How Can I Make Moving Houses Easier for my Dog?
I have a sweet but sensitive Bichon/Terrier mix
who has gone through a lot of change in the past
year. He had a brief stint in an animal shelter
and then got a brand new neighbourhood, family and
owner (me!).
We will be moving to a new home in the upcoming
weeks and I would like to make things easier for
him. Do you have any tips on how to make
moving easier for my dog?
Sarah
Toronto
There is no doubt about it. Moving is stressful. This is true for pets, just as it is true for people.
Pets generally are creatures of habit. They tend to be most comfortable in stable environments and they usually enjoy predictable routines (although a surprise trip to the park or beach rarely seems to bother most of the dogs I know). Moving houses upsets that stability.
First, take heart from the fact that your dog has already gone through quite a few big changes in his life. It sounds like he was able to tolerate those changes and remain well-adjusted. That bodes well for the future.
I have two recommendations for easing your dog’s transition to the new house. First, try to maintain as many of your normal routines (regular walks, feeding times, belly rubs and so forth) as possible during the move. He will suffer less stress if fewer elements of his life are disrupted.
Second, and this is easier said than done, you should try not to get stressed out during the move. Dogs make wonderful companions in part because they are highly attuned to human emotions. If you are distressed or nervous, your dog will pick up on it. And he probably will become stressed out as well.
Dogs are highly adaptable creatures. I’m sure it won’t be long until he settles in and becomes comfortable in his new home.
You have questions. 
I have a 10 year old dalmatian, lately he’s been really anxious, we left him alone for a couple of hours and when we came back he had scratched the car, ruined my dad’s precious plants and had hurt himself in the process, DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT I CAN DO??!!!I know this has nothing to do with the current subject but i’m really desperate cause my dad’s treatening to give him away and i love my dog vey much i can’t even bare the tought of giving him away! PLEASE HELP!
Becca, I would ask your vet about 1.) anti-anxiety meds. We use Clomicalm at our hospital and we have had some great results with it. It IS a drug though and does not come free from possible side effects and we require a partial profile (blood work to check liver and kidney values) done once every 6 months while taking the medicine. 2.) There are also special behaviorist (one of our vets specializes in this area) who can help you train your dog to be at ease while you are away from home.
This could be as simple as your dog being bored alone, but it sound more like he suffers from separation anxiety, very common in dalmatians. Your best bet would be to have a consultation with a trusted vet.
I moved into a new house in March and my dog did not react well to the move. She’s a 12-year-old schipperkee/chihuahua mix and she never marks or relieves herself inside. But after the move, she’d go outside, then come inside and mark. It was the craziest thing and she’d look at me while she did it, wagging her tail. It didn’t take long before I reached my tolerance point. I asked my vet for some advice. They suggested a dog pheromone called D.A.P, saying it mimics a mama dog’s scent and makes pups feel safe and secure. I was VERY skeptical that this would work. But since I was desperate to fix the problem, I tried it. It worked! AMAZING! Withing a couple of hours, she seemed more content and she hasn’t marked since then.