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How to Make Moving Easier on Your Dog

Follow our tips on how to make moving easier for your dog.

By Richard Farrell
Special to Relocation.com

Apart from being “Man’s Best Friend,” dogs are as much concerned about their routine and environment as we are, and so sudden changes can be very stressful for them too. When moving, you will have a lot of tasks to complete from locating moving companies to packing. You will also have to make the transition easy for your dogs by not upsetting their routine. Here are some tips to making your moving day smooth and stress-free for your four-leggeded friend.

Before the Move:
First, get an up to date copy of your dog’s veterinary record so that your new vet can be brought up to speed with their medical history, vaccinations, etc. If moving to a new state, call local veterinarians to find out if you must provide any documentation when your dog arrives. Check with your new local authority too about their licensing requirements. Make the necessary arrangements to have your dog transported, or if traveling with you in your car, ask your vet about perhaps sedating your beloved pet.

During the Move:
Here are some valuable tips to make the moving of your dog as easy as possible:

• Feed your dog approximately five to six hours before the actual traveling starts. Water can still be taken in up to two hours ahead of the move, but be careful not to let your dog dehydrate particularly in hot weather. If medication has been recommended administer this around an hour before travel too.

• Take sufficient quantities of food and water with you when you travel and make frequent stops to water and walk your canine friend.

• On arrival at your new home, keep the dog confined until it is familiar and at ease with its new surroundings. Walk your dog around the new home and let it sniff and smell new odors – remember a dog can smell up to 100 times stronger than we can.

• Put out the dog’s bedding, toys and familiar bowls as soon as you arrive too. Remember to feed and water the dog as soon as possible after arriving.

• Initially walk your dog on a leash until it is familiar with the new outside surroundings and boundaries.

• Keep a regular schedule with your dog until it is at ease with the new set up. This may take up to a week depending on the animal.

• Hopefully you will have located a vet close to your new home. Make an appointment to take in your dog’s records and register it for a check-up and future treatment.

Additional Tips:
It is vital to get a health certificate from your vet before moving. Trying to arrange this after the move is time wasting and stressful – after all you moved not the vet! Certain states will ask to see the health certificate as you are crossing state lines, even if you are only in transit. If flying your dog to a new area purchase a kennel for your pet to travel comfortably in on the plane. And don’t forget to check with your vet for calming medication should this be required before the flight.

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