Chances are people have invested a lot of time and money into their guard dogs. Whether you trained it yourself or bought it from a professional trainer, you don’t want something like a relocation to compromise your investment.
But sometimes in life, a move is inevitable.
It is important to understand that dogs, even well-trained guard dogs can feel the stress of a move. Moves are tough on everybody; you, your family and your guard dog. Still, there is no reason why your guard dog cannot be successfully adjusted to its new digs. It may be a bit difficult at first but it can most certainly be done.
If you follow some or all of the following tips we give, your dog can be seamlessly adjusted to living, guard and thrive in a new home.
Tour your New Home
Our first tip is more practical if you don’t have a long-distance move ahead of you. Still, it is worth mentioning because it is one of the most effective ways to ease the stress of a move on a guard dog. Taking your dog with you to see your new house before the actual move will get them used to the layout, sights, and smells of the new place. First time you can use wireless fence to keep your dog within a specified area and thus it will know his permitted area.
If you can, take your dog with you when you go to move some smaller stuff, prep the new house or if you just have some time on your hands. Bring a serving of their food and a water dish and feed them while you are showing them around. This will warm them up to eating and functioning in a new environment.
You can also take this time to examine the property and spot any potential pet problems. Check the fence line for any points of escape and areas under the house (crawlspaces, basements, etc.) to make sure there is nothing that could potentially harm your dog or areas where they could get stuck.
Remember:
That the job of your guard dog is to protect your property so getting them used to the lay of the land can go a long way towards a quick and anxiety-free transition.
Be Consistent
This one can be tricky on moving day but it is important to remain consistent with your guard dog’s routine from the day of the actual move and onwards. In the midst of your move, you may want to relegate your guard dog to a backyard, a crate or a single room of the house to keep them out of the way.
However, be sure that you take the time to feed them when they normally eat. There probably won’t be much for your dog to do while you are moving and not having anything useful to do can be stressful on a highly trained guard dog. That is why feeding them or giving them their snack at the same time, as usual, is important, even on moving day.
It is also helpful to have one of their favorite toys or a rawhide handy to occupy them while you move. Once the move is complete it is imperative that you maintain your guard dog’s normal routine. Consistency is security to a dog and it is what will be their saving grace after a stressful move.
Location Location Location
To ease the “culture shock” a new house can have on your guard dog, do the best you can when designating their new sleeping and feeding locations to keep the orientation of each as close to your old home as possible.
If you placed their bed under a covered patio outside, try to do the same at the new place. If their feeding dishes were near their beds at your old house, make sure they are close together in the new one too. Your guard dog will benefit from seeing the area around your new locale as well.
As early as you can:
Be sure to take your dog for a long walk around the neighborhood. This will acclimate them to which people and pets are typical of the area.
The earlier you do this, the earlier your guard dog will be able to determine what presences and smells are threats and which are not. A tired dog is a relaxed dog so long walks are always good.
Be There
More than anything, your guard dog needs you to be there. Moves can be time-consuming but do your best to take some time and give your dog love and positive reinforcement. Even the best protection dogs need to know their doing a good job
Don’t ignore them and remember that they take cues from their master so if you are stressed, they are more likely to be stressed as well. Keep yourself calm, relaxed, at ease and be sure to be there for your pal throughout the move.
A highly trained guard dog needs purpose and order in it’s life to be truly content. It’s essentially what they were bred for. Use these helpful tips to create a more seamless move for you, your family, and your four legged protection companion.