What Dog Owners Need to Do to Navigate Buying and Selling a Home

Author:  Natalie Jones

Image courtesy of Pixabay

House hunting and selling can be a challenge, and being a dog owner presents some unique hurdles throughout the process. Not only do you need to worry about keeping your pooch occupied, but you need to ensure they stay protected as well. Here are some ways you can successfully navigate the market with a pup by your side.

Keep the Home Clean and Staged

To make spontaneous viewings easier, have your cleaning supplies all in one place. By doing so, you can grab what’s needed and hit priority areas. Moreover, by quickly treating any pet-related accidents, you have a good chance of keeping things tidy. Given the importance of staging, it may also be necessary to keep your pup out of certain rooms, such as the dining area, so you don’t have to clean as much. Lastly, be sure that your yard doesn’t have any unsightly droppings.

Help Fido Stay Occupied

The last thing we want is for our dogs to be stressed during viewings. So, have a plan in place to keep your pet in a secure area away from buyers. In particular, you may need a sturdy kennel, but look into recommendations and online crate reviews before you make a purchase. This, of course, means your pup will need to be kennel-trained if they aren’t already. Should your pooch have a disability, they might benefit from extra time and compassion when it comes to crating. So, to help your companion, make their crate as comfortable and reassuring as possible by using plenty of water, treats, and familiar toys they can cuddle.

Open House Visits

No matter how much we want to bring our pups with us, they should stay home during open house viewings. After all, a seller may have allergies or own a pet that doesn’t get along with others. Should you find an open house you’d like to see while out with your dog, have a friend or neighbor on standby to help watch over Fido. If they do, consider getting or making them a small gift to say thank you for the assist. Of course, if you do find the perfect home, it’s only fair to introduce your pup to it, so ask the owner if you can bring them later. Best of all, doing so can let you see how they behave with local pets and if they like nearby parks.

Tackle Moving Day

The last thing any of us want is a lost or distressed dog. Your pup isn’t going to know why your house is being boxed up, let alone why the rooms are being emptied and movers are taking everything away. So, to keep them calm — especially if they have a special need, like blindness — it’s best to take them out of an upsetting environment altogether. With that in mind, arrange ahead of time for your dog to stay with a pet sitter for a few hours. Of course, a friend or relative could watch them if they aren’t assisting with the move itself; this offers the added benefit of your pup knowing their temporary carer, which might ease their anxiety.

Make the Process Easy

Once the movers have finished, it’s time to take your dog to their new house. If they don’t enjoy car rides, this might be a challenge for them. To make it easier, ensure they’re crate trained and that their crate is comfortable and as flat as possible. This way, between breaks where they stretch their legs, they can feel safe and secure. If your dog seems a little nervous about everything, consider trying something like CBD oil. Many dog owners have found that CBD oil soothes their dog’s anxiety, though it’s important to select the right product to ensure it will be effective. Given that adjusting to a strange property will be hard enough, their journey to their new home should be simple and calm.

If unprepared, moving, or selling a home can be stressful. However, if you ensure your pup is kept out of the chaos, things will be much easier for both of you. In the end, you and your dog’s transition can be eased with a smooth moving-day experience.

About the Author:   ‘Natalie Jones of homeownerbliss.info’ enjoys writing about home buying and hopes to inspire homeowners of all stages to enjoy the perks of homeownership. When she isn’t writing about the homebuying process, Natalie spends time with her husband working on DIY projects for their home.