Dogs pick up on change fast, and packing is change at scale. Here's how to do it without sending them into an anxiety spiral.
Leave Boxes Out Early
Bring empty boxes and rolls of paper into the house days or weeks before you actually start packing. Your dog gets used to the new stuff before it starts moving around and changing their environment. Boring is better than alarming.
Pack Their Stuff Last
Their bed, their blanket, their favorite toys, their food and water bowls. Leave everything where it lives right up until the last day. Their world should stay as normal as possible until it isn't.
Prep the Dog Essentials Bag
One bag, kept in the car or with you, not loaded onto the truck:
Next up: Your Dog on Moving Day and for the grown-up packing playbook, Pack Like You've Done This Before.