Sorry! No More Dog House

Posted on September 2nd, 2010 by Alejo Tenutta

There are always those instances where you move from an oversized home with a spacious backyard to a smaller, yet cozier apartment. Other than some minor adjustments, you become accustomed to your new setting relatively soon. Unfortunately, not the same can be said about your dog. Anyone can tell you about the nightmares they’ve experienced from relocating their dog from a home to apartment, which includes unsightly surprises. Although having your beloved, four-legged best friend get used to their new setting will take some time, there are some steps you can take in order to speed up the process.

The first step is to realize that dogs need recognizable objects; in fact, unfamiliarity makes them anxious and nervous. That’s why you often see them urinate whenever they’re scared or encounter a stranger; that’s just how they are. Therefore, you need to try to make everything as familiar as possible by having them sleep on the same cushion, drink from the same bowl, etc. Provide them with as much familiarity as possible.

To go along with the familiarity, make sure that your dog is on the same daily schedule. Why is this so important? Simple; it will assist in preventing further accidents, because your dog will have an easier time controlling their bladder and bowel movement. If you work during the day, try to wake-up earlier and take your dog for a walk, allowing them to do what they have to do, so they don’t feel the urge to do it while you’re away. This also means feeding them at night and not just leaving food out during the day. Obviously, if you work at night, you will want to follow the same steps but in reverse order.

Finally, make sure that they receive plenty of exercise. This goes along with the daily walks, because your dog no longer has that spacious backyard in which they can run freely. If you can manage to take them to a dog park regularly throughout the week, that would be great, but if you don’t have time, try to at least take them during the weekend. Dog parks will allow your dog to release any pent-up energy, as well as play and wrestle with other dogs. If your time is just too occupied with work, school, or a relationship, see if your budget allows for pet-sitters, who can ensure that your dog is exercising daily.

Related Articles:

1. Setting Up the Backyard of Your New House
2. How to Move from a Three-Bedroom House into Lofts
3. How to Protect Your New House

Tags: adjusting, apartment, dog

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 2nd, 2010 at 9:39 am and is filed under Learning Center. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.