Transition-old dog into new home

Question
I will be relocating with my 9-year-old dog into a new home this month. As this is a rental home, I particularly want to minimize any transition issues. It will just be me and the dog (no other people or animals in the house on a regular basis.) My two biggest concerns are housebreaking and barking.  Neither is a problem now, but I'm not sure how he'll react in a new environment. He has lived with two other dogs for the last 4 years, and had some issues with the other male of the trio from time to time.  He is a mutt, though the vet believes he has terrier in him as he's a bit "peppy." Is there any secret to an easy transition or should I essentially just plan to start from scratch?  By the way, I didn't originally housebreak this dog, so don't know what worked in the past. Thank you.

Answer
Karla, I wouldn't stress or worry about this, especially since the two issues you're worried about aren't a problem now. The more stressed you are, the more stressed your dog is going to be, which could cause the exact problems that you are worried about to begin with!

The first thing I would do would be to get him a crate if you don't have one already. The crate will keep him from tearing things up or using the bathroom and messing up the floors or furniture while you're gone. The crate should be large enough to allow him to stand, turn around, and lie down in, but you don't want it to be too big, or he might go to the bathroom in it. I do not know how big a dog he is, or I would recommend a specific crate size. I've found that most dogs prefer the more enclosed crates to the all wire ones, and the enclosed ones are easier to clean, easier to move, and contain messes better than wire ones. You can get them pretty cheap from K-mart or Wal-mart. Don't get a soft-sided one, though; those are not intended for long-term confinement, and he could tear out of it pretty easily.

Some dogs are funny about going to the bathroom in a new place. When I first brought my newest puppy home at 5 months, she didn't go to the bathroom for 2 days, even though I took her out many, many, many times. It took her about a week or two to settle into her new routine. I recommend taking him out on leash even if the new place has a fenced yard, so that he does not become distracted and 'forget' to potty while he's out there. When he goes to the bathroom, if you want, you can repeat a phrase over and over while he's in the process of 'going' and then praise him once he's finished. I tell my dogs to "Go hurry" when I want them to go to the bathroom. I say it several times while they're 'going,' and then when they finish, I praise them in a happy voice by saying, "Goooood hurry! Good girl/boy! Good hurry!" and play with them or run around for a few minutes before going back inside.

I don't think you have anything to worry about as long as you maintain a nonchalant attitude. If you are stressed out, he's going to pick up on it, and there's really no reason to be stressed.

Kristen