Summertime is often moving time for families who want to relocate without interrupting the children’s school year. Since dogs are territorial animals, a move to a place filled with new sights, sounds, and smells - especially smells - can be a challenge or a trauma for the family dog.Change of residence is a prime reason why families surrender dogs to animal shelters. Apartments say ‘no pets’ or restrict pets by number and weight; condominium and townhouse units have postage-stamp yards and restrictions on fences; many subdivisions and residential communities prohibit above-ground fences and kennel runs; and owners think Ranger will be unhappy if he can’t romp in a yard, so shelters and breed rescues get frantic calls about the dog that needs a home because “we’re moving next week.”
However, dogs can be happy wherever their family goes as long as their needs are met. They don’t need a yard to romp in, they need exercise, and a daily walk can provide enough. They do need patience as they adjust to a new home and training to help give them confidence and deal with nuisance habits, but they are very adaptable. The trick is to find a new home that allows dogs. Once that hurdle is overcome, the rest is a matter of planning.
Before moving day - Investigate local zoning regulations and animal control laws.
Investigate subdivision regulations - make sure you understand the rules and policies regarding pets.
Contact the department of health in the new city for information on specific laws about health certificates for entering dogs.
Make sure your dog is up-to-date on shots and has been treated for any problems several weeks before the planned move.
Ask your vet for your pet’s records and the name of a couple of vets in your new area.
Spend some time reinforcing basic obedience commands with your dog. A dog that can focus on obeying a command is more tuned in to people and more likely to settle down during the journey & to cope with the change of scenery & circumstances in the new home.
Make sure you have a secure crate for your dog so he can be confined while the moving men are packing your belongings and can stay overnight in a motel during the trek to your new home.
On moving day - If possible, send your dog to a neighbor, friend, boarding kennel, or day care center for the day so you do not have to tend to him while the moving men are loading the van. If you cannot send him out to visit for the day, be sure he’s securely confined in a crate and is taken out on a leash for exercise.
Make sure you pack some of your dog’s favorite toys and food for the journey to your new home. If he seems nervous, feed him small amounts until he is settled in the new house.
At the new house - If there’s a gap between arrival in a new area and moving into the new home, find a boarding kennel for Ranger so you’re not juggling dog, kids, and everything else in hotel rooms or other temporary quarters. When the furniture arrives and you’re ready to sleep in the new bedroom, bring him home.
Unpack Ranger’s bed, toys, and food and water bowls as soon as possible and put them in the same places they were in the old house. If he’s accustomed to finding a bowl of water in the kitchen, put it in the kitchen in the new house.
Introduce yourself to your new neighbors and tell them about your dog. Arrange for the neighbors to meet the dog while he is on a leash.
If your dog is micro-chipped or tattooed, call the registry to change your address and telephone number so they can reach you quickly if they are notified that your dog has been found. Be patient. Some dogs take several days or even weeks to adjust to new surroundings. Adopted From http://www.canismajor.com/dog/moveday.html
