I'm moving and have questions!!

[perla123]

Hey guys

Well for personal reasons I have to move from the house I'm living in right now. I really don't know how the dogs are going to take the whole moving thing, since the lived here from puppy hood. The house we are going to rent has a big fenced back yard. This means they are finally going to have a place they can run free and play out side.

What should I do when I move? Would the dog stress out from the situation? Should I bring them to the property at least once before we move in all the stuff?

Let me know any suggestions.

Thank you!

 

[perla123]

Oh.. I forgot to let you know.. the property we are planing to move in is a 2 story house. How do I teach the dogs to go up stairs with out them getting hurt? They have never seen stairs before. only RB but it was just once

 

[Sweet72947]

When we moved we took the dogs on a walk all around the house so they could see everything. They were a little weirded out, but they settled down in a few days. Daisy is happy as long as there's food!

Don't have a suggestion about stairs, my dogs already knew how to use them.

 

[PoodleMommy]

honestly... I think some people make too big a deal out of moving with dogs... unless your dog has a real anxiety problem, most handle moves rather well. The most important thing is that they are moving with you... you are not posting them on craigslist because "im moving and cant take them".

A few tips to make it go as seemlessly as possible:
1. resist the urge to wash their bedding... bring the bedding unwashed even if dirty... this way their stuff still smells like they remember it smelling.
2.take them potty as soon as you get there... this way they know right away where the new potty area is.
3. set them up first... put their bed, toys, food, water where you are going to leave it.

As far as stairs... if the dog has never seen them lure them up and then down with a treat... after that they should be fine.

Armani is 1.5 years old and has lived in 4 places with me... the first day he usually hangs close to me to make sure we are BOTH staying but after that he is fine.

Good Luck with your move. Im sure the dogs will be happy to have the new space to run.

 

[wishbone]

I think it is good first to set up a corner where your dogs loved to stay along with their things. Try to set up the same environment so they could smell and recognize that place their own.

 

[Paige]

None have my dogs have ever given a thought to moving. No stress. Bit of sniffing, searching their new place and then lay down. I don't know if it makes a difference but I like to walk them around the block then into the house. My boys have a tendency to spray if they aren't walked first. We've moved so much that you learn what's best for dogs. If all your stuff is there, you're there and everything else stays the same most dogs will not stress. Especially if their human doesn't.

As for stairs is there anywhere that you can introduce them to those? Like a set of stairs outside? When Miles was learning to walk up and down stairs (lived in a flat house when I first got her then moved to a two story, my boys lived in a two story first then moved to a flat house so they picked up quick) she didn't like doing it in the house for some reason but when I was outside walking her she figured it out.

 

[Brattina88]

When I moved, it moved Maddie away from the only house she'd ever known as well. Well, that may be a lie. She goes camping with me, spent the night at a friend's house, etc etc
But the dogs handled it better than I did Just try to keep their sched, feeding, etc and stuff the same, that helps

 

[shazbot]

I agree with Poodlemommy, moving isn't as big of a deal as some make it out to be. I've moved so many times that I've lost count, including 2 moves cross country. Dogs adapt pretty well.

I try to keep the dogs on their normal schedule as much as possible. When I can I have a few their things all set up before they get to the new place. If it's a local move I mover everything from place to the other and take the dogs last. I leave a few of the dogs things back at the old place so they don't think I've abandoned them. When I get back I collar and leash them up load them in the car and off to the new place. I normally open the door and let them check out the new place on their own. While I go about unpacking.

I don't make a big deal over them being at the new place. I'll walk them on leash through the back yard and around the neighborhood just in case.

For a few days afterwards they tend to be at my side at all times.

 

[bubbatd]

Every time you go over ... take them . Show them the house and the outside . On some of your trips you can leave them out while you sort things . It will really be a bigger deal for you ! Don't be surprised if they mark though !

 

[perla123]

Thanks guys

I will bring them a couple of days before the moving, so the can atlist have an idea of the house. I do think that they will mark since there was a small dog there before us. So I'm ready with the spray. I will keep the schedule the same. other than that I'm very happy that I'm moving and that they will have a place to run without them being tied outside.