Moving With A Dog: Guidelines To Ease Your Dog Move Out
The tiresome moving process is more strenuous when you involve taking your best friend with you alongside other pets as well. This involves you finding a suitable location that caters for your pet’s needs (in this case dogs). Depending on the living conditions your dog (s) had in the prior living place, you will have to maintain close if not similar living conditions. Factors considered here include kennels or settlement rooms for indoor pets, crates, veterinary availability, exercise locations and legal provisions in some states. Choosing a good removalist company is also of great necessity, pick a reputable and trustworthy company like Interstate Removalists Sydney.
I’ve gathered up some tips to guide you when moving with your dog;
Early preparations
Before moving out make sure your dog (s) enjoys the new home as much as you do. Take a pre visit around the neighbourhood to survey the conditions.
- Check the suitability of the area to your dog. Take into consideration factors like size;( large breed dogs will require larger areas), access of essentials like dog feeds and veterinary services, neighbours’ opinions on dogs. Also check for presence of any materials that your dog (s) might be allergic to.
- Dog training and exercise centres; look for training centres where your dog (s) can take part in training and exercise activities, if your living space is large you can just get a few training kits from local stores which can be used for personal training.
- A well scheduled move out routine is recommended for at least a week before the actual process. The routine also caters for your dog (s) with listed provisions that ensure your dog’s comfortability and conformability with the moving rush. To make this easier, provide your removalist company with a copy of the same to avoid any confusion and final rushes.
- Maintain normal conditions; the period may be busy and fast but the importance of catering for your dog still lingers. Schedule 45-60 minutes depending on the dog for normal exercise and stress revival. If you are used to taking your dog on a walk in the afternoons, try and maintain the same routine. The time consumed may be less but it’ll greatly be of help to the dog as this ensures maintenance of normal routine which dogs prefer.
- Crates; crates are used to create a safe haven for pets. Getting a comfortable crate for your dog helps maintain some level of relief and this can be topped up with the dog’s favourite toys. Food and water should also be available in the crate. Experts suggests one to leave the cage propped open to guarantee the dogs trust during the first 3 days which can then be closed after the pet has adapted to the cage conditions. This saves you the worries of handling your dog during the packing, move out and unpacking process.
- Find a trustworthy veterinary; your dog (s) health should fine during the move out to avoid any travelling complexities. Have your private veterinary check your dog’s vitals before the move. This can also be done in vet clinics.
The health worries don’t end here, your dog’s health needs to be properly maintained in your new location. Ensure there is a clinic around the new neighbourhood (the closer the better) or better yet find a trustworthy private veterinary. Finding a new vet can be done by simple requests for the best from the neighbours or even a fast search on Google! (quite a beauty living in the 21st century). A good veterinary will help you adjust your dog (s) to the new conditions.
- Look for appropriate travel alternatives; if you will be travelling for long distances you’ll definitely need to weigh various travelling options. If you’re travelling by car, you’ll need to find a well fit option that caters for small stops and breaks to allow your dog (s) to feed and take a dump. Most dogs are used to travelling short distances mostly when you are visiting a friend some blocks away or just lazing around the mall on a Sunday afternoon. Find a good alternative that takes care of your dog (s) needs. Removalist company’s like Interstate Removalists Sydney will assist you in choosing the correct travelling means.
- If you are travelling by air on the other hand the hustle is much less considering the fact that most airlines have places to carry pets. In this one you will have to provide a comfortable crate as discussed earlier. Extra costs will be charged for pets, normally depending on their weight. The airlines also require the pets to have met certain requirements. Carrying your pet to the cabin? This may involve more logistics and further requirements from the airlines but for small dog (s) this may not be much of a hustle.
- Update and ready health records; this is mainly applicable when moving to another country or state. The records are used to verify whether the dog (s) has any form of communicable diseases. Early acquirement of health records comes in quite handy.
- Building and neighbourhood regulations; you may want to check on the neighbourhood policies on dog (s) keeping. It may normally have suggested by availability of training centres or vet clinics but few neighbourhoods may not allow dog (s) keeping. If they do allow dog (s) well and good but on other hand, you’ll have to look for an alternative or risk losing your dog (s).
- Pack up enough supplies. Your dog (s) will require certain supplies to take him/her through the journey and for the first few days of settlement. Supplies may include;
- Plates and water bowls; clean plates and bowls that you’ll use to feed the dog (s).
- Collar and leash; chances of losing your dog (s) during the move out and during the adaptation period are quite high. Ensure you have a leash to allow you keep tabs with your dog (s) at all times. Collars will help you in case the dog gets lost.
- Stain and odour removing cleaners; perfect living conditions should be provided. Use the stain removers to keep the dog crates clean at all times.
- Food and water. Being carnivores, dogs are well suited for consumption of meat. Depending on the type of food you are used to feeding your dog, pack up some of the food from your prior living area preferably dried foods. Meat, dog biscuits and cookies are a good example; they are easy to carry and serve. Water is also essential for the dog.
- Toys; play toys to keep your dog calm during the move out should be availed. Chew toys in this case have been preferred.
Early preparations help in;
- Relieving your dog of the nervousness resulting from the move.
- Engages your dog in a dependable routine during the much chaotic time.
- Reduces travel worries. Health issues and animal comfortability.
- Gives your dog some time off the stressful moving environment.
MOVING OUT
With all the packing and box moving activities in the house, it’d be safer and less stressful for the dog to avoid the commotions. You can leave the dog in a lone room or comfortable crate or rather yet look for a friend to take of the dog till you are completely done packing, labelling and already ready for the moving company to drive you off.
On the move
The following tips may come quite handy during the moving process;
- Maintain your daily routine; quite a mentioned point but as stated earlier dogs are prone to routines and feel comfortable having a predictable routine. Try to maintain the normal routine followed on normal days on the travelling day. A little walk, exercise, feeding times and bathroom hours.
- Keep the dog off much commotion; if you already have a crate for your dog then this gets much easier. A well ventilated area with food and water present will be suffice to put you up through the journey. Minimise crate movement.
- ID your dog. Proper identification details should be on the dog’s collar. You don’t want the stress that comes on with losing an unlabelled dog.
- Carry all required documents. Documents required for pet travel should be carried along and should be packed aside the other boxes and luggage’s. This allows easy access when needed. I’ll name a few major requirements but further details can be provided by the vets depending on the state/country your moving to.
- An official health certificate. This documents approves that your pet is safe for relocation. If you’re travelling by plane an airline veterinary health certificate will be required.
NOTE; this is a must have document
- Medical records. I stated this one earlier. Updated health records should also be acquired and carried on move out day. As an addition, this records help your next vet properly understand the health conditions and patterns of your dog.
- Vaccination certificates. The fear of bringing in dogs with communicable diseases to states/countries requires the officials to check in on all pets (dogs in this case) relocating in. the vaccination certificates are of much importance here and will allow easy flow of the relocation process.
After the move; help the dog adjust to its new home, tips
Different types of dogs will adjust differently to new environments, some will maintain their joyful nature while some will just lay low feeling all uncomfortable and confused. Once the removalist company have helped you offload your items to your new house the unpacking snags follow. Well, if your dog isn’t the “already blending in type” that requires little of your attention to adjust. Here are some guidelines on how to help your dog adjust.
- Give your dog a little tour around the house (in and out) as well as the surrounding neighbourhood. This can be done during normal exercise hours as per your routine. Apart from familiarising your dog with the environment this activity helps the dog adjust to a predictable routine which feels a lot homelier. A few tours over the first week will do. Experts suggest that one should familiarize the dog to one room before introducing it to another.
- Keep the dog away from open windows, doors or openings that might give them a chance to escape. Such a drastic change of living conditions may scare off some dogs and tempt them to run away. Keep them in a closed room and preferably in their crate till the shock leaves them. If outside, please ensure that your dog is always on a leash.
- Provide the dog with its favourite play toys once more, if you have none I suggest you try getting toys that are calming to dogs. Dogs enjoys toys they can play with paws and teeth (chew toys).
- This is the period to show love and compassion to your pet. It greatly reduces the fear of separation built up by the hectic days before moving and the immediate change of environment. Once you’ve unpacked all your luggage spend more time with the dog (s) and keep tabs of its location at all times. If it’s not in a crate, ensure that its leash and tag are always on in case of any mishappennings!!
- Dogs, being perfect sniffers in nature have to adjust to the surrounding scent. Moving into a new house would be way better in this case. Previously occupied houses still have the previous occupants scent which could be confusing to your dog (s). Experienced dog trainer Tonya Williams offers some deep advice to counter this problem. The solution is that when you arrive at your new home, take some time to walk your dog (s) on a leash and harness around the new yard. This allows plenty of sniffing. You should also take some quality time with your dog(s) before you unpack. When you go to unpack, put someone in charge of the dog(s) to completely trace its whereabouts in the new environment and to ensure that the dog doesn’t run off”.
- Bring along some of the dogs personal items like blankets and toys to provide them with a sense of home.
- Adopt a new routine quick; try to familiarize the new routine to the previous one. This guarantees you quick adjustment to the routine and new environment by your dog (s).
Handicapped dogs; relocating with your handicapped dog tips by Interstate Removalists Sydney
I felt an urge to share this topic with you guys, it’s quite a sensitive and surprisingly ignored topic. In recent years, people and organisations have come up with good solutions to cater for handicapped dogs. Dog wheelchairs, straps and leg splints are some of the solutions depending on the specific inability of the dog(s). Removalist companies, Interstate Removalists Sydney for example have also engaged in caring for you handicapped dogs where they ease the move out process by provision of special carriers and favourable move out routines. Moving out with a handicapped dog may be a little bit more nagging than normal dog situations but worry not! I’ve got some tips on how to move out with your handicapped dog.
- Dog carts; some innovate product that helps your dog in movement. Usually used in cases of spine injury where the back limbs fail to work. The carts are built based on custom measures for each specific dog. During the move out the dog cart allows you to maintain normal living conditions such as walks and little bit exercises. A lot easier than holding your dog in your arms all along, and who knows. it might be a pit bull!!
- Rear and front harness that supports your handicapped dog by the abdomen and eases its ability to urinate and defecate.
- Leg splints; this is used on dogs with injuries on their lower limbs. The soft lining will help keep your dog comfortable during the move out process.
- Pet boots; very suitable for handicapped dogs to prevent them from getting into contact with mud, broken glass or slippery surfaces during the move.
- Have a fair routine. The mobility of handicapped dogs may be much harder and slower. You need to plan out a simple routine that favours your pet dog in terms of time. Longer breaks and more stops for both feeding and medication if required to be introduced. In case you have more than one dog where the rest may not be handicapped, the extra time provided could be used for exercise / rest. Take a friend or partner to help you handle both dogs since handicapped dogs require more attention.
- Get all the medications right. If your dog is under any medical schedule, set your routine to include these hours and make sure you have all the medications with you close and in the correct entities. Medication can be done during feeding breaks or during rests.
- Confirm with your vet. If it’s safe to travel with your dog. Proper advice will be given depending on the distance of travel. Feel free to ask questions about any danger posed to your dog by the movement and request for possible solutions. A much better but equally expensive way would be to travel with your private vet to your new location where he’d take care of all your dog needs during the travel.
Your dog(s) should already be adapting to the new environment by the end of the first week. This however, will not apply to all dogs. Be patient with your dog as it adjusts itself to the changes.