Moving with dogs is harder on them than it is on you. Here are seven tips for keeping pee off the floor and whining at a minimum.
Although I might be the boss at the office, at home, I really don’t get much say at all. In fact, my parents decided to sell my house without even telling me! I used to run around in the backyard that had a sweet fence, and even though I never dared to jump in that cold damp abyss of a pool, I was pretty cool with it existing because it brought lots of new friends to the yard.
Back in May, my humans decided it was time for a new place with a bigger yard for me, and even a new office at the same time! Now listen, I’m pretty used to running the roost around here, so although the new office isn’t completely built yet, I’m pretty anxious about both new places.
In fact, over the past few months I’ve been straight up bratty. I’m used to going everywhere with my humans, but between all the new house stuff and the hottest summer in all of my existence, I’ve been spending too much time at home for my liking. The air conditioning is great and all, but like Ariel in the Little Mermaid, I like to be “where the people are.”
So yeah, I’ve been bratty. I even peed in the new house TWICE on the new hardwood floors to show them how upset I am about this new situation even though I never did it even once in our old house. So, humans, if you’re listening, here are some tips fresh off the new stove about how to make this transition better for me, should you ever decide to move again. And you better not. Seriously. Please.
Dear humans,
Understand that all change is bad change to me.
We like routines. We like to know when we’re fed, that we get treats after we pee on command, and that we go to bed at a certain hour. Sometimes I go to bed without my humans and then cry until they join me. You can’t give humans too much space or they’ll stay up all night. And because we don’t like change, we get freaked out my our whole house getting packed into boxes, and the changes of smell in the air from the cardboard. (I do however like switching up my dog food on a regular basis because I’m a foodie). That’s why during this big transition, you should try and keep as much as normal as possible. Feed me at the same time, make sure my dog bed stays in it’s usual place, and keep up walking routines.
Give me more attention rather than less.
Look, I know, all that packing looks stressful and it seems like a lot of work. But don’t forget about me, your furriest bestie. The apple of your eye. If we’re used to spending a lot of time together, I’m going to feel snubbed when we suddenly stop. Wean me into this, I can totally handle it but I need some stepping stones. And if our time together needs to get cut short for a couple months while you’re adjusting, moving, painting and whatever, then make our time together count.
Add social activities into our regimen together.
Since I know we’ll have to reschedule our lazy movie dates on the couch for a couple weeks or months, let me hang out with my buds instead. Let’s go to the dog park a few times per week. (Note: I hear the North Quabbin Dog Park is nearby and suuuuuper cool.) I can’t stand being left alone because I miss you too much. But maybe if I got out to play for a few hours a day, I’d be too tired to miss you.
Label me.
Also, because I’m so anxious about all this, make sure I’m collared up and microchipped before the move. I’m totally familiar with my old place, but I could chase a fat squirrel into oblivion at the new place without looking back to see where I came from.
Give me stuff I’m used to.
When we arrive in the new place, don’t go out and buy me a new bed that matches the drapes. I want my old one, full of hair and drool. It’s mine, not yours, and I like it. It’s one of the few comforting items I have left while adjusting to the new digs. I expect all my toys to survive the commute, too. Even the sheep I took all the stuffing out of and toss around like a wet rag. I love my sheep.
Assume I’m gonna be a brat.
I hate to tell you this, but you should baby me when we move in because I might just forget everything I learned in our old house. I won’t be sure which door to cry at, or where I’m supposed to be fed, or where I sleep, until we go over it together a few times. Then I’ll do my best.
Don’t make it more stressful than it has to be.
Even when I felt safe and cozy in our old house, I got a little skittish around the nail clippers and scissors (also known as my eyebrow trimmers). Maybe we could wait on that stressful stuff until I’m feeling safe again. And don’t go inviting the whole neighborhood over right after you move in, because that’s going to freak me out a bit, too.
Love, Napa
I hope you’re listening. I like you a lot, but this whole moving thing kind of stinks.
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