How to Help Your Dog Feel More Comfortable in a New Environment

Moving can be stressful for both humans and animals alike. If you have a dog, it is important that you make the transition as easy as possible for your furry best friend. What are some steps that you can take to ensure that your dog will adjust to his or her new home?

How to Help Your Dog Feel More Comfortable in a New Environment

Take the Dog Out for Long Walks

Taking a dog for a walk is a great way to help it get acquainted with its new surroundings. The more it is able to interact with the sounds, smells and layout of its new environment, the sooner it will start to feel like it is home again. Ideally, you should walk your dog for 30 minutes a day assuming that it is a healthy adult with no exercise restrictions placed on it.

Take Your Dog to the Vet

Another way to ensure that your dog is properly adjusting to its new home is to take it to a vet clinic, like one at Chester Valley Veterinary Hospital. An animal doctor can take a look at your dog’s coat, take a look at its heart and lungs or check other parts of its body for signs of stress. An animal doctor may also be able to suggest ways to help a dog start eating again after a move or otherwise get back to a normal and healthy routine.

Stick to a Schedule Whenever Possible

Dogs thrive on routine. This means that you should keep feeding it at the same time, taking it out at the same time and letting it interact with humans and other dogs if that was part of its routine back home. You should also bring familiar toys and keep feeding it the same food that it ate back home.

Let the Dog Adjust at Its Own Pace

Just because you were excited to move to a new house or to a new state doesn’t mean that your dog shares your optimism. Don’t expect your dog to be comfortable with every person who comes to your door, such as neighbors who are coming by to introduce themselves. Your dog is learning what his or her new territory is and may try to protect it. Because of this, it may be best to let your dog have some space and to keep it away from new people until they have calmed down and settled into their new environment.

Your dog deserves every opportunity to feel safe and secure in its new environment. Taking walks, sticking to a routine and working with a vet may all be ways to help your dog adjust to its new life. If you are gentle and consistent with your friend, he or she should start returning back to normal in a relatively short period of time.