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Moving and its consequent change in circumstances are stressful enough for us adult human beings, let alone for our little furry friends. As responsible pet owners, we can take measures to protect them during the transition and minimize their anxiety. In today's post, we will go over some easy-to-follow tips and advice that can help your four-legged homebody adjust to the new situation as smoothly as possible.

Make the Changes Early

Since any change or disruption in the daily routine could be a negative stressor for your dog or cat, try to introduce them to these changes at least a couple of months in advance. Let's say you are moving from a relatively quiet suburban area to a large, densely populated city full of noise. In such a situation, it would be best if you could slowly and steadily introduce your pet to more crowded and busy areas so that they won't get stressed as much by the sudden drastic change in the environment. The same applies to other things like changing your cat's food, supplies, and accessories, introducing your dog to the leash, moving them to a smaller or bigger living situation, changing in-house rules like not being allowed on the couch, etc. The goal is to handle these changes in a way that by the time you are ready to move, they are already a part of your pet's routine.

Update Your Pet's Information

In terms of logistics, the first thing you need to get out of the way in preparation for moving house with your pet is updating their collar tag with the new address and phone number (if it is going to change). This is a precaution that you'd better take prior to the move so that it is more likely to reunite with your favorite animal should they get lost on the move or run off at the new place. 

If your pet is not microchipped yet, this is the time to get it done. Microchips are permanent, and their information gets registered in a national database. They don't fall off or fade and cannot be tampered with or removed. According to AKC Reunite, microchips increase the likelihood of reunion by up to 20 times. 

While you are at it, try to move your pet's vet records to the new location before the move. Look up the nearest veterinary care center to your new home so that you already know where to take your cat or dog in case of an emergency. Make sure your pet's vaccinations and flea, tick, and worm treatments are all up to date as well.

Crate Train Your Pet

There are countless benefits to crate training dogs (and even cats!), but one that saves you and your dog a lot of stress is its use during travel or relocation. As your dog gets accustomed to the indoor kennel or crate over time, they come to view it as a familiar, safe place. And since these crates can be moved, their mere presence and familiar scent can help your dog settle into a new environment much more easily. On top of that, crates are the safest way to contain your dog during transport as they keep the animal from being ejected in case of an accident. 

As for cats, if you haven't crate trained them and don't intend to do so, you can use a pet carrier instead, as they provide the same benefits the crates do during the move. Just be sure to introduce your cat to it at least several weeks ahead to minimize the stress.

Keep the Boxes in a Gated-Off Area

Some of the items you pack may have scents that encourage your pet to go into the boxes and mess around with them. Keeping your packed boxes in a separate area behind closed doors not only saves you the extra hassle of having to repack stuff in your busy schedule but also protects your pet from fiddling with dangerous items or ingesting things they shouldn't.

Now, it is equally important to keep at least a section of your house free of boxes and packing. Having a safe space helps your furry buddy better manage the stress that the rearrangement brings, especially during the moving day when there is a ton of foot traffic inside the house. This is more manageable with small moves, but even a relatively big bathroom suffices for cats and small-to-medium-sized dogs for the one or two hours it takes to load the boxes. 

Plan the Trip in Advance

If you are not moving locally and the relocation takes more than a few hours, make sure to plan the trip ahead so that you have plenty of places on your route to stop, especially if you have a dog. Every couple of hours or so, let them out to have a little walk and a potty break.

Check Your New Place for Safety

When you arrive at your destination, check the house and its surroundings with the utmost care before letting your pet out of its crate or carrier. Make sure to take care of all the potentially hazardous things to your cat or dog, such as residues from pest control, electrical wiring hazards, blind cords, and unusual nooks and holes that are not blocked appropriately. Be extra careful in the next few days after arrival as sometimes cats and dogs get confused and tend to go outside to return to their old home. Keep the doors shut and let them adapt and bond to the new place before letting them outside unsupervised.