Advice on moving your dog

Moving dogs can be easy and stress free for your pet.

Before moving dogs:

• Put new dog tags on your pet with your updated details.
• If you know that your pet suffers from travel sickness, contact your veterinary professional about anti-sickness pills.

During the move:

• Some dogs may become distressed or anxious during the upheaval of packing so confine them to a quiet room where they can rest and be safe.
• If traveling a long way, prevent travel sickness by feeding them 12 hours before the journey.
• Make sure that your dog is safely secured in the vehicle.
• If it is a long journey, make sure that they get regular toilet and water breaks.
• Remember that temperatures in a parked car can rise rapidly and your pets could perish from heat exhaustion.

In the new home:

• Check your boundary fencing to make sure that it is secure, of sufficient height and free of holes before letting your dog run about the garden.
• Try to unpack the essentials before introducing your pet to the new house so that your dog can see familiar items in the unfamiliar house.
• If possible, place furniture and items in similar places to those in the old house.
• If your dogs are micro chipped, get their records changed to your new address.
• Be patient with your dog in your new home and make allowances for ‘accidents’ on the carpet if they should happen. Don’t make a fuss, punish your dog or draw attention to them as this may make the problem worse. Quietly pick up the mess and clean the area with a disinfectant to properly remove germs and odours. Once your dog has settled in they should stop. Always praise him when he goes to toilet in the correct place (i.e. outside!) so that he knows where to go.
• Make sure that you stick to your usual routines as this will help them settle. Feed and walk your dog at the usual times.
• Don’t vary the attention he/she receives from you as this may cause them to become anxious or over dependent on you and could lead to behavioural problems.
• To help your dog settle in, take it for lots of walks. This is ideal to get away from the chaos and a good excuse to get out of all the chores. This will help your dog adjust to his new surroundings.