Moving Preparations for Dog Owners
* Pre-Move Visit
If you are moving a short distance away, take your dog
to the new house to explore before you actually move.
Create a Safe Room
Animals will be anxious with all the excitement of
packing and moving.
* Avoid hectic rushing; begin packing early. Move
your pets last.
* On moving day, place pets in a safe room for
security and to minimize their stress. Clear the room
of boxes and furniture so moving helpers don't have to
enter.
* Another reason for a safe room: protective dogs
may act aggressively to people entering the home and
moving furniture. Even a friendly, calm dog can be
nervous during the stressful period of a move.
* Set up the animal's favorite bed, dishes, toys,
crate if the animal is used to being crated.
* Don't confine animals together unless they are used
to being together. Use separate rooms if necessary.
* Place a sign on the door instructing "Do Not Open"
to prevent someone from letting the pets loose.
* Take time with your pets each day during the moving
period.
* You can also take your pet to a friend's or family
member's house, or board the dog for the day.
Move-in Day
* Have new ID tags ready and put them on your pets.
* To reduce confusion and stress at move-in, put
animals in a secure room and close the door. Set up
the animal's area as soon as possible.
* Bring water from your previous home if it is
different than water in the new home and gradually mix
it.
* Consider eating in instead of leaving the dog for a
lengthy time the first day.
* Try to maintain a somewhat normal schedule of
feeding and outings.
* Let the animal have access to the new house one or
two rooms at a time, particularly if he seems anxious,
and let him feel secure before introducing him to new
areas.
* Make sure the pet knows where his stuff is -- bed,
crate, litter box, toys, eating area. Use the same
toys and dishes during the transition to give the pet
a sense of security.
* Avoid babying an animal when he is stressed. This
will not help alleviate his anxiety -- it will only
perpetuate and reward it.
* Be understanding, keep yourself calm and keep
things as normal as possible to make the transition
smoother.
Rental Inspection
* If you are renting, make a list of any existing
damage and take photos if necessary. This record
should be signed by you and your landlord.
* Be willing to promptly fix any damage your animals
caused. Being a responsible renter furthers the
possibility of more landlords opening their doors to
animal lovers.
Cautionary Notes About Newly Constructed and Remodeled
Homes
* Problems include toxic fumes released during the
building process. Fumes become trapped in your house,
taking as much as five years to dissipate. A common
problem is formaldehyde and is accompanied by an array
of toxins.
* New carpets may pose a health concern for pets,
since animals' systems are more compact than human's,
and they spend more time on the floor.
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Note: Last week's tip addressed preparing for
personal emergencies. PAW volunteer Ginnie Maurer
adds this helpful advice:
Pet owners using pet-sitters should have a plan of
action understood by both parties. For example, the
owner might arrange to call the pet-sitter by 6 p.m.
to confirm that the owner is OK and plans to return by
X:XX. The owner can assemble key pet records, photos
of each pet, emergency contact info, etc. in a file
that the pet-sitter knows how to access. If the
pet-sitter doesn't hear from the owner by, say, the
next morning, then the pet-sitter would know to take
action (for example, returning to the ownerÕs home to
feed and walk the pets). Another tip: a relatively
safe place to keep personal records is in the freezer.
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For more Dog Tips about pet
care, adoption and the work PAW does, visit our
website at:
Partnership for Animal Welfare, Inc.
The following information has been adapted from
"Creating a Peaceable Kingdom: How to Live with More
Than One Pet," by Cynthia D. Miller.
www.paw-rescue.org
P.O. Box 1074, Greenbelt, MD 20768