What's the best way to get my dog used to his new owners?

[pilieco2]

Hi!

I'm the lucky mommy of a beautiful, big dog called Mooky. Mooky is very depending on me, he spends most of the day close to me and follows me everywhere!

Unfortunately, my husband and I are moving to a new country for good, and as much as we would love to bring Mooky with us, it is impossible for the moment.

So Mooky will have to stay with my mother's familly, who lives in the same building where we live now. In that sense Mooky won't have to suffer a drastic change of his enviroment.

I still feel really sad, though, and worried about leaving him here. Since I still have some time here (1 more month) I would like to find the best way to make the transition between living with us and living with his new familly as smooth as possible.

I would appreciate any advice in this respect. Is there anything I should do with the dog?, Should I train him in anyway?.

Thank you for your time and responses.

[EndlessSummer]

Separation anxiety is a condition in which animals experience undue fear and nervousness when separated from their parents or pack leaders.

The best thing to do for or prepare for separation anxiety is to begin separating the dog when you're home. The next step is to leave the house for short amounts of time. If this can't be done during the week it can be practiced at weekends.

The chief goal in treating separation anxiety is to reduce the dog's anxiety response through counter-conditioning. The idea is to make the dog see that your leaving is not purely a bad thing. At the least, we want the dog to view staying with your mother's familly as a positive experience. Try to make his stay in his new home positive and fun.

Since you still have about 1 more month. Try your best to reduce the contrast between your dog staying at home and your mother's home. Start leaving your dog with your mother with increasing amount of days. And remember to try to make his experience at your mother's place happy, positive and fun.

Keep your arrivals and departures low-key.

Do not respond when your dog demands attention when you are leaving.

You have to follow through with the training. It's time-consuming and you have to be committed. The process takes some time.

[pilieco2]

Thank you for the quick response!. I will do what you advice, although is very sad for me to see my dog less and less right before I leave.

Is buying him new toys to be used only in his new home would be a good idea?, Or buying him a new cushion bed that he can only use when he's at my mother's place?

[Brown]

Hi,

Toys would be of help, but it is only for a short while. Maybe you can get some bones, rawhides for Mooky to chew to keep him busy. Cushion bed sounds nice and i think Mooky would appreciate it.

As Endlesssummer mentioned, make your mother's place fun and probably, let your mother give Mooky snacks/treats herself, making Mooky knows that your mother dotes on him too.

Let your mother take Mooky for strolls/walks together. Strength the bond between them. Encourage Mooky more often, like "Well Done! Mooky!" or "Good Mooky!". Sound happy and lively. This will make Mooky feel important to your mother. During this period, your mother should not scold Mooky, if not this will worsen the situation, as Mooky will miss you even more.

I think Mooky will be really sad. But you will be bringing Mooky over to your new home once things are settled down right?

Hope this is of help to you. Keep us informed.

[Brown]

Found and got this paragraph from http://petshub.com/dogs/bs/separation.shtml

"Separation anxiety can occur in any breed and at any age.

Dogs can react to the stress of being separated from their "pack member/s" by becoming destructive, barking continuously, or eliminating in the house. You may see personality changes in your pet as well. He may become aggressive, or shy. He may become depressed and can even make himself sick. They may begin to chew on parts of their own body. There are dogs which chewed on their tail so much that it had to be amputated. It is a sign that the dog has recently lost his favorite "pack member" and is obviously depressed most of the time."

Do let your mum knows about it just for pre-caution, before you leave.

Hope this is of help to you.

[pilieco2]

Unfortunately we are moving from South America to New York city and I'm not sure if living in a small appartment in NY would be the best choice for my dog, so I'm not sure if I will bring him there once things settle down...

Mooky is a very big dog and he needs more space, in that sense he'll probably be much better off staying here. He's partly used to my mother's familly because he sees them very often and my mom feeds him once a day, every day.

I feel very sad to leave him and I feel so tempted to spoil him these days before I leave but I guess the best way is to allow, and encourage my mom to spoil him instead of me.

I appreciate your responses and I'll keep you posted about Mooky.

[AdeL1610]

You know pilieco , you sound like a responsible dog owner to me. You sure New York wouldn't be a place for Mooky? I live in an apartment, and Rachel and Sassy, a rottweiler and an english cocker, are doing fine there. 3 walks a day and brisk, lengthy ones too. I spend almost every second of my time with them when i'm home from work, and they're usually tired out and snoring at the end of the day. If you're devoted and have the time to walk him and give him exercise, some large dogs do well in apartments! The medium energy leveled ones. What breed is mooky?

If you really can't take him with you, best of luck for adapting him to your mother, he'll adjust in time.

[EndlessSummer]

Try to reduce the contrast between your home and your mother's home. I would suggest bringing along all his old toys and his old cushion bed. Then maybe u can buy any new toys or stuff for him and ask yr mother to give it to Mooky.

Spend more time with your mother's family together with Mooky and leave Mooky with your mother with increasing amount of time. Give him enough time to adapt to the new environment and remember to make it fun and happy for him.

Do you have a pic of Mooky so all of us can take a look? Maybe you can send it to the webmaster through photo gallery.

[This message has been edited by EndlessSummer (edited 10-25-2000).]

[pilieco2]

Yes, I've thought of bringing Mooky to New York, we're actually going to live in New Jersey where there's probably more space (?), but I've heard that when you bring an animal to the US from a foreign country you have to leave him for 40 days in some place by himself. Is that true?.

I thought staying away for such a long time would be harder on Mooky than leaving him here with my familly. I don't know...

Also, we haven't found an appartment there yet and I'm not sure if pets are allowed in most of residential buildings (?).

I have a photo gallery of Mooky in the following address:
http://www.JUVENILEMEDIA.COM/photos/

to see the pictures you just have to click on any of the links.

Mooky is a mix between an Alaskan Malamute and a Samoyedo. He's very, very cute!

Thank you for all your help again, I really appreciate it.

Does anyone knows more about the procedure to bring a dog in the U.S?

[Brown]

Mooky is so big and sweet!

He seems to enjoy being stroked. Seen him enjoying you stroking him in Mooky7.jpg & Mooky8.jpg. http://petshub.com/ubb/smile.gif

[pilieco2]

Yes, Mooky is a very sweet dog. I do enjoy stroking him, he's a very heary dog!.

After getting a response from Byron in another posting I sent about regulations for entering animals in the US, I'm starting to get convinced about bringing Mooky to the US with me instead of leaving him here.

Bringing him there would be great and my whole problem about leaving him with my familly would be solved.

I still don't want to get too exited about it because I don't know how hard it might be to find an appartement there where they accept dogs (?).

Thank you for seeing Mooky's pictures. Where could I see pictures of your doggies?

[Brown]

It is great to know that you are finding out more and considering about bring Mooky along. I think he would be really grateful to you for that.

I am not too sure about apartments in New York. You can find out more with some apartment agencies. Maybe AdeL1610 can help. She sounds like she lives there and is happily living with her Rachel and Sassy.

My dog is at gallery #4. He is Brownie. http://petshub.com/dogs/pg/4.shtml

[pilieco2]

Brownie is so cute, I love chihuhuas. Is brownie a he or a she?

[Brown]

He is a "He". http://petshub.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

How is everything going on over there? On the process of bringing Mooky over?

[pilieco2]

Does Brownie always wears t-shirts?, he looks so cute!.

I'm collecting as much information as I can on how to bring Mooky with us. It's more simple than I expected at some point but yet very complicated!. It seems like only a few airports in the US serve as entry ports for animals. In that sense I would have to arrive in some place other than New York or New Jersey and then go back...

Still, I know there's always a way if you really want to do it and I'm going to try my best. The more I spend time with Mooky the worse I feel about leaving him here...

Just one question, do you live -with Brownie- in an appartment or in a house?.

[Brown]

It depends. Sometimes, he will take his shirt to me, it indicates that he wants to wear. If he starts pulling his shirt out, he wants it removed.

I like Mooky and thinks he is really lucky to have you as his owner. And he must be grateful to you for finding how to bring him over.

[AdeL1610]

Hi again Pil, brownie.

I live in a small apartment, but Rach the rott and Sassy the cocker spaniel are doing well here. I take them for brisk lengthy walks, and both have moderate energy levels.
However i'm a looooooong way away in Asia, i don't think i would know very much about apartments in new york. The best thing you can do is mail a couple of apartment agencies, specifically requesting for apartments that list dogs. Also, get their health records, a temperment test done, so that landlords and other management agencies would be more receptive to your dog. Show them pictures, give them proof of how well behaved mooky is, and promise on your life to clean up after him. That's how i convinced my landlord. Hope that helps,

Adel