Moving Tips - How To Set Up A Quiet Space For Your Dog

If you need to move to a bigger home because your family has expanded, or if you want to find a smaller home to save on costs, then you have a lot to do to get yourself into your new residence.  Many people hire movers to reduce stress, anxiety, and exhaustion during the moving process.  Your family is likely to appreciate the help of the professionals.  There may be one member of your family who becomes anxious and stressed due to the presence of the movers and the general excitement of the move, and this member is your dog.  Fortunately, there are many things you can do to reduce your canine's stress, and setting up a quiet space is one of them.

The Importance of a Quiet Space

Dogs often become wary of strangers in the home and they also become nervous when they notice a great deal of abnormal activity in the house.  This abnormal activity, along with the presence of the movers, may indicate to your dog that you and your family is in danger.  Dogs will use communication tools like growling, snarling, barking, and nipping behaviors to protect themselves and their owners.  These aggressive behaviors can be difficult to control and they can lead to biting.

Also, the increase in activity levels and the presence of new sounds and scents in your house can cause your dog to become overstimulated.  Overstimulation can lead to hyperactivity and destructive behaviors.  Your dog may then become a nuisance that runs around the home disrupting the move.  Belongings can become broken, and this is especially true if the overstimulation also prompts your dog to dig, tear, or chew things in the home.  Once of the best ways to reduce all of these concerns is to set up a quiet space in your home where your dog can relax without feeling stressed.

Setting Up the Quiet Area

A good quiet space is a bedroom, office, or bathroom that is not in use and that can be closed off with a door.  Within the quiet space, place your dog's bed or blanket.  If your dog does not have a bed, then consider wrapping a blanket around yourself for 30 minutes or more and set the blanket on the floor.  The blanket will contain your scent, and the smell will calm your dog.  Also, secure dog toys, food bowls, and water dishes in the space.  

Just before the movers arrive, take your dog for a walk.  You want your dog to relieve himself, because dogs will sometimes urinate or defecate in the home in response to stress.  This is less likely to occur if your dog has gone potty already.  Place your dog in the room afterwards and give him a treat before you shut the door.  The treat will inform your dog that the quiet space is not being used as a punishment.

Additions for the Area

If your dog does not seem comfortable in the quiet area or if you are concerned about the general well-being of your dog, then consider placing some other things in the space.  Essential or aromatherapy oils are a good addition.  Strong oils will overpower the unfamiliar smells of the movers in your house and they will also calm your pet.  Consider adding lavender, orange, lemon, or rosemary oils to a clean cloth and hang it in the room.

Also, consider playing classical music in the room.  This type of music can be just as soothing to dogs as it is to humans, and it can also drown out the unfamiliar voices of the movers.  If the music does not seem to reduce stress or if it is bothersome, then try setting up a white noise machine in the space instead to limit the transmission of voices and chaotic moving noises to your dog's ears.

If you are moving, then your dog may become stressed by the activity in your home and the presence of movers.  You can reduce stress and the problems associated with it by setting up a quiet room in your home.

Share