normal for the new home, he will likely be a little freaked out by the new sounds.
- Your usually content-to-stay-home dog may suddenly develop wanderlust again. After all, if you are a dog, what better way to familiarize yourself with the new territory than to wander all over and visit the neighbors? Unfortunately, the neighbors probably won't be as thrilled, so please start off with a good impression and make sure your dog doesn't go off exploring.
- Every person walking down the street is an axe murderer. At least, your dog may think so. Keep him on a short leash, and try not to let him harass the pedestrians, even though they are all strangers to your dog. He will get used to the regulars fairly quickly.