by Amanda Giannaros

Created on: July 28, 2009

Moving can be an exciting time for a family, and a stressful time. There are lots of things to do, packing, cleaning, taking care of all of the little odds and ends that come along with a change of address. You can be sure whatever you are feeling, your pet is feeling also. Animals are very sensitive to human emotion, they understand our feelings better than our words. You can tell your dog over and over that it's going to be alright, but if you are not sure of that yourself, your words will mean nothing to your dog. There are some things you can do to make your move less stressful on your pet.

Acclamation is important for any animal in a new environment. You wouldn't bring a new fish home and throw it straight into a bowl of water, nor should you bring a dog or cat into a new environment and just turn them loose. New sights and sounds and most importantly smells, can be very overwhelming for a pet. Adjust them to the change slowly. Take the time to show them around and not just open the kennel and let them loose. Show them where they are to relieve themselves first, that will save the headache of having to clean up accidents in addition to unpacking and settling in. Show your cat where the litter box is and your dog how to get outside. Let them explore the house before the yard and the yard before the neighborhood.

Animals, especially dogs, can get very excited in a new environment. They will have to smell everything, your cat may look like she just found the worlds largest stash of catnip, and your dog may run around the house like a cocaine sniffing dog hot on a trail. Help them get some of that energy out by playing with them. Take the dog on a nice long walk or better yet, run. Or throw a ball out in the yard for them. Get some cat toys and play around the living room with your feline. Boxes can wait to be unpacked, your animals will love the attention and will probably end up sleeping later, giving you that quiet time to unpack and organize.

Most importantly, keep a routine. If you walk your dog at 6:00pm every evening, don't sacrifice that because you think you have to get other stuff done first. Exercise them and play with them like you would at your previous home. Feed them at the same time, do whatever you would normally do when you would normally do it. Animals look to their owners for stability. When everything around them is changing they are going to look to you for something familiar.

Moving doesn't have to be as stressful on pets as it is on their humans. Proper acclamation, exercise and routine can help any animal be comfortable in their new environment. Knowing how to make a move easier on your pet will in turn make the entire move easier on the family.

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