Basset Hound George has lived comfortably in his Ballston Spa home since he was 8 weeks old.
He has explored every corner of the house and sniffed every blade of grass in the yard. The smells are as familiar as his bowl of kibble. He has the household routine down pat. So why all of a sudden are there boxes and cartons on the floor, and no one seems to have time to take him for his daily walk?
George’s family is preparing to move to a new home – one of his human pack members got a job in Cleveland and the whole family is moving there in time for the school year to begin this fall.
George, of course, has no idea why this is happening, so he is already having a harder time adjusting to this change.
Here are some things George would like his family to know BEFORE moving day:
He might need his basic obedience commands reinforced. That will help him be more focused and have an easier time settling in to his new surroundings;
George won’t mind being confined to his crate during busy packing activities, as long as he has his favorite Kong with him to keep him occupied;
He really does still need his walk every day;
George would love spending moving day at doggie day care with his buddies, so he won’t be underfoot;
At his new home, George would enjoy a leashed walk inside and outside in the house, sort of a get-to-know-the-new-digs tour;
He’ll do just fine in a room with his same old dog bed or in his usual crate so he won’t escape while everyone is busy unpacking;
George will appreciate having his bowls, toys and bed in the same rooms as in the old house (e.g., next to the refrigerator, in the family room, etc.);
It might take George 3 weeks or more to adjust to his new living arrangement. As he adapts to his new surroundings, he will begin to feel more comfortable and relaxed, especially if he sees that his human companions are calm;
George loves his routines. Sticking to his usual feeding times, walks, and playtimes will help him settle in faster;
His owners plan to be home with George for the first few days after the move. If they gradually spend short periods of time away from the house, George will start to adjust to being alone in his new home;
George is pretty reliable about doing his business outside, but the new house might have him a bit off kilter. His owners are patient though, and know that accidents will happen. If there were pets in the house previously, George might smell them and want to mark his territory. They plan to keep an eye on him so there will be less chance for mistakes;
Not all dogs are as easy-going as George. Some dogs stop eating or get diarrhea if they are stressed. Other signs of stress are pacing, hiding, destroying things and separation anxiety;
Fearful behavior is common when a big change has occurred in a dog’s life. At first, George might be timid in his new surroundings. He might even become a Velcro dog and follow his owners around all the time;
If George shows signs of nervousness, his owners know they should not overly reassure him. By giving him an unusual amount of attention when he is worried, George will think there must be something to worry about;
If the new home has antifreeze in the garage, chewable objects on the floor, or holes in the fence, George will find them if his owners don’t check for them first;
George’s owners already did some research and found a veterinarian for him in Cleveland. They plan to visit the clinic with George, and will bring a copy of his veterinary records with them.
Once George’s family is settled in, they will get him licensed and update his identification tags. Since George has a microchip, they will change their contact information with the registry;
Emergency personnel will know that George is in the house if there is a new pet safety decal on the window (send an email to upstateny@barkbusters.com with your name and address and I will mail you one!);
George’s owners will try to be patient with him while he – and they – adjust to Cleveland.
Hey, it’s not Miami, but it IS home.
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