Dog Not Eating After Moving [Reasons And What You Can Do]

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Dog Not Eating After Move

We recently moved from a farm into a city apartment and my 4-year-old poodle won’t eat out of his bowl anymore. It’s the same bowl as the old place. He will eat dog food as long as it’s out of my hand. So, I did a lot of research to find out why my poodle is not eating… here is what I found.

Some dogs have a hard time moving. If your dog is a little high-strung, moving can bring on anxiety by the bushel. Your role has to be more attentive and reassuring. Taking him for walks so he gets to explore his new neighbourhood.

You have to make sure he has plenty of water. Try some interesting toppers on his food. A chopped-up boiled egg (1/2), a tbsp Of Fage Yogurt, no sugar, no flavourings, just good yogurt, some wet dog food mixed with dry. I used to make turkey loaf for my dogs. There are lots of healthy options to get them eating.

Moving a house is very stressful, some dogs adapt after just a few days, and others, take longer.

So why hasn’t your dog been eating since the move? Because of the stress of the transfer, which can create anxiety or sadness in dogs, or because of motion sickness from the trip, dogs may refuse meals after relocating. Even an allergic reaction or intolerance to something they come into contact with in their new house has been known to happen.

In the end, only you will understand which fundamental reason is the problem here.

It can be completely evident, or it might take some thought and research.

However, there are things you can do to encourage your dog’s appetite and make sure they are getting all the nourishment and energy they require.

We’ll discuss those soon.

But first, let’s take a closer look at those fundamental issues so you may possibly figure out which one it is.

Why Has My Dog Stopped Eating Since I Moved?

Your dog might stop eating after a transfer if he is experiencing anxiety from being in a strange environment, motion sickness from the move, an allergic reaction or sensitivity to something he hasn’t come across before, new medication, or any of these things.

Stress Related To The Move

In a new environment, dogs frequently experience anxiety, which results in them not wanting to eat since they don’t feel safe.

A Reaction to Allergens or a Sensitivity

It’s possible that your dog is experiencing something new in your new house. Your dog could stop eating due to a new allergy (see below).

Your dog may occasionally experience an allergic reaction while moving from a rural to an urban setting (or vice versa).

Unusual Or New Medicine

Has your dog received any new medications since you moved?

If your pet’s appetite has diminished as a result of a medicine, call your veterinarian to find out what you can do.

Your veterinarian may occasionally recommend an alternative that will continue to benefit your dog while without impairing his appetite.

Dog Depression

After a move, some dogs may feel depression. After all, they might be missing their canine (or human) buddies from their previous residence.

Observable symptoms of your dog’s post-move depression include:

Excessive sleepiness or sluggishness
Being overly dependent or clingy with his people
More frequent complaining, barking or howling
Pretending to be seeking someone
Use the bathroom indoors after being instructed to do so
Hiding or exhibiting other withdrawn traits
Unusually violent or damaging behaviour
Refusing to participate in games that he typically enjoys

Travel Sickness

If your move includes a lot of travel, it’s possible that your dog is simply feeling queasy and needs some time for his stomach to settle. Some dogs are prone to motion sickness.

How Much Time Does It Take For A Dog To Get Used To Their New Environment After Being Moved?

The length of time it takes for a dog to become accustomed to their new environment is very variable from dog to dog.

While it may only take a few days for some dogs to feel completely settled in their new environment, it may take others many months or even longer. Your dog’s capacity to readjust can be affected by a number of things, including the amount of time it spends alone and the amount of worry it experiences.

Spending Time by Oneself

During the first few weeks after your move, you should make every effort to limit the amount of time that your dog is left alone.

Even if you have to waste some time carrying your dog around with you everywhere you go, it will be well worth it for the sake of both your and his mental health.
If you are moving with other members of your family, take turns being responsible for your dog during the move.

The vast majority of canines are extremely sensitive to their environments; when they move to a new place, the majority of them need to relearn how to be alone.

Dogs who have been content spending a few hours alone each day may develop separation anxiety and become attached when they move to a new home.

Dogs “Not Eating” Related Articles:

The Degrees of Anxiety Exhibited by Your Dog

It is already a stressful experience for people, so imagine how apprehensive moving may make dogs.

The more prone to anxiety your dog is, the more time he will probably need to spend getting used to his new surroundings in his new home.

The following are examples of typical indicators of stress in dogs:

Crying
Conduct that is harmful to others (such as destroying furniture or excessive chewing)
Generally being unsettled
If you exhibit a great deal of patience and affection towards your dog, it will be easier for him to adjust.
Panting
An excessive amount of licking
Shaking or trembling all over

After the move, how can I stimulate my dog’s appetite to eat?

After a move, you can encourage your dog to eat more by exposing him to odours and rituals that are familiar to him, playing games with his food, and recreating previous patterns in order to make him feel more at peace in his new environment.

Try out Some Food Gimmicks

You can pique your dog’s interest in food in a number of different ways, including the following:

Give him delightful goodies that you know he will particularly like being fed to him by hand. For instance, my spoodle loves peanut butter way too much, I dipped his treats in peanut butter and he ate them all. Even though this isn’t a smart technique to keep up over the long term, it may help your dog take those first few bites.
You may try playing with him with a toy that has been packed with something that is both appetising and pungent. After you have ensured that your pet is back to eating normally, you will be in a position to leave the toy in the house for him to play with while you are away.
It will smell better to him if you reheat his moist food in the microwave because he likes the smell of warm food.
Create a savoury-smelling gravy by adding some warm water to his dry kibble and mixing it together.
Combine his dry food with some wet or canned food as well Or dry food with his fave human food ( make sure that its safe for your pooch to eat that Human food)- here is the list of Human food that a dog can eat.
To his dish, add a few chicken cubes that have been cooked.
Feed your dog in a calm environment (some dogs eat better without distractions).
Accompany him as he consumes his food (your dog may prefer this).
Use some chicken or beef broth to pique his interest. If he is only drinking and not eating, you should start by giving him these broths to get his appetite going. After some time, you can pour these over his food as well.

Keep to Smells That Are Familiar to your Pooch

Because dogs eat with their noses, this is not the time to switch their food when they are moving (or anything else that smells familiar: see below).

Spending time on the floor with your dog, who will recognise one of the familiar smells as being you, is one method you can facilitate the adjustment process for your dog.

When you feed him, it could help if you sat down on the floor not too far away from him.

Get into Previous habits

Dogs are creatures of habit, and they experience a sense of comfort and security when they are aware of what is expected of them and what will occur next.

Because of this, one of the things that you can do to assist your dog in regaining his appetite is to recreate the daily pattern that he is accustomed to doing as closely as you can.

If you normally take your dog out for a walk in the morning, feed him breakfast, and then let him take a nap on his favourite bed, you should strive to maintain this routine once you move into your new house.

Perform this task over the course of the following several weeks before adding any more alterations to your schedule that you may find necessary.

Your dog will enjoy as much familiarity as you can supply in order to help him feel secure. If you have a new job or other new responsibilities, you may need to make some adjustments to the pattern that you follow with your dog.

Old habits include things like your dog still using the same toys, beds, food, and water dishes that he was accustomed to using at your previous residence.

Is A Dog Not Eating After Moving Normal?

It’s common for some dogs to not want to eat after moving due to the stress associated with doing so in a new location. If your dog was eating normally before you relocated, he probably isn’t settling in very well.

Some dogs may go without food for a few hours before devouring it.

For at least a day, other dogs won’t want to eat. Both circumstances are entirely typical.

However, you must visit a veterinarian with your dog if

If your dog hasn’t eaten in 24 hours or is drinking excessively, something is wrong.
In addition to not eating, your dog is drinking less water than usual.
Your dog hasn’t eaten in eight to twelve hours, but he’s throwing up or having diarrhoea.
Your dog is acting nervously, excessively licking his lips, or belching more frequently than usual.
If your dog displays any signs of suffering, such as lying on his stomach or raising his hindquarters, it may be in agony.
Your dog exhibits symptoms of respiratory issues.
Although lethargic, your dog is still drinking water.
Your dog exhibits depressive symptoms ( Listed above)

Think about the unique aspects of your dog’s new surroundings.

Has everyone joined you in your move to the new house? Or is your dog all of a sudden without the beloved human or another furry friend? He might be overlooking them.

An allergy or intolerance to something in his new environment may also cause a dog to stop eating.

Is the garden home to any new plants? Did you have hardwood floors throughout your previous residence but now there is carpeting?

It’s possible that your dog is reacting to a new chemical. Dogs’ environmental allergies may include:

Dog Not Eating After Moving [Reasons And What You Can Do]

About the Author: Dog Behavioural Consultant

Jennifer W loves Pets! She is an animal lover. She loves caring for and sharing her knowledge of all kinds of pets.

Her Love for pets made her Join the pet paws hub Team, to share knowledge with the world.

Jennifer W – Dog Behavioural Consultant