Moving house with a dog

· Update the microchip registration BEFORE moving day, not after — this is the single most important item here
· New ID tag with the new address and your mobile number, on the collar before you leave
· Register with a vet near the new home and request records to be transferred
· Check breed and weight restrictions in the new lease, HOA or city ordinance — some cities and many insurers have them
· Keep one box of their things unpacked until last: bed, bowls, a toy, food

The highest escape risk in the whole process is a propped-open front door and strangers carrying boxes. Put the dog in a closed room with a sign on the door, or better, book them into daycare or a friend's house for the day. This is not overcautious — it is the day dogs go missing.

· Set up their space first, before unpacking anything else
· Walk the perimeter of the new yard and check every gap, latch and fence line before letting them off lead
· Keep them on lead outside for at least the first week, even in a fenced yard
· Keep feeding and walking times the same as before — routine is the anchor
· Expect some regression: house-training slips, clinginess, or a few nights of unsettled sleep is normal

See The travel checklist and Air travel with a dog. Briefly: cargo has narrowed, many airlines restrict flat-faced breeds entirely, health certificates have expiry windows measured in days, and driving is often genuinely the better option for a dog.

Plan in months, not weeks. Rabies titre tests, quarantine periods and import permits vary enormously by destination and some have a six-month lead time. Start with the destination country's official government animal import page, not a relocation company's summary.

Eviction, foreclosure, a relationship ending, or fleeing — there are programs that help people keep pets through a housing crisis, and shelters increasingly run temporary fostering rather than surrender. Ask, before you assume the only option is giving them up. See When money is tight and Leaving safely, with your dog.

Every item here is a phone call, a form, or a decision. Nothing on this page needs buying.