Does Moving Affect My Dog and What Can I Do to Help?
Moving home can be stressful, what with the process of uprooting each and every belonging, wrapping them, storing them and leaving both memories and familiar pastures behind. Many of us experience melancholy feelings when moving home and the majority of us find ourselves in limbo, between a state of uncertainty and excitement. However, what’s nice is, we can talk to our children and discuss with one another why we’re moving and what it’s all about. When it comes to our pets, they simply find themselves lost in unfamiliar surroundings and smells.
This month Rylands Removals are here to help you and your extended furry family relocate with ease. In order to ensure your pet’s welfare, our friendly team have put together tips from our own experiences because we want you to have a straightforward journey to your new home.
Top Tips:
Keep your dog calm
Pets are in tune with their families and they recognise our moods easily. When you’re happy, they’re happy but when you’re sad, they change their behaviour – they may rest their head on your lap or cuddle up with you. So with this in mind, avoid pacing around your living room whilst waiting for the removal team because there’s a high chance your dog will feel anxious when he sees a change in your behaviour. It’s important to remain calm around your pets, this will keep them stress-free.
Should you run into a few problems on the way, maybe you can’t find any spare boxes for the last few remaining bits and pieces around the house, perhaps the removals van is stuck in traffic or has a flat tyre – take your dog for a walk and play fetch in the nearby field. Take some time out and come back prepared, not only will you go back home with a clear mind but your pet will be better for it too.
Stick to a routine
Whether or not we consciously make a routine, we naturally fall into our favoured habits and this can happen without us realising. So you get up in the morning and you let your dog outside for the toilet, you prepare breakfast for both you and your dog, when he comes back in, you both eat together. Although it may seem simple to you, your dog enjoys his usual morning get-up and you should attempt to keep this the same even on moving day. Although pets don’t watch the clock, they’re aware of the events that unfold and they have a feel for their usual feeding time, walks, playtime and bedtime. So in order to keep them as happy as possible, try to keep the day fairly similar to usual.
Let them relax, away from the hustle and bustle
On the moving day, keep your dog in their favourite room of the house and away from the hustle and bustle of the countless boxes being carried away by the removal team. Not only is it important to keep them relaxed, but also to keep them out of harm’s way. Let your removal team know what room your dog is in so they do not worry or disturb him.
*Feed your dog at the normal time but not too close to the time of travel, this’ll avoid any mess or sickness on your journey.*
The car journey
Like a normal trip to the vets, put your dog into their crate along with their favourite bedding. Avoid any loud music but have the radio on low and talk like you normally would, like it’s any other trip. Don’t fuss them too much because they might begin to get suspicious.
When you’ve reached your destination
Keep your dog secure until you have organised one room out in your new home. Once this room has been unloaded, set aside a water bowl and a bed and let them out of their crate. Keep them in this room until all boxes have been moved in.
Explore together
When the removal team have gone and you’ve successfully moved all of your belongings inside, explore with your dog around the home. You may wish to play with their favourite toy or take them for a walk outside in their new garden. For their first time in the garden, put them on a lead and walk them around; let them experience this with you. This will give them the confidence and comfort they need in an unfamiliar area. This is also a good safety precaution, in case there are any gaps in fences or bushes that you may have not noticed yet.
Turn to external help
You might want to consider dropping your dog off at their regular dog sitters house – whether that’s a friend or family member – this could help to simplify things during your move.
*It’s also important to note: avoid washing any of their beds or blankets, so when you take them to their new home they will still have some familiar smells.*
Rylands Removals have a wealth of experience in the industry and offer a fully comprehensive service to each and every customer. Whether you’re looking for domestic removals, commercial relocations, packing or storage services, you can count on our friendly team to provide you with a flawless experience. Based in Manchester we extend our services throughout the North West and Nationwide. If you require our services – please feel free to call us, we’d be happy to help!
