House move with anxious dog

[TheChestertons]

Morning dog lovers,
I'm moving house soon with my very anxious dog. Wondered if anyone had any advice as to how to make this less stressful for him. Thankfully we have a few weeks to move and we're only going around the corner (!) so can do lots of visits building up to Moving Day. I've bought 4 adaptil diffusers which im going to plug in all over the new house before I take him for the first time. He's already on medication for his anxiety and I'm discussing an additional sedative with the vet. But I'm so worried about him!!! He's been making lots of progress and what if this sets us back to square one? What if he can't settle and barks constantly and the new neighbours hate us? What if he's never the same again? The move is for him, really, because where we are now is tiny and in the centre of town (very noisy). I just need to get him there and help him understand this is home. Any advice from people who have done this and survived gratefully received. Thanks!

What are you going to do with him during the move?

DDog is also anxious and for some reason seeing boxes piling up really worried him. I had to move each full box out to the car immediately; when the car was full the contents ended up at my long suffering parents house. It was like a move in two stages.

I'd build up leaving DDog slowly (30 seconds, 1 minute, 3 minutes and so on) - leaving the dog alone for a whole day immediately is a recipe for separation anxiety.

Mine developed a newfound hatred of visitors - we had to get a behaviourist in in the end.

Is there someone familiar who can look after him when the bulk of the moving is being done (sofas removed etc)? I've got another house move coming up and I'll probably send DDog off on his holidays for a few days with my long suffering parents...

Thank you both for your replies. I'm planning to move all the small stuff gradually over the first 2 weeks, taking him with me in the hope he will get used to it a bit. Then hire a van for the weekend to do the final big push. I will probs take the dog out on those days, maybe to my parents, and leave the moving to DP/friends. Thankfully, I don't have a lot of big furniture and no kids so I don't feel too bad!

I'm really worried he will develop new fears and anxieties as a result of the move. Sounds like that's fairly probable so thanks for preparing me!

I wish I could leave him at my parents for the weekend - they'd be delighted! But unfortunately he's not there yet ... I can just about go for a wee in peace, with the door ajar so he can keep an eye on me .

I think your plan sounds like the best you can do. Lots of visits, him and you not being there on the actual day. You can only do your best.

I agree it sounds as if you're preparing him much as you can.

Good luck and I hope he, and you, settle well in your new home.

Thanks so much for the reassurance and helpful tips. I do think I'm doing all I can, just have to accept what's beyond my control and not panic if it's awful to begin with. I've bought LOADS of treats so hopefully that will help to soften the blow! Thanks again xx

Settle down in the new place on your visits. Consider feeding him there. Feed yourself there! Run the vacuum around. Get him used to the idea that it's a place to hang around in, not just to visit. Scatter your things throughout the new house from the get go, so your scents fill the place. Take your existing cleaning stuff over, don't buy new for the new place.

Aww wee soul. Sounds like you're doing all you can.

Great advice @picklemewalnuts, thank you! X