How Can We Prepare Our Dogs If We Are Moving?

Moving with pets  is very stressful and requires a lot of planning.  I had my dog boarded during hectic days because he was often stressed and misbehaved.  I did some research  because some localities have strict requirements and restrictions regarding pet ownership.  Some require permit and registrations. I schedule an appointment with our vet to have my dog checked before the move.  I was given my dog’s veterinarian records so that I can forward it to my new vet.

My dog was  wearing an ID tag.  It was a luggage tag with writing space on both sides. I has his name, my name, destination address and an emergency name, address and number in case I cannot be reached.   Shortly before the move, I took with me my dog’s health certificate and a rabies vaccination certificate.  The health certificate, was signed by my veterinarian, saying my dog is in good condition. The rabies certificate states when and where he was vaccinated.   I purchased  the best carrier, supplies and first-aid kits.  I have  a list of items we’ll be needing for  travel including collapsible dishes, favorite toys or two,  two plastic containers one containing fresh water and the other containing his regular food and a few treats as well as medicine in case of emergency. Since my dog is not used to car travel, I started  taking him on short trips to get accustomed to the car motion. My vet even advised me that if it’s necessary, he will tranquilizers my dog to relax him but I thought it was not necessary.  It is advised not to feed water before starting so we gave him a few treats instead.   The travel was distressing for him and he got sick.  We did a few stops, of course, for him to take a short run and we always keep in on a leash whenever he is out of the car.  Eventually we cover his cage with cloth and it helped him relax. 

After the move, we gave our dog time to adjust but we didn’t let him roam freely because he may get lost.  We immediately took him for a walk.  We let him sniff around  to help them become familiar with the new neighborhood.  To help him become accustomed to the new environment, we maintained the feeding and walking schedule from our original residence. Aside from the ID tag, we also have an ID implant for him so we have the contact information updated as well.