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The doghouse

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Original poster

Moving house with a 1yo dog - any tips?

18 replies

Aria20 · 03/05/2022 13:02

We are moving house at the end of May. Our dog will be 15 months old. We have arranged for her to go to a dog boarder we've used before on moving day so she is safely away from the chaos of the removals and doors being left open etc - I will then collect her the following day when hopefully we'll be settled in the new house with it being clean and safe.

Does anyone have tips/suggestions to help her settle in the new house? Is she likely to regress? She's been house trained since about 15 weeks so hopefully she won't regress with that but of course the layout of the house will be different so she'll have to get used to where she needs to go to get out! Also the garden is a bit of a state at the moment - it's totally secure but just a mess but she'll prob enjoy exploring somewhere different?!

My main worry is she is used to sleeping in my teenage son's bedroom as he currently has a downstairs room but in the new house his room will be upstairs and dog won't be going upstairs.... so she will be sleeping in the kitchen/utility. I am expecting some upset the first few nights but realistically has anyone had similar situation and can advise how long it took their dog to adjust to new routines and sleeping arrangements?

What else should I be thinking of? We have a stair gate already and I just want to make the transition as smooth as possible. It will obviously be a busy time though so I am prepared for her to maybe behave differently as certainly for the first week or so things will be a bit hectic so her routine will be a bit out while we sort unpacking and organising things etc.

OP posts:

XelaM · 03/05/2022 14:13

We haven't moved, but have taken our dog (also just over 1) abroad for several months to my parents' house.

I was very worried because we live on the ground floor with no second floor and my parents' house has four storeys with very scary open stair cases and our dog is a toy breed. He adjusted instantly, immediately understood where the garden door was to go out and was climbing up and down the scary stairs without a second thought.

I think your dog will adjust quickly. They are very smart. My only worry would be the sleeping arrangements. Why don't you want the dog upstairs if he's used to sleeping in your son's room?

Original poster

Aria20 · 03/05/2022 14:26

@XelaM my husband doesn't want her upstairs at all - she doesn't go upstairs in this house either but because my son sleeps downstairs they've been together... she is ok in there on her own when my son has been for sleepovers but I guess it's a worry with it being a new environment and new sleeping arrangements.

OP posts:

tizwozliz · 03/05/2022 14:32

Is there any scope for someone to sleep downstairs temporarily?

Original poster

Aria20 · 03/05/2022 15:13

@tizwozliz no not really due to the layout even if someone slept in living room it is not directly next to or in sight of kitchen/utility so I don't think it would help as the stairs hallway and downstairs bathroom are in between. Very different layout to current house!

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certainshepherdpups · 03/05/2022 16:12

Hi @Aria20. When my previous dog was about two years old, we moved within the same city. We were able to go over to the new house several times before we actually moved in. We couldn't go inside but we were able to go into the garden (the house wasn't occupied at the time). So when moving day arrived, the place was familiar to our dog and he settled in well.

How far away from your current house is the new one? If it isn't far, I'd definitely recommend taking her over to see the new house. Even if you aren't able to enter the house or garden, just familiarising her with the location can be helpful. Then it won't be brand new to her on moving day.

Original poster

Aria20 · 03/05/2022 16:18

@certainshepherdpups thanks for the reply, it's not too far and I have walked her around the new development a couple of times but I will try to find time to go another couple of times before we move.

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PollyRoulllson · 03/05/2022 17:20

New sleepng arrangement could cause issues. What ever she sleeps on at the moment do not wash and make sure she has that in the new location. Maybe put some of your sons unwashed clothes in with her too.

I would be taking her out for wees regularly in the new house for a few days to ensure she clearly knows where is the right place to toilet.

Hope the move goes ok

Original poster

Aria20 · 03/05/2022 17:37

@PollyRoulllson I was going to buy her a new bed but I will hold off for now then so that she takes the current bed until she has settled! Thanks for that advice.

OP posts:

MovingatPace · 03/05/2022 20:40

We moved this year - dog hates the new house! 🥹Followed us around constantly when we moved - couldn’t even be left in a different room never mind sleep on a different floor alone. Lay outside for the first time in 3 months today…and will now stay downstairs whilst we are upstairs doing things. Lockdown bloody ruined him, he just loved having everyone around. Doesn’t want to sit with us - but likes us to be there. All. The. Time.

Original poster

Aria20 · 03/05/2022 20:54

Oh dear @MovingatPace that's not good!
I do worry she will regress. At the moment she is happy to be left for a few hours - it's not often as I'm at home every day but she settles fine so of course I now worry she's going to be really clingy and unsettled!

OP posts:

cheapascheerios · 03/05/2022 21:11

Could you compromise on the sleeping part in that initially it’s the same set up but the gradually she moves downstairs?
Otherwise I’d think moving to a strange place and not being able to be with her usual sleeping companion could be an issue?

where does she sleep at the boarders?

SarahSissions · 03/05/2022 21:17

Get an adaptil plug in and use it at your current house and boarder and then plug one into the new house as soon as you get the keys so it feels familiar and calm.
set her own things up as similar as possible to the last house.

Original poster

Aria20 · 04/05/2022 08:04

@cheapascheerios she sleeps downstairs at the boarders though there is another dog. She also slept in the kitchen in a crate at my sister in laws last summer - she barked/whined a bit the first night but was ok. We don't have the crate any more though as she sleeps fine out of it so I'd given it away whilst de cluttering for the move.... dam maybe I should have kept it initially?! I guess I'll have to accept a rough couple of nights and hope she'll settle. I will put my son's dressing gown with her lol.

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cheapascheerios · 04/05/2022 08:14

You might be able to pick one up second hand if you have a local buy/sell page?
it might be easier to keep her contained if that’s what’s she’s used to rather than her having the option to pace and wonder round
if she’s used to sleeping apart from people in other scenarios I’m sure she’ll settle quickly

Notcreativeatall · 04/05/2022 08:36

DDog has moved a few times including emigrating and has always been fine. She has her bed/crate which she knows which I think helps. She does seem to use moves to change the sleeping arrangements and get on beds but is generally fine. The last move was a bit of a pain as we had a dog flap and in our previous place which she was used to and we don't really have one here - we've now had to instal a temporary one as she doesn't seem keen to plan ahead when she is used to the freedom of movement.
One thing to check is the security of all outdoor spaces- eg are there dog proof gates etc and also update chips/collars etc

Original poster

Aria20 · 04/05/2022 08:45

@cheapascheerios she hadn't used the crate at all for about 6 months which is why I got rid of it but perhaps would have been an idea but she may have not liked being put back in it so who knows!

OP posts:

Original poster

Aria20 · 04/05/2022 08:49

@Notcreativeatall updating her chip and collar tag are on my to do list and the back garden is very secure as it's walled. There is no proper front garden just a small patch by the front door so no room to put a gate unfortunately so will have to make sure people don't leave front door open and that she is behind the stair gate. Thankfully it's not on a main road though and is the end of a cul de sac so only our car and the one opposite need to come to the end of it. Hopefully she will adapt she is generally a good girl.

OP posts:

poodlefan · 04/05/2022 12:49

We moved a couple of years ago my dog had moved 4 times before and seemed unbothered but he’d always had his friend with him. This time he was very unsettled and peed in the house something he hadn’t done since he was a small puppy. I took him out for a pee every few hours for a couple of days just to show him where to go. At night he always sleeps on his own in the kitchen, he’s not allowed upstairs or in the bedrooms or on the beds (we’ve always been very strict about this) but as he was unsettled we put his bed in our bedroom thinking it would reassure him but in fact it made him more anxious and he sat in the kitchen where he felt his bed should be. Within about three days he settled down and now loves his home. We had a stair gate in our old home but don’t use one now and he still never comes upstairs. We also have a downstairs bedroom and he will not go in there either even if the door is open and my son is staying he just stands in the doorway.

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