8 tips for making your puppy comfortable in a new home

Moving is difficult for people, let alone for pets. Their adjustment may take time and is quite a challenge for many pet parents, especially those who move with puppies.

Dogs get used to their routine quickly. Bringing them to a new environment is a harrowing process. This can cause lots of stress because a new home is a lot more than just a change of scenery for them.

We can’t explain why we drag our pets from a place they used to know to a new one. However, you can take steps to mitigate this anxiety and make this transition as comfortable as possible for them. Here’s what you should know to move with puppies.

Maintain their routine 

A puppy is a creature of habit. If you change the scenery, try to maintain their habits to make it easier to move with puppies. They are used to eating simultaneously, walking at the same time, playing at the same time. Thus, if you want to save your dog from psychological trauma, try to keep this schedule whatever it takes.

By doing this, you’ll help them focus on adjusting to a new place. The rest will stay the same for the dog. Maintain the routine, by all means possible, even if it requires you to stop in the middle of a task.

Tire out your puppy

Letting out energy is important for dogs. A tired dog is usually a happy dog. If you are so busy unpacking your boxes that you forget to play with your pet, don’t be surprised if your puppy starts getting anxious.

Instead, play an extra game with them, take them for a walk, run with your puppy for longer than usual. Do anything to help them let out their energy. The more fun (read: more tiring) it is for them, the better.

Pack essentials

If you move with puppies or if you’re finally ready to bring your puppy home, make sure you always have a pet essentials bag for them. This is a collection of items you may urgently need to take care of your puppy.

Such items may be food or water bowls, toys, pet-specific items, and other stuff. You’ll be happy to have those things at hand when the need arises.

Designate space for your puppy

Puppies can’t wait for you to finish unpacking and decorating a new home. They need to feel safe right away. That’s why all dog parents should make sure that pet has their bed, blankets, toys, and a bowl of freshwater. Also, add a few items that make them feel at home.

This place may not be the one you’ve chosen for them. But for now, while you are busy and a new home seems hostile, let your puppy feel comfortable, ease stress, and be surrounded by the things they are used to.

Give your attention

Treat your dog like a child when you move with puppies. Don’t think they can adjust to a new environment without having you around. Instead, give them all your support and attention. Be generous, encourage them to play and walk more, spend quality time together, and so on.

Your puppy needs to feel that nothing’s going to be different even if the scenery has changed. It only seems that you don’t have time to do all that. On the contrary, a few minutes with your dog will only help you concentrate once in an hour.

Stay home

If you can pause your routine for a while for your pet when you move with puppies, do it. A small dog may need a friend in a large new house. They will tend to stick by your side during this period and appreciate it if you stayed home.

Take a few days off if you move with a puppy or welcome them home. If you have to leave, have somebody come and sit with your pet. Don’t leave them alone for too long. It can make them sad and anxious.

Be patient

The best thing you can do to help your puppy adjust to a new place is to be patient. The moving period adds twice as much stress for them. As a human, you understand why you move and when it will end. Puppies have no idea why you lead them to a new flat or house.

So, if your pet behaves unusually – for example, barks at night, have a toilet incident, etc. ­– don’t be harsh on them. Use encouraging words to mitigate negative behaviors but never push them too much. It’s not your puppy now; it’s their stress and anxiety.

Try anti-anxiety medication

If nothing helps and your puppy still feels distressed, the best idea is to consult your vet. They might prescribe some anxiety medication to reduce stress in animals. No worries, such pills are usually harmful to puppies’ stomachs and intestines.

However, only use it as a last resort. In most cases, music, treats, and plays can help reduce stress when you move with puppies. This may ease the moving period for them without the veterinarian’s help.

Kevin Collins is a Studyfy author and a passionate dog lover. Kevin has a few grown-up dogs and a puppy at home and knows how hard it is for pets to move to a new home. 

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