How to help your pet adapt to a new home
When choosing a new home, be sure to carefully consider the impact of the new environment on your pets (hereinafter referred to as “furry children”). Especially in high-density cities like Hong Kong, many residential areas explicitly prohibit keeping pets. Therefore, before moving, you need to confirm whether the new residence allows keeping furry friends. Also, make sure there is space near your home for your pet to walk or relieve itself. For smaller dogs, indoor toileting options such as pee pads can also be considered, and the owner can choose an appropriate location such as a balcony or bathroom. After selecting the excretion location, it is recommended to avoid frequent changes to avoid confusing your pet and increasing mistakes when using the toilet.
After moving into a new home, you should gradually guide your pet to adapt to the new environment. For example, you can start taking your dog for a walk at a fixed time, but the area should not be too large in the early stage. Mainly walk around the housing estate. After the dog is familiar with the small area, you can gradually expand the space for movement. Take at least two walks a day and carry plenty of drinking water for the journey. Considering Hong Kong’s hot and humid summer climate, each walk should not be too long, especially during the lunch break when you need to avoid exposure to high temperatures. Early morning or evening are more suitable times, when the temperature is lower and relatively comfortable, and the walking time can be extended moderately.
If the dog is used to going to the toilet indoors, it is necessary to strengthen the training of correct behavior. When a dog goes to the toilet in the wrong place, you can immediately remind it by raising the volume of your voice, but corporal punishment should be avoided to avoid causing psychological stress. If an accident occurs, use a cleaner that is safe for your pet and can effectively remove odors to prevent residual odors from affecting their judgment. The residual smell may cause the pet to mistakenly think that place is the excretion point, thus interfering with the training effect. In addition, you can spray a proper amount of cleaner on the floor and furniture surface to keep it fresh and hygienic.
If the dog is slow to adapt to the new environment, you may consider focusing on basic life training for a few days, or even seeking the assistance of a professional trainer to help it integrate into the new environment as quickly as possible.
Similarly, cats are particularly sensitive to environmental changes and require special preparation in advance. Before moving in, you can place a cat cage in the lobby of your current residence and place its food near the cage to help it gradually adapt to the cat cage. In addition, you can use an aromatherapy spray containing pheromones to help reduce your cat’s anxiety.
Before moving to a new home, you can choose a quiet room where things are usually not easily moved as a temporary shelter. For example, the bathroom is an ideal choice. After placing the diffuser in the room, the cat cage can be opened and the food, water bowl and litter box can be placed in or near the cage. During the moving period, it is recommended to hang a “Do Not Disturb” sign outside the door to avoid scaring the cat during the moving activities. After the move is complete, make sure there are some familiar items in the room for your cat, such as a bed, blanket or scratching post, to enhance its sense of security.
To avoid safety issues, make sure all windows and balcony doors are closed until the cat has fully adapted to its new home. Cats who are not familiar with indoor life may not be aware of potential dangers in urban Hong Kong, such as falls from heights or road traffic problems. Therefore, use child safety locks or corresponding devices as an additional precaution.
