Moving with pets adds more stress to the already difficult situation. When they feel threatened by such a change, they may act out and add one more problem to your already full to-do list. With a few tips and tricks, however, you may calm your pet down and make him more cooperative. To find out about how to help your pet adjust to a new home, your local movers from Hartford, Connecticut, give the following suggestions.

Provide a room for your pet

Having a safe spot with a pet's favorite toys is essential for your furry friend. It gives them a sense of safety and security. It is not the right time to wash their bed, blankets, and stuffed toys, or to replace their belongings with new stuff. To help your pet feel safe, surround them with familiar smells. 

Microchip your pet

Moving invokes chaos in your family life and brings a heavy workload on your already busy schedule. In these circumstances, you may struggle to stay focused that leaves your best friend unsupervised and vulnerable. It is usually the time when many pets get lost. If you still haven’t gotten your pet microchipped, it can be the right time to do it. For pets who are already microchipped, update data as soon as possible. 

As an additional measure, you may want to provide your pet with a collar that contains slip with your name and contact data.

Introduce them to a new place

You may want to take a stroll with your dog throughout the block as soon as possible. However, be mindful—your pet needs time to get used to a new neighborhood. To help him gradually adjust to his new surroundings, keep your walking tours short and increase them little by little. This approach will help your dog get accustomed to new smells, new neighbors, and new pets at his own pace.

To avoid getting your cat overwhelmed with too many sensations of novelty, confine her to one small room at the beginning. New smells, new sights, and new room arrangements may make your cat upset and insecure. Take your time, and wait until your cat gets comfortable with the first room. Continue with the rest of the house room by room. 

Expect misbehavior in the beginning

When feeling stressed, animals tend to misbehave. They can’t tell you what they feel and may use acting out as a way to express their feelings. Because of that, expect misbehavior and don’t punish them. You may also want to unpack their room last to help pet world stay the same as long as possible. At the same time, create their home-base room as soon as possible.

Stay calm

Pets always look at their owners and their behavior to understand what is going on in the world around them. If you stay calm, you send them a message that everything is under your control. This attitude usually makes your dog or cat feels safe, even during a stressful situation such as moving to a new home. 

Another reason that may motivate you to remain peaceful is that your pet unconsciously picks up your emotions. If your pet senses your anxiety and pressure, he may act out without any obvious reason. Before you yell or punish your pet, stop and check your emotions. Take a few deep breaths and slow down. Your calmness will make the whole moving process easy for your pets, your children, and your spouse, too.

Maintain the same routine

When you finally finish a move and begin to settle in your new place, the first thing will be to help your family members and your pet turn back to the previous routine. Don’t wait to unpack your belongings completely. Start immediately, because the sameness of the routine will help your pet feel safe and secure. Keep their mealtimes, playing times, and walking times as before. You may shorten those times because of multiple tasks you have to do but stay on schedule.

Spend as much time as you can with your pet after moving took place

As already mentioned, moving to a new home may significantly upset your pets, especially cats for their territory attitude. To help them easily adjust to a new place, devote your time to play and cuddle with them. You may want to take a few days off after a move to console your pet and give him additional time to get accustomed to a new home.

Help them discover outdoor space with your supervision

If your dog or cat is outdoors or spends some time outside, don’t rush to let them out—they may never come back. Start small and gradually increase their time to spend outside. You most likely want to be with them, in the beginning, to make sure they won’t run away and get lost. Pets usually try to find out their previous home during the first few weeks. Because of that, don’t risk and stay with them until you are sure that they take your new place as home. 

Pet-proof your home

You may want to explore your new home from your pet’s perspective to find out the risky spots. Check for things like poisonous plants, unsafe windows, poison traps, and escapes where your pet may slip through. Watch for intruders in your yard such as stray dogs or cats and keep your curtains closed. You most likely don’t want to add more stress than they’ve already experienced.

If you have additional questions regarding your forthcoming move, ask our local moving team from Hartford, Connecticut, to help you and your pet settle in a new home.