Hey, guys, I hope all of you are doing well and having a fantastic week. I have received a few incoming questions regarding how to best transition your dog to a new home. It’s finally getting warmer outside and this is about the time of year people begin to look.

I am searching for a farm myself in Bemus Point School District, but I haven’t had an abundance of luck as of yet. My next house will hopefully be my forever home so I am choosing carefully.

Personally, I am excited to be searching for a new home for my family, but I am not looking forward to the moving part of it. And, it’s definitely a big transition for your dog(s), too.

Dogs expect and thrive on routine. Routine allows your dog to understand what is expected of him or her on a relatively regular basis. If you are in the moving process, or about to be, try to be as patient as possible if your dog starts displaying any signs of anxiety, nervousness, and/or irritability. Just like for you, this is a big step to take.

TAKE THE TOUR

There are a few actions you can take to help your dog transition successfully into your new home. If you currently have restricted areas in your home where your dog isn’t permitted to be, and your dog is aware of them, she likely learned them via some sort of routine. Once you purchase your home, take your dog for a walk through (or maybe a few walks through the home). This will give her the opportunity to get to know the house a bit better prior to moving in.

Show your dog where his food and water will be located. Then, show him where he should be using the bathroom. Do your best to try to get him or her to go potty before moving in so she understands where potty is appropriate.

PACKING, UNPACKING

When you are packing, be sure your dog’s items are the very last items to be packed. Then, when unpacking, be sure these items are removed first. This will help reduce the tension felt by your dog. Favorite toys, blankets, etc. should be accessible at all times if possible. The smells from your old home will be on these items and give your dog a sense of familiarity. This means, unless absolutely necessary, do not wash these items directly prior to moving.

ROUTINE

Try to keep your routine as close as possible to the routine you had at your last home. If you have a specific time you feed your dog and go for walks, try to keep those as close in time as possible. A half hour isn’t a huge difference, but hours of difference could result in anxiety. There is already a lot of change here, we want to make sure we don’t change everything in their life all at once.

REMAIN CALM

As your dog becomes accustomed to the new home, you should notice her anxiety going down significantly. She will learn new areas of the home and begin to feel comfortable.

If you are anything like me, you aren’t exactly comfortable in a new home either. I remember, when I first bought this house, my kids and I slept in the same bed for a little while with our dog. Yes, me, two boys, and a dog, in the same bed. But, it felt more comfortable and it gave us all an opportunity to ‘get to know’ our new home comfortably.

Make sure you are as patient as possible. Dogs can feel your tension, too. If you are feeling overwhelmed, the likelihood your dog is feeling overwhelmed as well is high.

BEHAVIORAL ISSUES

When you first move in, depending on how your dog reacts to new surroundings and experiences, you may notice she begins chewing on items, using the bathroom on the floor, etc.

These behaviors should reduce with time, but if they are not improving within 3-4 weeks, that should be the time you contact a professional to ask questions. Of course, if you have any questions prior to that time period, feel free to contact me.

Increasing her exercise can also be extremely helpful. Remember, a tired dog is a happy dog. She will have less energy to be stressed and will likely feel better even if you add in one extra walk each day or an extra half hour at the dog park.

BE CONSISTENT

With planning, consistency, routine, and the above recommended actions, your dog’s transition should be much easier. Remember to give your dog some time to adjust. We, as humans, also need time to adjust to new spaces, especially new homes and especially if they are larger than our old home.