Pet Moving Stress
July 8, 2009 6:27 PM Subscribe
Two small inner-city dogs ---> two small suburban dogs. Adjustment suggestions?
My two small (about 20 lbs) dogs are moving with us from a small (~ 400 sq ft city apt to a small ~1000 sq ft suburban cottage). Crating is not an option. They will have an awesome park around the corner, will not miss drunk tourists running into them.
Have you dealt with this before? What is the best way to have them adjust to the new place? I'm concerned about bathroom issues with the extra space, they'll still have plenty of other dogs/smells on walks.
How do I get them to retain good potty habits? And they bark too much in the City as we're on the ground floor and everyone comes in close to us -- I assume they'll lose this once no one bothers "their" property?
Have your dealt with this? Advice?
My two small (about 20 lbs) dogs are moving with us from a small (~ 400 sq ft city apt to a small ~1000 sq ft suburban cottage). Crating is not an option. They will have an awesome park around the corner, will not miss drunk tourists running into them.
Have you dealt with this before? What is the best way to have them adjust to the new place? I'm concerned about bathroom issues with the extra space, they'll still have plenty of other dogs/smells on walks.
How do I get them to retain good potty habits? And they bark too much in the City as we're on the ground floor and everyone comes in close to us -- I assume they'll lose this once no one bothers "their" property?
Have your dealt with this? Advice?
Actually, I think their concept of their property will expand, and they might start barking at people they see walking or driving or biking past the house, or cutting their grass two houses down, or just sitting on their porch minding their own business. (Or maybe that's just my small suburban dog?) The good news is presumably you will be farther away from your neighbors, who will be less likely to hear or be bothered by any yapping.
If you're really worried about the potty issue, you might consider scooping the last poo from the city, and depositing it in your new suburban yard. But, I seriously don't think you'll have much of a problem, as long as in the flurry of moving and unpacking, you maintain as regular a potty/walk schedule as you can and don't accidentally forget about them to the point where they are dancing around with their legs crossed.
Get them microchipped if they aren't already (update the contact info if they are), and use a contact number on a tag on their collars that will be current after you move. And if your yard has a fence, double-check it for possible escape routes before you leave them there unsupervised for any amount of time.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 8:42 PM on July 8, 2009
If you're really worried about the potty issue, you might consider scooping the last poo from the city, and depositing it in your new suburban yard. But, I seriously don't think you'll have much of a problem, as long as in the flurry of moving and unpacking, you maintain as regular a potty/walk schedule as you can and don't accidentally forget about them to the point where they are dancing around with their legs crossed.
Get them microchipped if they aren't already (update the contact info if they are), and use a contact number on a tag on their collars that will be current after you move. And if your yard has a fence, double-check it for possible escape routes before you leave them there unsupervised for any amount of time.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 8:42 PM on July 8, 2009
Oh, one more thing I meant to say. I know you say you won't be crating them in the new place, but consider a crate or two for moving day, especially if you will be having many people in and out. Doors get propped open, people can't see where they are going, things get dropped - it's safer for your dogs and your movers/friends if the dogs aren't running around underfoot. Plus, the dogs would probably appreciate having a safe little den where they can retreat when things get all crazy.
If not a crate, then find someone to dog sit on moving day, or at the very least, appoint someone whose sole job is to keep track of the dogs and keep them out of the way of falling pianos...
posted by SuperSquirrel at 8:47 PM on July 8, 2009
If not a crate, then find someone to dog sit on moving day, or at the very least, appoint someone whose sole job is to keep track of the dogs and keep them out of the way of falling pianos...
posted by SuperSquirrel at 8:47 PM on July 8, 2009
About four years ago the mister and I moved from a 350 sq. foot RV to a 1000 sq. foot semi-detached home with it's own fenced yard. In the RV park we had to have her on leash when she was outside.
Kaylee knew how to ask to go outside (or taught us to read her signals) and that hasn't changed. We crated her the RV at night but thought we were okay in the house. She pooped inside two nights in a row. After that happened we reverted to crating her again at night (she's never pooped in her crate). After two months or so had passed we decided to try leaving her out at night. Success!
As for playing guard dog - Kaylee barks when the doorbell rings or someone knocks at the door. She also did that in the trailer. She'll also bark if a certain dog a couple houses away barks as well. No other dogs cause her to bark. She barks at one certain neighbour. None of our other neighbours cause her to bark.
I think your dogs will adjust just fine. Just give them the right signals and try to read theirs. Good luck!
posted by deborah at 9:14 PM on July 8, 2009
Kaylee knew how to ask to go outside (or taught us to read her signals) and that hasn't changed. We crated her the RV at night but thought we were okay in the house. She pooped inside two nights in a row. After that happened we reverted to crating her again at night (she's never pooped in her crate). After two months or so had passed we decided to try leaving her out at night. Success!
As for playing guard dog - Kaylee barks when the doorbell rings or someone knocks at the door. She also did that in the trailer. She'll also bark if a certain dog a couple houses away barks as well. No other dogs cause her to bark. She barks at one certain neighbour. None of our other neighbours cause her to bark.
I think your dogs will adjust just fine. Just give them the right signals and try to read theirs. Good luck!
posted by deborah at 9:14 PM on July 8, 2009
Moving day is perfect example of why dogs should be crate trained. If you had them crate trained, you'd be moving their "home" when you move to the new cottage. I'm just sayin'...
That said, I'm sure they'll be fine. If for some mysterious dog reason one of them can't adjust to the space, that dog can just spend most of its time in a room.
And as far as poo goes - they move and change may affect them. Walk more often than normal until you're sure they're back on schedule.
posted by Lesser Shrew at 9:29 PM on July 8, 2009
That said, I'm sure they'll be fine. If for some mysterious dog reason one of them can't adjust to the space, that dog can just spend most of its time in a room.
And as far as poo goes - they move and change may affect them. Walk more often than normal until you're sure they're back on schedule.
posted by Lesser Shrew at 9:29 PM on July 8, 2009
Response by poster: Thanks for all the help, I think this maybe more my general anxiety than the dogs.
Yes, they are chipped, and yes, lesson learned about the need for crate training.
Also? Kaylee is one of the cutest things on Earth!
posted by cestmoi15 at 4:39 PM on July 10, 2009
Yes, they are chipped, and yes, lesson learned about the need for crate training.
Also? Kaylee is one of the cutest things on Earth!
posted by cestmoi15 at 4:39 PM on July 10, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
I've moved with dogs twice (different dogs). The only problem was for the first couple of days they were a little anxious when we left them home alone. I guess it took a while for them to realize we really lived there now and would always come back.
I love having a fenced yard and doggy door so my pups can go do their business at will. A housebroken dog will carry the training over to another house as long as they are shown where it's OK to go. There may be an initial lapse, but they'll catch on pretty quick.
posted by lazydog at 7:37 PM on July 8, 2009