Helping dogs settle

Moving home can be as unsettling for dogs as it is exciting for their owners, according to behaviour expert Jo Hinds.

Dogs depend heavily on familiar scents, routines and predictable surroundings. A new home can introduce unfamiliar noises, entrances, neighbours, walking routes and sleeping arrangements, potentially leading to barking, clinginess, pacing, toileting accidents or difficulty settling.

Hinds advises owners to regard the first seven days as a gradual settling-in period rather than expecting normal behaviour immediately. Before bringing a dog into the property, owners should prepare a quiet, familiar space using its existing bed, blankets, toys and other unwashed items carrying familiar scents.

Meals, walks and rest times should remain as consistent as possible, while early walks should be short, calm and follow the same route. Visitors should be limited for the first few days, and owners should introduce short, relaxed periods of separation before leaving the dog alone for longer.

“Moving home is a huge change for a dog,” Hinds said. “The first few weeks should be about helping the dog feel safe, not expecting them to behave perfectly straight away.”

Owners should watch for ongoing signs of stress and adapt the environment where necessary, rather than punishing a dog for behaviour linked to uncertainty or anxiety.