Prepare Before Your Move

Our pets give us so much by way of love, friendship, and understanding.  There’s something to be said for their silent attention, especially when we’re having a difficult day.  

Moving a home is a huge undertaking.  When you’re creating your lists for moving, don’t forget to include your pet in the planning.  

Doing so can take quite a bit of the stress off of both of you.  

Here are Seven tips for a successful move with your pet.

1. Talk to your vet. If you’re traveling far, consult your veterinarian about ways to lessen the stress on the car ride over.
2. Update your pet’s ID tags. Purchase new pet tags engraved with your telephone number and new address. The old tag won’t do any good for a lost dog!
3. Prepare your new home. In the move, take everything with you that will remind your pet of home. You may want to wash their blankets and beds, but don’t!
4. Establish your new routine quickly. At your old place, you had a daily morning routine: feeding time, a jog around the block, cuddle session on the couch.
5. Check out the neighborhood. It’s great that your new apartment is pet-friendly, but how about the surrounding neighborhood? …

6. Give them plenty of treats. Treats can be used to reward pets for good behavior, calm them down, or act as their primary food source. Due to the stress of our move, Toulouse stopped eating. Thankfully, he continued to drink his water. While he could afford to lose a few pounds, it was still concerning. We quickly learned the only thing he would eat was his treats. After adjusting to our new home, he’s now gone back to eating his normal dry food.

7. Continue to be patient with them.  While you’ll be excited to show them around, it’s important to back off and let them explore on their own. Once they feel comfortable in their new home, they’ll return to doing the stuff they loved prior to the move. Also, accidents may happen because they’re stressed and in an unfamiliar place. While that’s the last thing you want to happen, clean it up and take it in stride. Trying to keep your home perfect all the time can be stressful.