When moving house with a dog....

... How do they cope? Do they act different or whine/bark more?
How long does it take for them to settle (as much as that will vary)?
Do you do things differently to normal? For example have their bed in your bedroom for a night or two when first moved, or does a 'start as you mean to go on' approach work better?

That kind of thing

I always heard that aslong as the dog has its family with them during the move then they should be fine but ive never had much experience. My pup got car sick when i first brought her home but thats all the info i have

I've moved with dogs twice and each time they have just settled in straight away. I've never changed their sleeping arrangements or altered their routines too much. Dogs are happier with familiarity and as long as they have their humans there they are fine. Dogs cope fine with going on holiday etc in strange surroundings so why should moving be different.

ETA each time it was with a single dog not the current rowdy rabble.

I am in the process of selling my house too and was wondering about that but i am more worried about my cat as i am going to have to try to keep her in until she gets to know her new house. Wherever i move to will benefit my dogs anyway as i want a bigger garden and preferably backing on to fields.

I dont think you will have a problem as they will still have
you to provide them with their food, walks and comfort and thats all they really want.

when i moved house last year i was worried about phoebe as she is a nervy girl. I put her in kennels for the whole thing and only brought her to new house once we unpacked at set up (think she did 3 days at kennels) i was advised not to wash her bedding as that would help her. She took it all very well and i was shocked. she did follow me around a lot and was a little unsure on her first few walks, but at bed time i shut her in kitchen as normal and she went right to bed and i didnt hear a peep from her. Over the first few days she was a bit more barky till she got used to the new sounds and going ons

We have only actually moved with a dog, Ben, and his reaction was something of a shock.

We had taken Ben on umpteen occasions to the new house whilst we decorated and fiddled, and he loved the wide open spaces and massive garden. No problem we thought, he will adore to live here full time, after having only a small garden to call his own.

Well, we moved and Ben went into total decline. He moped and pined - wouldn't eat or sleep, and was as unhappy as unhappy could be. We never even dreamt of him being unhappy to move, and were totally unprepared. From what I remember we eventually had to call the vet out, and Ben was given tranquilisers and his bed was moved to our bedroom, where he stayed for the rest of his very long life I might add!

Of course he did come round eventually, and all was well, but I am just pointing out that each dog is different and sometimes a tiny unknown thought process might cause a bad reaction such as Ben's. It is probably not something that can be prepared for really.

My last dog moved a couple of times. Never batted an eyelid on either occasion. The last time he moved was when he was 12 and I was concerned it may effect him but it didn't.

He always came on holiday with me and stayed over with me at friends and families houses though so may just of viewed it in the same way.

Moved a dozen or more times with several different dogs but never had a problem. The dogs stayed in the car whilst the removal men loaded, we drove to the new place, let them have a walk, back in the car whilst unloading, showed them round the garden and house having made sure their own beds, toys etc. were all in place (they all slept in dog beds beside ours). The daily routine was kept just the same at each new place....getting up time, walk time, feed time, bed time etc. and they just carried on as if nothing had happened.

Max loved moving house for the reason that we lived in a flat when he came to live with us and moved to a house with his own garden so he was over the moon about the change in situation

I would say make sure you can find their bed, bowls and toys etc as soon as you arrive - just to make them feel a bit more at home.

We moved house 4 weeks ago. The dogs were a little clingy for the first couple of days but after that they were fine. I think all the furniture smelling familiar helped them settle.

We moved to a completely different area so they've actually really enjoyed all the new walks and smells to go out!

It's surprising how well they coped, better than myself probably.