Guest Post: Don’t Stress Your Dog (or Yourself!) Out During Your Move

Normally, life with a pet is all about reducing stress. Having animals around reduces stress for humans so much that some people volunteer their dogs to be therapeutic animals, and visit people who are disabled or recovering from an illness. Some doctors even prescribe visits from therapeutic animals for their patients.

But there are three times when life with a pet adds stress -- for you and for the pet. The first time is during the adoption itself, when a pet and its family are still getting to know each other and feel safe around each other. The second time is when pets themselves are ill or injured. And the third time is during a move. Still, there are ways to reduce that stress -- again, for you AND your dog. Try these tips:

1. Don't pass your worry on to your dog. Your dog will be able to tell if you are stressed out or irritated. If you can't help feeling that way, then take extra time to spend time with and reassure your dog. Try to convey the message that even though your dog may not understand what is going on, you've got everything under control.




2. Plan carefully for your trip. Prepare by taking the following steps:
   • Take your dog to the vet before the move, and get caught up on any needed vaccinations. Ask your vet's advice about the moving process, while you are at it.
   • If your dog will be traveling in a travel kennel, make sure that the kennel is big enough for your dog to stand up and turn around. Attach your contact information (preferably including your cell phone number) to the kennel, along with copies of vaccination records and your veterinarian's certificate that your dog is healthy enough to travel. Attach a plastic bag of extra food as well. Also, make sure that your dog is comfortable with the kennel ahead of time -- keep the kennel into your living room for a few weeks before the trip, putting treats inside it every so often. You might want to put an old unwashed shirt or other article of clothing that smells like you inside the kennel as well.
   • Make sure your dog is wearing a collar that has vaccination tags and identification (with your cell phone number) attached.
3. Choose carefully whether to travel by car or by air. Don't travel by air if you can avoid it -- unless your dog is very small and meets highly specific airline standards for in-cabin travel, you will be separated during a plane trip, with your dog having to travel in the cargo hold. But if you absolutely MUST travel by air, choose a dog-friendly airline, one that has climate-controlled cargo areas for pets and, if possible, one that has a hub you can route through, with kennel facilities that can handle animal care during long layovers or delays. (Not all airlines have kennel facilities at their hubs, but some do.) But if you can manage to travel by car, do it even if that means that your trip is several hours longer than it otherwise would have been. Sometimes the shortest trip is not the least stressful. In the car, take your time, make frequent stops, and don't try to go to fast -- and take your dog on a few practice car trips before the big day.




4. Please don't try to sedate your dog for a trip, UNLESS your vet strongly urges you to do so AND you will be traveling with your dog the whole time in order to monitor reactions to the sedation. Some breeds of dog have trouble breathing when they are under a lot of stress or are very excited -- and for some dogs, sedation carries a risk of suppressing respiration. Airlines will not generally allow sedated dogs to travel in their cargo holds, because of these risks. Some pet owners swear by flower essences -- these may provide you with a safer alternative to sedation. Check with your vet to make sure, while you are at that pre-move vet visit.




5. Take care of yourself. I can't say this too many times -- your dog will pick up on your stress levels, so do whatever you need to do to keep those stress levels as low as possible. Moving can be a difficult experience even without pets, and you may have other things on your mind. So take care of yourself, eat well, exercise, drink lots of water, and take breaks to do whatever activity will help to keep you on an even keel. And remember: most animals adjust to moves without any difficulty. Statistically speaking, the chances of a pet-related snafu occurring during your move are less than one percent. In other words, chances are that everything will be just fine.

In his role in the self storage industry, Tim Eyre helps customers care for their cherished belongings that must be put in storage. Tim regularly visits his facilities including a Orlando self storage center. He was also recently meeting customers and staff at the Las Vegas self storage center.