Advice on moving with a pet?

[DisneyCaliCouple]

Hello!
Does anyone have any advice on making a move easy on a pet?

We are moving and taking our small/medium sized dog with us. We'll already have everything moved in before we bring her with us, so we don't have to worry about her getting anxious when we are actually moving boxes into the house. We're driving, and while she loves car rides, it's an 8 hour drive and I don't want her sitting on my lap the whole time.

I'm planning on getting a pet crate for her to be in during the drive and we'll be able to put it on the floor of the backseat of the truck, so it's secure. However, she's never been in a crate....I know she's not going to like being in it.

Any suggestions to make the drive easy on her? I know she's not going to like the crate. Should I start putting her in the crate at night to help her get used to it? I'm afraid if I do that, she's not going to let us put her in it when we're ready to leave. Should I cover it while we're driving to make her feel more secure?

I don't want her to be scared to be in the pet crate, or think she's in trouble, but I know that is the best and safest option to use for her on the drive.

Thanks!

 

[marcemc]

I would get her in that crate as soon as possible, you may want to start with 5 minutes at the beginning & reward her then move up to 15, then1/2 hour & from there one hour. This is how my golden retriever was trained.

You are going to have to be patient because she will probably cry & hate it in the beginning.

Regarding the drive, we always stop every 2 hours for 15 minutes to make sure Emma gets water, stretch her legs & go potty. Don't be scared if she doesn't want to eat that day.

When we moved, we drove for 3 days & our golden would only eat a hamburger happy meal with apples & milk as soon as we came home, she went back to her food

That is our experience, good luck & travel safe

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Here is my suggestion.....

Since you are only going to use this for the move I would put the crate in the truck now and then take the dog places like a park, fun spots, etc, getting the dog out of the crate and then a walk for "fun".

Drive some more, get out do the same thing.

Then get out and do not take the dog out. Leave dog in crate for 5 mins alone. Get back in car and then drive some more.

In other words, I would mimic the 8 hrs drive with your pup and the crate.

In this way you can practice/train the dog how to get in the crate, out of the crate, when you stop for potty breaks. Use treats, leash, etc.

Practice as often as you can before the move. That way when the real day of moving comes you will have it down pat and the dog will know the drill.

Moving day is very very stressful for all so preparation is key for a happy puppy and people.

 

[Agri]

Can you belt her in instead? There are a bunch of different safety harnesses made for securing dogs to seatbelts that do not require a carrier.

If you can't, yes - start putting her in the crate now. Mimic the drive as a PP stated. I would also talk to the vet about medicine in case your dog gets carsick or anxious. While a dog may be fine on a short drive, all sorts of problems can crop up on a much longer one.

A few days before the trip, put her on the same schedule she would have on the trip. If you're not going to give her water in the carrier, only make water and food available when you plan to take breaks on the trip.

The best thing you can do is not throw everything at her at once - gradually acclimate her to what's going to happen on the move. You might need to gradually ease out of the schedule once you arrive at your destination, as well.

 

[golfgal]

We crated our dog from day one so she likes her crate but when we travel we also take her dog bed that she sleeps in during the day and her favorite blanket that she wraps up in when she sleeps. We have found that for long trips with her, she is content to either be in her crate or her dog bed. She LOVES going for car rides too.

When we moved we also had everything in before we brought her into the house but we also kept her on a short leash for several days until she got the lay of the land. We didn't want her marking her territory. She also quickly learned that the new house was better then the old because she now has a fenced yard to run around in vs having to go outside on a leash or chain.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Also wanted to ask if your dog will potty "on command" on a leash in new places?

If not I would add that in as part of the training.

 

[DisneyCaliCouple]

Thanks everyone!! I've never made a long move with a dog, so all of your suggestions are great!! This was very helpful!

We still have a couple months until we move with her, so I'll look for that crate this week and start getting her used to it!

I appreciate all of the comments and help!

 

[RNMOM]

You've gotten lots of good advice here. You might also ask you vet for a small seditive type pill to have just in case you need it.

Remember, you will be stressed and excited and you dog will feel this also. Don't expect her to be calm at all. We put our pets into one of the rooms with the door closed and their beds and food/water. One of us would check on them often and take the dog for potty breaks. Litter boxes were put in the closet for the cats.

Get you dog used to the process as much as you can and then just do what you have to to keep her safe.

 

[goofy4tink]

When getting your pup used to the crate, make sure that only good things happen in there. Throw in a special toy and/or a treat. This way, she'll associate crates with good things. Start getting her used to it now. Leave the door open so she can come and go as she wants. You may be surprised...a lot of dogs really like crates and think of them as 'happy places'. Be sure to make lots of stops along the way to let her out so she can piddle and stretch. And as someone already mentioned, if she isn't used to 'doing her business' on a leash, you may want to start that now. Otherwise she may try to 'hold it' for too long.