Prepping Pets for a Move
By Jessica Marie If you are preparing for a long-distance move, say 2,200 miles across the United States and you are planning on driving, there are a few things that you may need to have ready for your pets. Our family moved from Colorado to Maine the first week of February. We drove straight through, no stopping at hotels or campgrounds, only stopping and staying in our vehicles at rest stops. We made this trek with 3 dogs, 1 cat, 3 Zebra finches, 1 Betta fish, 1 bearded dragon, and 6 chickens. So, I have a bit of a varied approach on how to care for your pets before the move and what you may need to get everything from point A to point B alive. Be sure to consult your veterinarian before you leave as they may have tips, medications, or other useful information to help this process be as smooth as possible. The following are simply my personal experiences that worked for me, I am not a veterinarian. Please consult your veterinarian or other animal expert before traveling to ensure the best safety and health for your pets. Be Prepared First thing to keep in mind is, your pets will get stressed out. No matter what you do, unless your pet loves traveling, they will get stressed on this trip. If you’re like me and seeing pets stressed stresses you out, then you are going to want to find ways to limit their stress. The best way to do that is to be as prepared as possible. Buy anything you may need for your pet at least 1 month before the move. This gives the item time to ship (if ordered, it doesn’t do you any good to have it arrive after you leave) and you can make sure it is what you want/need. Make sure you order any pet medications you may need as well, so that you are not desperately searching for some as soon as you arrive to a new location. Moving is stressful for you as things just keep popping up, it never seems to end, and goodness you just need some rest. To save yourself and your pet, be prepared. Do not wait until the day of or the day before to think about your pet, this will not only add to your stress, but it will stress out your pets too. Dogs You will need: Dog bed and Bach Rescue Remedy for Pets We had 3 dogs, two of which do not mind traveling and are relatively stress free when it comes to car rides. But my little one is not a fan of car rides at all, he shakes, shivers, can’t rest, is fearful and stressed the entire time. I was told about Bach Rescue Remedy for Pets from multiple Facebook friends, so I bought it off Amazon. It is safe for all your pets and really does work. I put 3 little drops on my 7-pound Chihuahua-Yorkie mix’s head and within about 40 minutes he was napping. My friend had also graciously made the perfect little dog bed for him before I left, so he had a place that he knew was dedicated for him to sleep. Disclaimer: Consult your veterinarian before providing Bach Rescue Remedy for Pets as they may have a better option for your pet or situation. We also had dog bowls and water bowls for the dogs. Every time we stopped for fuel we would take the dogs out for a potty break and offer them food and water. I used canned food for my little one to encourage him to eat. I used rest stop bathroom sinks to wash out the dog bowls or fill them with water. Anything new, dog beds, comfort toys, or blankets, give your pet a chance to get used to the item before the trip. Let them know it is theirs and is a safe thing for them, so that they can recognize it on the trip as something familiar. Cat You will need: Kennel and litter pan The cat we kept in a kennel for portions of the trip as she has been motion sick in the past. She was not prone to leash walking as we tried for several weeks to train her, but at 17 years old she didn’t want to learn new tricks. For sleeping, we kept her in the kennel. When we stopped at rest stops we would provide her a littler box inside the mini van and simply leave her alone. She would potty in the litter box and wander around the car, exploring the dash and stretching her legs. Again, if they are not used to a kennel or a specific litter box, give them a few weeks of keeping the object near them so that they can get used to it. To associate the kennel and the littler box as theirs and as a place for them to feel safe and comfortable. Bearded Dragon You will need: Electric heat pad, hand warmers, cage blanket We kept the bearded dragon in the back of the mini van where we had a power adapter, it could be plugged into a cigarette lighter in a vehicle and convert that energy into a normal 110 outlet. We used a heating pad under his tank to keep him warm, as well as hand warmers inside the tank. Then we put a blanket over his cage to keep the heat in. It was extremely cold the entire time we traveled so heat was a concern for us. We kept most all of the animals in the mini van. Other than to fill the gas tank, we never turned the van off so as to keep the heat running and the animals comfortable. Zebra Finches You will need: Travel cage and cage blanket For the finches we downsized them to a small travel sized cage and also placed a blanket over the cage to keep the heat in. We also kept them close to the bearded dragon cage, so that if any heat was escaping from there it would help keep them warm. I would simply feed and water them as I normally do. Surprisingly, the food and water didn’t splash out of the feeders. Betta Fish You will need: Pop-top Tupperware and insulated lunch box The Betta fish I had a rather unique set up. I had purchased a BPA free Tupperware with a pop-top lid. I filled the Tupperware with the water that was in his tank, put him inside the Tupperware, then popped the little steam release top to allow fresh air inside. Then I put that inside an insulated lunchbox. I would open the entire lid once a day to feed him. But we also kept the lunchbox close to the bearded dragon tank to help keep the water from getting cool. Chickens You will need: Very large dog kennels and anti-flip food bowls I am aware that it’s weird we took our chickens with us. But they are our buddies just as much as the other pets. They were all adult hens so they could handle more extremes in temperature. We had an enclosed, insulated trailer we were towing on our way across that we kept the hens inside. The hens were in very large dog kennels that were filled with straw. I found the only way to feed and water them was to use a square, anti-flip bowl. One that no matter how you press on it or how a bird may stand on it, it will not flip over. Any other sort of feeder they will spill and knock over immediately. I bought the bowl in the pet section at Wal-Mart as I broke rule number one on this list and didn’t test my food and water bowl plans before we left, so I bought this system on the go. Chickens are notoriously messy, so you will be refilling these bowls every time you stop. Fair warning, even the friendliest chickens will get irritated and may peck at you. Just understand that they don’t’ know what is going on, their routine is broken, and they are stressed and afraid. Give them grace just like you would any stressed and afraid pet/animal. That is my list of what you will need to take your pet on a multi-day car ride for a move or trip. Prepare in advance, test your systems if possible, and have everything ready to go one month before you leave. These tips are born out of winter, so if it is summer or warm when you are traveling, adjust as necessary. Give the animals time to become used to their travel system(s), kennels, cages, food, bowls, beds, litter pans, etc. Not just a day or two, try to give them 2-4 weeks to become familiar with the item to help decrease stress. Remember you can use Bach Rescue Remedy for Pets on most all pets. We used it on a dog, the cat, the birds, and the chickens. Consult your veterinarian before providing this as they may have a better option for your pet or situation, I am not a veterinarian. Bonus tip: Remember that the process of you packing and things disappearing from your home can be stressful for your pets. My dog gets very concerned when I pack, especially when things that are his get packed. Don’t forget to comfort your pets during this packing and moving process, they don’t know what is going on and need you to comfort them. Remind them that you love them, that they are coming with you, and that they are safe. As an added bonus, giving them comfort will give you a much-needed stress release and some comfort as well. Don’t get flustered, relax, and take time for them too. Disclaimer: I am not a veterinarian or other animal expert. All above advice is from personal experience only. Consult your local vet or other animal care provider before moving or implementing any of the above advice. Much Love, Jessica Marie
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Hello again! I recently adopted a dog and I thought I'd share some of the tips and ideas I was told before I adopted my little pup. I know how nervous I was trying to pick the right dog and if I could pass along what others told me and my personal experience to help more dogs find the right home then the world would be a better place! In the past I had only purchased dogs from local breeders as it was all I had known. A few years ago my brother adopted a little mutt puppy. When my last dog passed away at nearly 14 years old it only took a few months before I was ready for another dog. Living in Colorado I was lucky to live with lots of people who have dogs, so I've been able to be surrounded by dogs all the time. But I knew I wanted a little best friend to go everywhere with me. I wrote a little about this in a recent Instagram post, but I wanted to spend some time expanding on the points made there. My suggestions for finding the perfect dog is knowing exactly what you want. Know the general characteristics of different breeds and what pros and cons may be prevalent in a breed or mixed breed of dog. For example a working dog breed will have lots of energy and will need to be exercised daily and will require a lot more effort. Small breeds are also often energetic and yappy. Make a realistic list of what you are looking for, what you will tolerate and what are deal-breakers for you. Even if you come across a dog that has a deal-breaker don't waver, what is a deal-breaker for you may be perfect for someone else! And in the end the dog will be happier with that person. I applied to several dog adoption agencies simply to have a wide range of options available at all times. I found a dog in about 2.5 weeks, but I anticipated it being harder or taking longer. The applications do take some time, but it saves time when you are there in the moment trying to adopt a pup. They make you fill out the application even at the in-person events, so save yourself the time and the drama of doing it in-person by doing it beforehand. Many places require you to fill out an application before you can even meet their dogs. At adoption events it is noisy, busy, and chaotic. Trying to fill out paperwork when you are holding a brand new dog on a leash, surrounded by many other dogs, people, kids, etc. is difficult and can be stressful for you and the dog. There will be adoption papers to fill out that will take enough time, don't add to it by also needing to fill out their application. The best advice I received from my fantastic Instagram followers! Their advice was to let the dog choose you. Walk past the dogs within your criteria and see which ones seem to click with you, only visit those ones. Interact with them, see how they interact with you. Do they come to you even if you don't coax or encourage them? Are they displaying traits that you are looking for? If possible, take them as far from distractions and stress as possible. One-on-one interaction is an important way to see how they are with just you. You may meet the right dog right off the bat, or you may need to see a bunch before you find "the one". But you'll know when you've found the right dog. It's also normal to feel stressed, nervous, or second-guess yourself. If it goes away in 24-48 hours then you'll know you made the right choice! My little Holmes is the perfect fit for me! I cannot imagine why anyone gave him up in the first place, and I'm so sorry he had to go through being in foster care. But I could not be happier that he found me. He is exactly what I was looking for, friendly, playful, equal parts snuggly and energetic, small (5 pounds when I adopted him, 8 pounds now), likes to be carried, good on car rides, and plays with my families' dogs'. Know what you are looking for, don't waver, persevere, and know you *will* find the perfect dog! Let me know if this helped you! Or tell me your adoption stories or advice in the comments below! Much Love, Jess |
AuthorJessica Marie Cunningham - Intentional lifestyle blogger, aspiring author, and podcast host. All things Slow Living, Books, Writing, Art, creativity, Christianity, and personal stories. Archives
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