Moving house with your dog I have been a bit quiet lately with my articles as I recently moved house. I had forgotten quite how stressful the process is and how much time and energy it takes! I know I found the whole process stressful, and was very aware that the dogs were probably finding it just as stressful too. I did my best to make it as smooth as possible for them, especially on moving day.

Top tips to moving house with your dog

1. Keep routine as reliable and predictable as possible, walks, feeding time. In the build up to moving dogs will pick up on your energy and stress, especially as the house gets packed up so keep routine as reliable as possible. Have empty boxes out before you start packing so the dogs can get used to seeing them and the smell of them. Maybe have one area in each room for gradually stacking boxes so the change takes places gradually.

2. Make sure that the dogs have their comfortable safe space/area at home when you are packing up boxes and when you get to your new house, make the safe/comfortable area available as soon as you can. Try and replicate what they had at the old home with their beds, toys, blankets so it feels familiar and smells familiar. So, if they slept in the living room, make it the same in your new home.

3. If possible, walk your dogs around the area that you will be moving to (obviously if moving a short distance!) but gaining new smells at the new area won’t be so alien to them when you arrive. Remember, dogs make a picture of where they are by the smells that they pick up.

4. Think and plan ahead for moving day. This day is long and busy and you won’t want your dogs running around while the packing people are packing up your home. Options are, having a friend or family member have the dogs for the day, you enlist the help of a dog sitter or dog walker for the day. Or you are able to have them comfortable in the car with lots of breaks in the day, walk, water, food etc.

We opted for the final option, the dogs had a long walk in the morning, were settled in the car with Kongs when the removal company arrived. They had a lot of breaks, said hello to the removal company people and we all had lunch in the garden before going to the new house. They settled again with Kongs in the back of the car while the boxes were bought into the house. It’s important to note that if you go for this option, your dogs MUST be comfortable being in the car first and able to settle.

5. Adaptil plug ins or a similar type of pheromone diffuser can be good in the new home as the dogs adapt to new surroundings. Ideally take adequate time off work not only to help you settle in but your dogs adapt to their routine in a new home.

6. Make sure you show your dogs where to go to the toilet when you first arrive, show them the garden (which will smell a lot different to their old home) really praise them for going in their new place. If you have accidents, take your time as your dog’s adjusts with lots of praise.

7. Some dogs adapt quickly, some take a while to settle so be patient, you are adjusting too! Keep everything calm, and predictable with routine in the first few days and enjoy exploring your new area