Moving to college apartment: Should I bring my dogs or leave them?

Move-in can always be both fun and stressful for humans and pets are like. The most important thing for you to do is to make sure that both pets get daily exercise. Even though they don’t spend a lot of time outside, they have always had the option to burn off energy if they need to. Making sure this is done routinely every day and at the same time will help the anxious dog to feel more secure. Dogs are creatures of habit and they do best when they know what to expect. Establish a routine for exercise, feeding and training early and try to stick with it. If your pets have trouble in the beginning, you may ask or hire someone to come over mid day to take them for a walk. If they are going to be crated in the new apartment, go ahead and start getting them used to that now.

This is a good question! I can certainly understand why you would want to take Bella Marie with you when you move out, and it is possible to take her with you. It will be an adjustment for her to go from living with three dogs and your mom to just you, but she can adjust. If you are concerned that she may get lonely and can afford to do so, after you are settled in your new home, you can get another dog so Bella Marie has company in the home. If she is your shadow, she is very attached to you, and I'm sure she would miss you if you left her behind. I think it would be fine to take her with you, just understand it will take her time to adjust to a new home and situation. Give her lots of love and attention, and consider getting another dog if Bella Marie appears lonely and it's something you can afford.

I think you should definitely take the cat who is very bonded to you with you to uni. I don't think he would do well without you around if he's very attached to you. The outgoing one will likely do ok without you, and he can adjust to not having the other cat there. The other option is to take them both! I hope this helps.

These are very long days to expect a dog to be left alone, especially in such a hot climate and you should think very carefully before adopting any dog (puppy or adult) on a tight budget with limited access to veterinary facilities - it is important to always expect the unexpected. It may be worth contacting local shelters to see if they need volunteer help when you are not in college or if they have dogs which need fostering (ensure that they would then be providing back up for veterinary fees and other expenses if required)

Moves are stressful for everyone. Some things you can do to help Jimmy transition are to keep him busy and try to create and stick to a schedule. The schedule helps because it creates routines and Jimmy will know what is going to happen during the day, even in new surroundings. If you don't already have one, I would establish one before you move and try to stick to it during the transition. Giving Jimmy as much exercise as you can manage will be helpful, Getting out for even short walks frequently would be good, but also getting him out for a good walk or dog park for a run would be ideal. Utilize walks as much as you can to burn off energy. Walking generally isn't enough for strong breeds. Adding obedience, getting him to jump up on things (like benches and walls) will help drain his energy more. If you're not feeling up for a walk due to your health try to keep him busy inside with mental games. Lots of chews, enrichment toys like food dispensers, or even hiding treats and food around the house and having him search will help his mental stimulation and keep him busy. This will reduce the need to as much exercise temporarily, reduce stress and keep him out of trouble. I'd also recommend checking out a day care 1 day a week if he is good with out other dogs, and if your budget allows the dog walker would be very helpful too.

Make sure that the new area is cleaned before you take the puppies there. Fleas can be left behind by previous pets as can worm eggs and parvo virus out in the yard. Odds are, everything will be ok but know that anything is possible. Make sure to move mom with her babies. I hope this helps!

More important than breed is the personality of the dog. Since you're gone during he day so much a puppy is not a good choice. I'd go with a shelter dog who is an adult already and seems to have a very calm personality type. Stay away from border collies, dalmations, many retrievers, and other innately-hyper working breeds as they require alot of attention and activity.