There are a lot of things to think and worry about when moving house - it's one of the most stressful things one can do. A lot of the time, though, the family dog is forgotten amid the mess.

When you move house, everything suddenly gets thrown up in the air.

How will you get it all done in time, how will you transport all of your stuff to the new home, and what are you forgetting?

In many cases, the welfare of the family pet is what gets forgotten, and this can be a real problem.

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How do you move house with a dog, what do you need to think about, and how can you make this as painless a process as possible for your humble hound?

If you're moving house with your dog, you need to make preparations well in advance and make sure that everything runs as smoothly and calmly as possible. You need to avoid as much banging and clanging as you can, you need to keep everything related to your dog unpacked until the last moment, and you need a game plan on how to get everything done in a relaxed way.

Dogs don't understand packing, throwing things out, planning, moments of confusion, nor all the emotions that are associated with moving stress. As a result, it is important to give your dog attention and love throughout the process so that the stress of the move does not traumatize it.

Both the preparations for a move and the move itself mean many weeks of potential stress for dogs. As a result, plans need to be made for each individual step of the move, from the onset to the unpacking at the end. In particular, the settling-in period is important as it gives you the chance to calm down your dog, reassure it, and fix any damage done.

Here's what to think about when moving with a dog:

• How are you going to transport your dog to the new house?
• How can you avoid interactions with the moving people?
• How are you packing the boxes, in what order, and how do you keep the upheaval as minimal as possible?
• How long is the entire process? Can you leave your dog in a dog hotel in the meantime?
• Is your dog being given plenty of food and drink on the day?
• Has your dog been provided with plenty of spaces in which it can escape to be calm?
• Are there any health problems you should be thinking about and accommodating for?

Moving is extremely stressful, and you are going to be incredibly anxious throughout this entire period. There is never any harm in getting yourself checked out at the doctor and your dog checked out at the vet once all is said and done.

There are three main stages to moving with your dog: Preparing the move, executing the move, and recovering from the move. Once the boxes have been packed, the furniture dismantled, everything loaded onto the truck, and you are saying goodbye to the house, it's important that you've also taken note of what your darling doggo needs.

Before we move on, just be clear about one thing: Your dog is going to be upset and behaving strangely no matter what you do. Moving is an incredibly difficult thing for a dog, as its entire environment has changed and everything that is familiar is a little bit different. Over time, it will recover, but you need to be prepared for these changes.

So what are the details of each of these three steps? What do you need to do to move house with your dog, from the beginning of the process to the end? Let's take a deep dive.

Your darling doggo loves to be involved in things if it can, so the packing of boxes and the sorting out of stuff doesn't need to be a difficult or worrisome process. Instead, get your doggo actively engaged in the activity and use it as a bonding exercise to excite and motivate your beloved canine companion.

Here's how to look after a dog as you get ready to move house:

• Let dogs sniff everything: To give your dog the feeling that it is part of the whole thing and not excluded, allow it to sniff and observe. This also helps dogs understand that nothing bad is associated with the boxes involved.
• Protect dogs from injury: You must always make sure that your furry friend doesn't injure itself on tools lying around, or shred important packaging material. Bubble wrap is particularly dangerous as dogs like to chew on it, which could be a choking hazard (and toxic).
• Plan enough cuddles: Regular cuddling times with your dog are still important. In the evenings, you should give your dog a relaxing break and give it some closeness.

Of course, by keeping things calm, fun, and happy, you will also benefit. The reduced stress will make you less worried and much happier, or even excited, and will help you relax.

On the day of the move, it is best that your dog is not around. As a result, there are a few things that we would recommend you do with your dog as everything is going ahead. Ultimately, keeping it as far from any moving people or trucks will do it some good and keep it as happy and as calm as can be.

Here's what you should do with your dog during the move:

• Keep your dog with friends: Your dog could be left with loving friends, acquaintances, or relatives on the day of the move. This way, they can spend a relaxed day away from home and won't get in the way of moving helpers, run through open doors, or react anxiously to the hustle and bustle of the move.
• One person devotes attention to the dog: If it is not possible to accommodate the dog, someone familiar with the family or nearby should take care of the dog for the day. Play with it, stroke it, relax with it, and make sure that it feels cared for and safe.
• A comfortable journey: Once all the boxes, furniture, and plants have been loaded, the dog must also be transported safely to its new home. This needs to be done calmly, simply, and in as normal a way as possible. Ideally, it should be in a car that it is familiar with, with people it knows, so that it feels calm and looked after.

If your dog is usually transported in a dog carrier, it should be used for sure this time. You shouldn't, however, be keeping it in the carrier all day.

Once you have reached your final destination, it's time to settle your dog in and provide it with as much attention as you possibly can. To do so, you need to complete a few steps – exploration, contemplation, and unpacking. If you succeed in quickly integrating and making your dog comfortable in its new home, you shouldn't have too much difficulty in the future.

• Exploration: Show your dog around the new house and yard, letting it sniff as much as it wants and taking your time introducing it to the new space.
• Contemplation: Once things are relatively well set up, it's time to relax. Sit down for a meal, chill out, and spend some quality one-on-one time with your stressed dog, showing it that you still love it, and everything will be just fine. Continue exploring and getting your dog comfortable during this phase.
• Unpacking: As dogs have their own household items, including beds, toys, chewing bones, cushions, and grooming materials, these should be unpacked quickly and placed in a quiet place. Your dog should have access to and be re-introduced to these items so that it knows where they are.

You need to make sure that your dog is left its toys and possessions unpacked until the last moment. On top of that, there may be a few things you want to keep out and about on the day itself, to keep your dog as calm and collected as humanly possible.

Most dog owners will also need to get a large crate to pack a dog's household effects together. By keeping them together, you make it quicker and easier to get them out and set up at the other end, and make sure that nothing gets lost in transit.

Ultimately, though, it's things like your dog's bone that'll make the most difference. You need to keep your dog soothed and calm, so keep this as close and easily accessible as you can.

Make sure to pick up a few great dog accessories to help with the move:

• A great dog bed or basket
• Blankets and pillows
• A familiar food bowl
• Enough food for more than one day
• Grooming utensils
• Toys
• Medication
• Vet contact details
• A high quality and calming dog carrier

In the end, you need to make sure that your dog has easy access to things that make it feel comfortable throughout every stage of this move - it's pretty simple stuff.

There are many symptoms and pains that can be caused by a house move. Your dog is a sensitive creature that can sometimes struggle to understand what's going on. As a result, you need to keep the hustle and bustle to a minimum and make sure that it is properly cared for or removed from the situation as early as is reasonably feasible.

If you fail to be respectful, bad things can happen. Your dog can get anxious, sick, upset, and incredibly naughty in response. Many of the symptoms can get so severe that they'll have an impact on your dog for months and years to come - and, let's be real, you don't want that, do you?

Here are the most common problems and symptoms related to moving house:

• Extreme stress and severe anxiety
• Separation anxiety due to not getting enough attention
• Territorial issues
• Excessive panting
• Trembling
• Drooling
• Increased or decreased appetite
• Serious aggression
• Irritability
• Difficulty relaxing
• Difficulty settling down and into the new house
• Tucked ears
• Eyes dilated
• Easily susceptible to illness

While dogs can get very stressed and upset when a move takes place, it doesn't have to be overly traumatic. Instead, careful planning and plenty of attention can help relieve the anxiety and keep your pooch as happy as possible.