Moving house is stressful enough for us, and our dogs pick up on every bit of it. Boxes appear, furniture vanishes, familiar smells disappear, and then suddenly they are in a completely new place. Dogs thrive on routine and territory, so a house move ticks nearly every box for canine anxiety. The reassuring news is that with a bit of planning you can make the whole thing far smoother, and most dogs settle into a new home within a week or two. Here is how I would approach it.
Prepare in the weeks before
The more normal you can keep life while the packing chaos builds, the better.
- Keep the routine steady. Same walk times, same feeding times, same evening wind-down. Predictability is what tells your dog the world is still safe.
- Introduce the crate or carrier early. If your dog will travel in a crate on the day, get it out weeks beforehand with treats and a cosy bed inside so it feels like a den, not a trap.
- Do not wash everything at once. Their bed and favourite blankets carry reassuring smells. Save the laundry for after the move so the new place smells a little bit like home from day one.
- Book a safe spot for moving day if you can: a friend, a family member, or daycare. A dog underfoot while removal crews carry sofas is stressed and at risk of bolting through an open door.
The RSPCA has helpful general advice on dog behaviour and wellbeing that is worth a read before a big change like this.
Keep moving day calm
Moving day is loud, busy, and full of open doors, exactly the conditions a nervous dog finds overwhelming.
If your dog cannot stay elsewhere, set them up in one quiet, closed room with their bed, water, a chew, and a note on the door so no one lets them out. Check on them calmly between jobs. When it is time to travel, secure them properly in the car with a crate or seatbelt harness, and never leave them alone in a warm vehicle.
Try to keep your own energy relaxed. Dogs read our body language beautifully, and a frazzled owner makes for a frazzled dog.
Groomer's tip: Pack a dog "first night" bag and keep it with you, not on the removal van. Food, bowls, lead, poo bags, medication, a favourite toy, and their unwashed bed. When you arrive frazzled at the new place, having their familiar things instantly to hand makes settling in so much easier.
Settling into the new home
When you arrive, take your dog straight to one calm room set up with their own bed and belongings before you start unpacking around them. A single secure base is far less overwhelming than free run of a strange, echoing house.
A few settling-in basics:
- Check the garden and fences for gaps, low walls, or dodgy gates before you let your dog out unsupervised. Newly moved dogs are notorious escape artists as they try to find their way "home".
- Keep them on a lead for the first few garden trips and neighbourhood walks until they know the lie of the land.
- Update the microchip details and ID tag with your new address straight away. This is a legal requirement in the UK and it is the thing most people forget in the chaos.
- Reintroduce the old routine fast. The same walk and meal times you kept before the move are your quickest route to a settled dog.
Easing anxiety in the days after
Some dogs bounce into a new home; others go quiet, clingy, off their food, or have the odd toileting accident. That is normal for a few days. Give them patience rather than fuss.
- Stick rigidly to routine.
- Give plenty of gentle exercise to burn off nervous energy.
- Reward calm, settled behaviour and avoid making a huge emotional deal of leaving and returning.
- A calming pheromone plug-in (the kind that mimics the natural scent nursing mothers produce) helps some anxious dogs settle.
If your dog is still very anxious after a couple of weeks, is not eating, or shows a real change in behaviour, have a word with your vet to rule out anything physical, and consider a qualified behaviourist via the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors or the Animal Behaviour and Training Council.
Frequently asked questions
How do I keep my dog calm when moving house?
Keep their routine as steady as possible, pack a bag of their familiar things, set them up in one quiet room at each end, and stay calm yourself. Predictability and familiar smells do most of the reassuring.
How long does it take a dog to settle after moving?
Most dogs settle within one to two weeks. Sticking firmly to the old feeding and walking routine in the new home speeds it up considerably.
Where should my dog go on moving day?
Ideally with a friend, family member, or daycare, away from the noise and open doors. If that is not possible, keep them secure in one closed room with a clear note so no one lets them out.
My dog is anxious in the new house, what can I do?
Give it time and routine, plenty of exercise, and calm reassurance. If anxiety, appetite loss, or unusual behaviour persists beyond a couple of weeks, speak to your vet and consider an accredited behaviourist.
Fluffs is a professional dog grooming salon in Wigginton, York, offering one-to-one grooming for dogs of every breed and coat type across Haxby, Strensall, Huntington, New Earswick and the surrounding villages. New to the area after a move? We would love to welcome your dog for a calm, one-to-one groom. Say hello and book in.