Have you ever wondered if the choices you make for yourself and your family could be impacting your pet’s life too? After all, your pet is also an autonomous being that could be living an entire life of its own without your knowledge, but you wouldn’t know that because you exist on different wavelengths.
For instance, you’re planning to relocate to a new city or state because of your work. The life-altering decisions you make may not have as much of an impact on your pet as it will on your children who have to uproot their entire lives, but it won’t hurt to spare them a glance in the midst of all this ruckus.
Take the time to consider how your decision will affect your pet and think of ways to help it adjust to the changes easier. At the end of the day, your pet is still a part of your family, and it might be experiencing stress not because it has its own stressors, but because it’s coming off you in waves.
You might find it foolish to worry about how your pet will fit into all these, especially when you have a lot on your plate what with the relocation. But it will show that you care because you understand that your pet has its own needs and that it’s not just a thing that you own. Here are three ways for you to help it adjust better:
Take the Travel Time and Distance into Account
If you’re relocating to a city or state that’s only within driving distance, it could be wise for you to just contact a moving company to transport all your things to the new house. This could even be a good opportunity to bond with your family because you can turn the long drive into a fun road trip.
However, the long drive and travel time may be difficult for your pet, especially because it might not be allowed into the establishments that you stop at for breaks. This might force you to leave your pet inside the car while you eat or relax, which can be unhealthy and stressful for your pet because of the heat.
Taking these things into account will allow you to better prepare for the trip, specifically because you need to consider your pet’s well-being. If you already know that the trip will take a while, it can be better for you to hire a dog transport service so that your pet can be comfortable enough during the travel.
Familiarize Your Pet with the New Environment
Once in the new home, you have to understand that your pet will need some time to adjust to the chance of scenery, just like you and your family. It could help you both if you were to explore the new town at the same time, such as taking walks or runs around the neighborhood.
This way, your pet can get used to its newfound environment and hopefully, find its way home if it ever gets away from your clutches. By taking the time to familiarize yourself with your new home alongside your pet, you can reduce the possibility of losing it in other people’s backyards or confusing streets.
Knowing the ins and outs of your new home can also be beneficial to your pet because you can find playmates for them in the process. If you keep frequenting the nearby park or walk around the neighborhood, you’re bound to come across a neighbor who owns a pet that your pet can play with.
Give Your Pet Some Space for Rediscovery
Lastly, consider that the entire relocating experience can be hard on your pet too, but you’ll have no way of knowing for sure what it is that they are struggling with. So, give them the space to rediscover themselves and how they fit into your new environment. Observe their actions and provide them with what they need to adjust.
Unlike your children who could be vocal about their thoughts, your pet will have to settle for what you understand when it’s trying to communicate with you. This is because everything is new to it too. All the territories it has managed to mark are gone and it doesn’t know where it’s supposed to belong.
That’s why you have to be patient and help with the adjustments. Train your pet to pee and poop in one place again, or where it can eat food and drink water when it’s hungry. And don’t neglect its needs even if you’re busy with unpacking your stuff or fixing the new house.
Pets are wonderful creatures because they can understand human emotions even without the need for words. But like the comfort that pets show you and your family when you’re feeling down, you must learn how to return that same level of care, if not more, because they only have you to depend on.