Should I get a new puppy to help my dog with a cross-country move?

Hi again! That decision is up to you. Maisy may enjoy a play mate but also remember that a new puppy can actually cause stress and anxiety for Maisy -and we know the move will already probably be stressful. Don’t forget too the work load for you and your partner- are you up for the training and cleaning up after a new pup? If so, go for it! If not, consider seeing how Maisy does with the changes and then consider a new playmate in a few months if you think it will be a good fit.

Yes, I think that will be a lot for a new puppy all in one day. Moving to a new home is quite stressful for a puppy, so it's best to reduce the stress as much as possible. It would be best to take puppy 2 straight to her new home so she can get settled in :-)

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Great question. I think this depends on how well they all get along. If you screen the new dog properly and do a meet and greet, and they all end up being great companions, I think it's a great idea and shows you are thinking ahead. A death of a companion can be very devastating not only for humans but for the other pets in the house. Having another pet around would hopefully distract from and provide some relief when one of your other dogs passes. I think if you are ready for another dog and are willing to take on the financial aspect of it, it's a great idea. Best of luck with you and I hope you have many good years left with all of them.

Personally, I would wait on the new cat until your older cat has gotten used to the house. A move is a very stressful event, and adding a new cat to the mix may be even MORE stressful for Jazzy, which could lead to behavioral or health issues. Once used to the new house, you can then try introducing a new cat. Having some things such as extra litter, food, water, bedding and places to hide as well as pheromone diffusers that diffuse calming pheromones can help ease the transition once you do add a new cat.

This is a great question! First off, thank you for your military service, it is very much appreciated. I know how hard it is to move around and not be able to take your pets with you. With Finn, it is absolutely fine to have someone look after him for a year, then take him back when you return home. I know this from personal experience. When I moved to New Zealand almost a decade ago from the US, I couldn't take my cats (or dogs) with me just yet, and they had to stay with family for about eight months before they could be shipped out. They were fine with staying with my family and then being shipped out to me in New Zealand. Yes moving is stressful, but cats can adapt, and there's no reason why you should give up Finn when you love him so much. Cats are amazing pets, and they are resilient, so I recommend having him stay with someone for a year and getting him when you come home. It gives you another great reason to look forward to coming home :-)

I'm so sorry to hear that Gum lost his partner. That certainly can be difficult for a dog. Adding another dog to the house may certainly be good for him. In general, we recommend that a male and female dog will tend to get along the best if you have your option of genders. Depending on how long it will take you to add another dog to the house, another thing you could consider if needed would be adding a Bach Flower Essence like Rescue Remedy ( http://www.bachflower.com/rescue-remedy-pet/ ) which can be added to the water and help with emotional problems. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

You can get a three week old puppy, but really Kiara will be fine without one. Dogs don't feel a loss like that like humans do, and she will not remember it. You can have the puppy for companionship, she may like it. I hope this helps.