Preparing To Move
So far, in my 67 years, I have moved 14 times. The moves have been short, to the house next door, across town, or in three of my moves, exceeding 1000 miles. While I have always enjoyed my new home, I have found the process stressful. I am not alone. A survey of 1000 adults conducted by OnePoll in 2020 found that 45% of those responding ranked moving as the most stressful event in their life, more stressful than going through a break-up or divorce, getting married, having kids, or starting your first job.
Three of those moves also involved dogs, including the one from Wisconsin to Maine, which also included consolidating three households, as when we arrived in Bangor, we brought three elderly parents with us.
Both dogs and cats are typically set in their ways, and a total change in their environment can be very stressful, which will only add to your stress. Remember, your dog can sense your stress which can cause them to be stressed. [ FMI – https://forcefreepets.com/how-your-dog-can-tell-how-you-feel/ ]
Before You Start Looking for A Home
Please think about your pet's needs when selecting a new home.
• Check out the neighborhood for pets running loose and unattended; if present, AVOID that neighborhood.
• Cats like vertical spaces as they move up when afraid. Will the new home have such spaces?
• If you have both cats and dogs, the cat will need a private area for its food and litterbox that the dog cannot enter.
• If you have multiple cats, you will need multiple litter boxes in multiple locations.
• Dogs of any age will need an outdoor bathroom area. However, getting them up and down stairs could be challenging as they age, especially if they are too big for you to carry.
• Stairs can be challenging, even for young pets. Pets often have problems with open-backed stairs.
• Do your potential neighbors raise chickens and other livestock in their backyard? This could be a challenge for dogs and cats if allowed outdoors.
• Dogs need an outdoor space to exercise, sniff, and explore. The best place for that is a yard with a traditional, physical fence. Avoid Homeowner Associations that might not allow fences. Underground containment systems use electric shock and the threat of fear and pain to keep your dog in the yard, and veterinary experts agree that they are inhumane and should NEVER be used.
• Are there appropriate areas to take your dog for a walk where they will have opportunities to sniff and explore?
• If you have a dog that enjoys barking at anyone approaching your door, you should avoid areas where houses are close together and mail delivery is at your door. To change this behavior, seek an accredited Professional Canine Behavior Consultant.
• What is the traffic like on the streets around your potential home? Despite your best care, your pet may get loose, and the busier the road and the faster the traffic, the greater the probability of a tragedy.
• Are veterinarians in the area taking on new clients?
• Is an emergency veterinary clinic available after hours within a 30-minute drive?
• If you need others to care for your pets, are there reputable daycares, boarding facilities, groomers, and pet sitters in the area?
Before You List Your Current Home
Before you move, you may have a home to sell. That means realtors will need to show your home, and you will want prospective buyers to see your home and yard at its best. If those buyers are not pet people, you may need to put in extra effort to keep your home and yard tidy and be able to do so at short notice. A few pet hairs on a piece of furniture, the smell of a litterbox, or stepping on poop in the yard may cost you a sale.
When showing your home, most reputable realtors expect you and your pets to be away from the house. Do you have a boarding facility or family member friend who can care for your pets when your home is being shown?
Next month, I’ll address moving, unpacking, and settling into your new home.
Don Hanson lives in Bangor, Maine, where he is the co-owner of the Green Acres Kennel Shop (greenacreskennel.com) and the founder of ForceFreePets.com, an online educational resource for people with dogs and cats. He is a Professional Canine Behavior Consultant (PCBC-A) accredited by the Pet Professional Accreditation Board (PPAB)and a Bach Foundation Registered Animal Practitioner (BFRAP). Don is a member of thePet Professional Guild (PPG), where he serves on the Board of Directors and Steering Committee and chairs the Advocacy Committee. He is also a founding director of Pet Advocacy International (PIAI). In addition, Don produces and co-hosts The Woof Meow Showpodcast,available at http://bit.ly/WfMwPodcasts/,the Apple Podcast app, and Don's blog: www.words-woofs-meows.com. The opinions in this post are those of Don Hanson.