Dog Update!

Hi everyone! So I’m not sure if all of you know yet, but I got a dog! Her name is Momo, and she is a goldendoodle. She is nine months old and loves to sleep and eat.

Anyways, lets talk about how to help your dog adapt to a new environment! This post is inspired by Momo (who hates it when she has to be moved someplace new without her favorite things).

1. Show your dog the area!

By showing your dog the new area, they can grow more accustomed to it. Let your dog sniff the whole area with you supervising. Just make sure there are no dangerous items on the floor. (When I did this with Momo, I had to remove mousetraps…) If you are sharing your space with other people, make sure you’re allowed to let your dog in certain rooms they may be spending most of their time in. If not, close the doors when showing your dog the new space.

2. Establish your dog’s personal space

If you travel someplace new, it’s a good idea to bring a few well-loved toys from home as well as his/her crate and a blanket. Place his/her food bowls, crate, toys, and other items in a quiet corner of one of the rooms. Show your dog this area. (If your dog isn’t potty trained yet, place this space on hardwood floor. Momo is potty trained, but I still put her space on hardwood floors just in case.) If your dog uses a potty pad, place this a few feet away from their space. Since most rental homes and hotels don’t have dog doors, make sure your dog has access to the front door so he/she can show you when to go out.

3. Stick to a schedule

Your dog will adjust more quickly if you stick to the same schedule, you would at home. Feed your dog at the same time you would normally and take them out on schedule too. If your dog has a habit to go bathroom at night, it’s a good idea to take them out right before bedtime and keep them confined to their crate until morning.

4. Stick to training

Keep training your dog even on vacation. As your dog adjusts to new sights (such as golf carts or buses for example) they may be wary and bark or growl. To keep this from happening, train during your stay.

That’s all for this post! Hope you enjoy!

btw, A series of posts on how to help traumatized dogs is coming soon!