It
is now nearly two months since we all moved to the new house. The
stress on the humans was considerable. Everything takes so much longer
than you think it possibly could, packing things, carrying things,
sorting things, folding things, putting things in a safe place and never
being able to find them again, cleaning things, breaking things,
wondering why you even have so many things!?!
Eventually all our possessions were in the new house, and all we wanted to do was sleep, but my brain refused as the wall was in the wrong place. So was the door, the window, oh and the stairs, which shouldn't even exist according to my bungalow-acclimatised logic. We solved the wall/door thing by moving the bed, but the stairs I just had to get used to.
The dogs had to (re)learn a few new rules.
Thou shalt not barge thy furry self past me on the stairs. How is this different to thou shalt not barge thy furry self past me in doorways or corridors? I have no idea, I guess you have to be furry to know, but thankfully that one sunk in very quickly.
Thou shalt sit in thy appointed spot while thy dinner is prepared and served. Different kitchen, different spots. Confusion reigned.
Thou shalt not chase cats in the garden. Not convinced we have solved this, as such, but the neighbourhood cats appear to have opted out of the training process.
The good news is, three dogs have settled wonderfully. But as I feared, Alf struggled. He was fine for the first couple of weeks, after all, he is used to travelling with me, he has stayed in hotels, caravans, tents, holiday cottages and visited different friends and family with me for all the time I have had him.
But after about ten days, he started to wonder when we were going home.
His anxiety levels continued to rise, he was following me to the loo and waiting outside for me in case I flung myself out of the window. Of course, not all dogs who follow their people around indoors are a cause for concern, and many people have perfectly well-balanced dogs who like to accompany them at all times but it is not normal for Alf to be a velcro dog at all.
It is not usual for him to sit on my feet in case I move, leap off his bed if I look at the front door, or lie across the bedroom doorway at night in case I leave home under cover of darkness. Even when I'm driving along I can feel his gaze drilling into the back of my head.
He came out in flakes on his legs, and a rash on his face, and was itching himself to bits. Although I was convinced it was mainly stress, he went back on all the allergy treatments from last year, as well as what felt like all the herbal anxiety treatments in the world - poor rattling dog!
He is not the only dog to find moving house stressful. I know of dogs who have started fighting, dogs who forget their housetraining, dogs who destroy sofas... oh no hang on, the sofa was Alf last time I moved.
Thankfully, his flakiness and itchiness has almost gone now, and he has started to settle down and relax more.
Hopefully soon he will accept we are all staying put, and won't feel he needs to keep such a close eye on me. I do keep promising him I am not about to run away to sea - I don't even have a passport!
Eventually all our possessions were in the new house, and all we wanted to do was sleep, but my brain refused as the wall was in the wrong place. So was the door, the window, oh and the stairs, which shouldn't even exist according to my bungalow-acclimatised logic. We solved the wall/door thing by moving the bed, but the stairs I just had to get used to.
The dogs had to (re)learn a few new rules.
Thou shalt not barge thy furry self past me on the stairs. How is this different to thou shalt not barge thy furry self past me in doorways or corridors? I have no idea, I guess you have to be furry to know, but thankfully that one sunk in very quickly.
Thou shalt sit in thy appointed spot while thy dinner is prepared and served. Different kitchen, different spots. Confusion reigned.
Thou shalt not chase cats in the garden. Not convinced we have solved this, as such, but the neighbourhood cats appear to have opted out of the training process.
The good news is, three dogs have settled wonderfully. But as I feared, Alf struggled. He was fine for the first couple of weeks, after all, he is used to travelling with me, he has stayed in hotels, caravans, tents, holiday cottages and visited different friends and family with me for all the time I have had him.
But after about ten days, he started to wonder when we were going home.
His anxiety levels continued to rise, he was following me to the loo and waiting outside for me in case I flung myself out of the window. Of course, not all dogs who follow their people around indoors are a cause for concern, and many people have perfectly well-balanced dogs who like to accompany them at all times but it is not normal for Alf to be a velcro dog at all.
It is not usual for him to sit on my feet in case I move, leap off his bed if I look at the front door, or lie across the bedroom doorway at night in case I leave home under cover of darkness. Even when I'm driving along I can feel his gaze drilling into the back of my head.
He came out in flakes on his legs, and a rash on his face, and was itching himself to bits. Although I was convinced it was mainly stress, he went back on all the allergy treatments from last year, as well as what felt like all the herbal anxiety treatments in the world - poor rattling dog!
He is not the only dog to find moving house stressful. I know of dogs who have started fighting, dogs who forget their housetraining, dogs who destroy sofas... oh no hang on, the sofa was Alf last time I moved.
Thankfully, his flakiness and itchiness has almost gone now, and he has started to settle down and relax more.
Hopefully soon he will accept we are all staying put, and won't feel he needs to keep such a close eye on me. I do keep promising him I am not about to run away to sea - I don't even have a passport!
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