Moving: Suggestions for a smooth transition?

[Camden's Mom]

I've heard moving can be very stressful for dogs so I'd love to hear your tips, suggestions, ideas for making a move into a new house as smooth a transition as possible. Anything I should be doing beforehand, during or after the move to make this easier for him?

 

It's a local move and we'll have at least a 30 day overlap on both our current rental and the new property. IOW, the move would happen gradually, not just over the course of a weekend.

 

Thanks everyone!

 

 

[gcv-border]

It's a local move and we'll have at least a 30 day overlap on both our current rental and the new property. IOW, the move would happen gradually, not just over the course of a weekend.

You are in one of the best scenarios to minimize stress - the local move and an overlap. Just bring Camden with you whenever you go to the new house. Once you move, try to keep to the same routines and of course, he will have his same bed and be with you.

 

I have moved - long distance - at least 8 times over the past 30 years. None of my dogs has ever had a problem.

[Cody & Duchess]

Depending on how sensitive your dog's stomach....water from the old home source. Updated ID on collar. Updated microchip info. Keep routine and feeding the same as much as possible. Our 4 dogs move twice a year, as long as they get to go with us, they don't act like it is an issue at all. Good luck.

[GentleLake]

Mine have never had an issue with moving either. And if you can take Camden along with you as often as possible to the new house, it's already going to seem like a familiar place, and it'll have all "his" stuff in it and you, too.

[Pippin's person]

Our dogs have generally been fine with moving and like you, we had time to transition with them. One thing to consider if Camden seems stressed is to confine him mostly to one room for a couple of days to get used to things (and you hang out with him). We learned the hard way that this is especially useful for cats. The first time we moved with cats they flipped out the first night. Ever since, we confine them for a couple of days and that's worked well

[Lizabeth]

I have moved a couple of times, I have just always tried to show the dogs around their new surroundings as soon as possible, walking the yard limit so my beagle knows what is and is not her yard, do same thing when we go camping. But my daughter she has a very cool way to adjust her pets when she moves.

 

She does all the things but then when she has finished showing them their new surroundings she gives them a fresh bowl of yummy can dog food. She picks something she knows each will love and enjoy. While the dogs are eating she pulls the cat out of the crate and carries her all around the house petting her talking softly to her, after the kitty seems satisfied she too gets a nice can of hand picked yummy food just for her

 

I think it is a very cool idea and my beagle just has to agree lol

 

 

She does the same thing when the pet has to go to the vet, on the way home they stop at the pet supply store the pet in question gets a new treat or toy and a can of yummy food.

 

You know I never thought of this with my pets, always did it for my kids growing up maybe thats why she thought of it for the pets it always mad her feel better too

[Camden's Mom]

I just wanted to bump this thread because I have a follow-up question.

 

If all goes well we'll be closing on our first ever home and have the keys to the new place tomorrow morning! Excited (we'll finally have our own place and Camden will have a real yard to play in ) and nervous (omg, we just spent so much money )!

 

Anyways, Camden will be going back and forth with us on just about every trip we take as we move into the new place. I already have a bag packed with some of his stuff (a dog bed, a few favorite toys) so the new place will feel at least a little like his own from the very first visit.

 

My question is actually about the cats. I know this is a dog forum but I also know many of you have cats. I've moved cats before but never cats AND a dog. Anything I should know about and be prepared for. I know it's stressful for all the pets and even though they leave peaceably with each other right now I don't want any surprises in a new environment.

 

Thanks in advance!

[Cass C]

First of all Congratulations! I just bought my first house in February, so I know the crazy feelings that go with it. I moved with Lyka and my two cats. The house needed some repairs so we had two weeks of going back and forth between the new house and old apartment. We ALWAYS took Lyka with us to explore the house and her new yard. She had a blast and it made her transition really smooth. We brought over one of her beds and a few toys to play with while her humans worked.

 

As far as my cats; other than the smells we brought back had no contact with the new house until moving day. When we got ready to move we picked a room where the cats would spend at least the first 24 hours in the new house. That keeps them out of trouble and lets them settle in without the dog bothering them. We were lucky and have a spare bedroom, but a laundry room or bathroom would work just fine. We also bought a baby gate to use when first letting the cats and dog interact after the move, because Lyka decided that a move must mean that it was OK to chase the cats again. I'm not sure about your cats, but mine can easily hop the gate to get between rooms and escape the dog if needed. Other than those few issues it was just like typically moving with cats, which you sound like you have some experience with.

[juliepoudrier]

^^I've done the same thing. When I move the cats, I usually close them in one room where they can get over being freaked out by the move. I've never actually worried about the dogs acting out with the cats when I move, and my dogs have traveled enough that I don't really worry about them either, but cats are a whole 'nother animal, lol! Confining them also means that they can't get lost in the house somewhere and scare you to death that they've gotten out and run off....

 

J.

[geonni banner]

I agree with the one room for 24 hrs - more if there will be lots of schlepping and doors open. But I would pick the room where their litter box will be. Cats can be funny about moving the litter box. If they decide that the litter box is in the right place, they may decide to keep doing their business there even if you move the litter box elsewhere. Of course, all cats aren't like that, but better safe than sorry...

[gcv-border]

Agree with keeping the cats confined for a while after the move. I have moved several times, with various cats, and have experienced one cat that hid for 3 weeks, whereas one cat wanted to explore after 3 hours confined. The other cats would have reactions between these two extremes.

 

Remember to NEVER leave an outside door open until the cats are totally comfortable in their new environment.

 

I will also add that you should confine the cats to a room BEFORE you start the last packing and moving craziness (~a day or two prior to actual move). We did not do that for our first move and the cats bolted with the unusual activity. One cat came back to the old house one week later, and the other cat came back 3 months later. Luckily, we had only moved an hour away.

 

Edited to add: my dogs never reacted to the cats differently in a new environment. They recognized the cats as 'theirs'.

[juliepoudrier]

The last time I moved I sent my cats to a friend's place because I was moving into a camper and there just wasn't any room for cats, not to mention the extreme likelihood that they would escape. She kept them confined to one room, but still a couple months in, one escaped. She has not seen him again.

 

When I finally got settled into my final place, I got the cats back (except for the one who went missing). I did confine them for a short while. But the funniest thing to me was how happy my dogs, especially Birdie, were to having their cats back home with the rest of us. They had been gone about four months--the dog/cat reunion was priceless!

 

J.

[Camden's Mom]

Thanks everyone! I've moved cats half a dozen times and def plan to do the confinement until they are comfortable. The last move I did was by far the biggest and it wa with the two cats I currently have. We drove for three days from Maryland to Utah and I was surprised that, within' a few hours of being at the new place, they desperately wanted to just be out of the isolation room. Every other move I've done my cats have been content in their own room for a day or more, but these two just wanted to be with us. They were stressing and freaking out in the confinement room so I opened the door, let them explore the new place and, viola, they were happy as clams.

 

I'll be sure to let them initially explore the new place without having to work around the dog. I'll put him out in the yard (YES we will have a fenced yard!!!! ) or confine him in a space so they can do their first lap in peace.

 

Just glad to hear there's not too much weirdness in the transition. I assumed Camden should recognize them as his cats, but I've heard nightmare stories of dogs reacting strangely to familiar cats in unfamiliar environments. Thanks all... now I'm off to go close on my new house!