6 Ways to Help Your Dog Adjust To Their New Home

Moving is a new experience that marks a new chapter in life. Essentially, you are breaking your comfort zone and beginning anew. Moving is certainly rewarding, but it isn’t always easy, especially if you have a dog.

Getting acclimated to a new home can be difficult for your pet. For this reason, it’s important to take the necessary steps to get your dog as comfortable as possible.

The good news is that there are ways to help your dog adjust to its new home. Today we’re going to provide 6 adjustment techniques.

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Set Your Dog’s Space Up Immediately

Giving your dog a designated space in the new home is one of the best ways to help them get acclimated to their new environment. This is a space they can call their own and creates a sense of familiarity. Their space should include their favorite play toys, water bowl, and treats.

It’s also important to include a dog bed for your pet. A dog bed can really improve comfort for your pet by providing them a warm place to sleep and rest in general. Having a dog bed has excellent long-term benefits for your pet such as providing support for arthritic joints and prevent calluses.

Essentially, you want to create the best environment for your dog as this will help them develop a positive association with the new home.

Keep A Routine

Falling into a routine can be difficult, especially when you’ve just moved. A lot of the time is spent trying to get adjusted to your new life. However, it’s important to create a routine for your dog, even in the midst of a new move.

You might not realize it, but your dog likely followed a consistent routine in your previous home. The best way to get them comfortable with their new environment is by following that same routine as much as possible.

For instance, try feeding and walking your dog around the same time you did in the previous home. If you usually play with your dog around a certain time, try to adhere to that same schedule to make your dog feel as comfortable as possible.

Keep Your Dog Active

For dogs, changing environments can lead to increased stress. When this happens, your dog can have anxiety and begin acting differently than normal.

The best way to avoid this is by keeping your dog active. Dogs need a considerable amount of exercise to expel energy. This will help keep your dog feeling calm and rested as they continue adjusting to the new environment.

Give Your Dog Attention

Helping your dog get adjusted to the new home sometimes boils down to providing them with much-needed attention.

Moving involves a lot of time and effort. You have to spend time deciding where to go, packing all of your belongings, and essentially preparing to uproot your life from one place to another.

This means that most of your attention is directed towards the moving process, which likely means that you have less time for your pet. To make matters worse, your dog now has to get adjusted to an unfamiliar environment.

Giving your dog much-needed affection and spending quality time with your dog is a great way to make them feel better about the new home. Giving your dog belly rubs and playing outside with your dog can go a long way.

Spend Time At Home For The First Few Days

The relationship between owners and pets is one to be cherished. If your dog is having a hard time adjusting to the new home, consider spending time at home for the first few days if it’s possible.

This enables you to support your dog in this new transition and is a great way to ease your dog’s anxiety and make them feel comfortable in their new home.

After a few days, it may be easier for your dog to stay home by themselves. Those few days with you in the home will give your dog a chance to explore and come to terms with the fact that the home is safe.

Practice Patience

Adjusting to a new home takes one day at a time. This is especially the case for your dog who was completely unaware of the new home.

With that said, don’t force your dog to adjust during this stressful time as this will only make matters worse. Instead, it’s best to practice patience and allow your dog to take whatever time they need to understand that they’re in a new home.

Truthfully, it can take a few weeks for your dog to get acclimated to its new environment. The best thing you can do is provide a comfortable space for your pet.

If your dog starts exhibiting behavior out of the ordinary, don’t worry. It’s important to realize that their behavior is due to the stress and anxiety they are experiencing.

Moving is a great experience, but it can be a difficult time for your dog. Uprooting your dog from one environment to the next can cause stress and anxiety for your pet and ultimately make them feel uncomfortable, and even scared in their new space.

However, following these tips is an excellent way to help your dog adjust to its new place of residence. With that said, be sure to keep a routine for your dog as this is something they’re already comfortable with.

In addition to this, it’s important to keep your dog active to help them expel some of their nervous energy. It’s also important to set up your dog’s space immediately to create a sense of familiarity.

Along with this, it’s a good idea to give your dog extra attention during this time as they cope with the new change. If you can, also try spending more time at home the first few days of moving in.

Lastly, be patient with your pet. Every dog is different and this is a new experience for them. Being supportive of your dog is the best thing you can do.

If you are interested in even more lifestyle-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels, then we have a lot to choose from.

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