Advice for moving home with a dog

We’re a nation of animal lovers. Research by Amazon earlier this year found that 19% of UK pet owners have even moved to keep their pet happy.

But moving home is one of the most stressful life events for most people. Just imagine how stressful it could be for your dog, who doesn’t know what’s happening or why everything around them is changing.

The good news is that there’s plenty you can do to help minimise your dog’s stress levels and help them settle into your new home.

Here at Removals Unlimited in Bournemouth we’ll do everything we can to make moving day as stress-free as possible for both you and your pooch. So, how do you plan for a house removal with a dog?

Animal charity Blue Cross has a lot of useful advice about how to make moving day as stress-free as possible for all of you. One of the top tips is to ask a friend or family member to look after your dog on moving day. You might even want to consider checking your dog into boarding kennels for the day of the move and a couple of days after too.

This has two advantages. Firstly, you’ll know your pet is safe and not stressed by being caught up in the house move. Secondly, it allows you to fully concentrate on the move, making sure it all goes smoothly.

If you do decide to keep your dog with you on moving day, there are a few things you can do to make it a little easier. Set your dog up in one room in your old home and keep the door closed to minimise the noise. Make sure your pup has their bed, toys, water, food and a familiar blanket or two to help keep them calm.

Designate one person in your family to be responsible for your dog on moving day. Knowing that one person will walk them, check in on them and spend time with them can allow you to concentrate on other things.

Another important point is to remember to tell us which room your dog is in! Our team of professional movers are great with pets of all kinds. If we know that your dog is being kept calm and safe in a specific room, we can give them some space and focus on getting your possessions safely into our removals vehicle.

It’s best to pack your dog’s belongings within the vehicle that you’ll use to transport them. The home transition with familiar smells around them will make it smoother on them to adapt faster on arrival.

When you get to your new home, set up a space in one room for your dog. Again, put their bed, food, water, toys and blankets in there and make it as cosy as possible. Make sure your pooch is shut in while our removals team is bringing furniture and boxes into your new property. And as before, make sure you tell us where we can expect to find the dog.

One thing you have to remember is that dogs are highly sensitive to smell. Your new home won’t smell like home to your pooch until you’ve been there a little while, so make sure they have familiar items around to help them settle in.

Another top tip from Blue Cross is to thoroughly check your new garden before you let your dog out for an explore. Look for any broken fence panels, holes in hedges or any other places where they could get out.

We are always happy to work with you to help make your move as stress-free as possible for both you and your dog. If you’re looking for a removals company in Poole, contact us today for a free house survey and same-day quote.