Investor · Stafford, VA · Member since 2014 · 246 posts · 83 votes
I'm considering allowing dogs and cats in my newest listing and need a little guidance from the community. I've never really owned a dog, though I have had cats. We just put brand new carpet in the house in addition to repainting. We're still on the fence about refinishing the floors. If I want to control some of the potential damage, which dogs should I refrain from renting to? When people have asked, I've generally said no very large breeds and no violent breeds. A guy just called and asked about a german shepherd. I know they can be trained to attack, but does the by definition make them a violent breed? A Chihuahua could be trained to attack too.
Highland, NY · Member since 2013 · 169 posts · 130 votes
10y
No dog is inherently violent unless they are raised to be violent. It really depends on the owner and your screening process. Honestly, anyone who raises a dog to be violent would likely not be a good tenant.
Investor · Brooklyn, NY · Member since 2016 · 38 posts · 6 votes
10y
Jd Martin I agree with you about the carpets. Only hardwood in rentals especially with animals. I learned it really quick. You don't realize how much abuse flooring takes until the people move out.
I live in this building in Brooklyn and it's one of the only places in the neighborhood that will allow large dogs. I think that people in the building actually take better care of their places since they don't have many other options. My houses in NJ I allow dogs but not cats. Cat urine is terrible especially if you have carpets.
New Milford, NJ · Member since 2015 · 26 posts · 20 votes
10y
Hey Eddy,
What I would do is make it policy to have the dogs on a leash at all times on property grounds, because what you don't want is someone walking their dog without a leash and someone gets jumped on by the dog. Some people don't want dogs jumping on them and will end up bringing you to court. So I would make it property policy "No walking dogs unleashed"
Investor · Stafford, VA · Member since 2014 · 246 posts · 83 votes
10y
Once again thanks for everyone's advice. I've sent an email to my agent asking if they have a restricted breed list. I use Allstate.
I fully agree that I wouldn't choose to have brand new carpet with pets, but things didn't exactly happen in the right sequence to prevent that. The unit hadn't had new carpet in 10+ years. We decided to allow the possibility of pets on a case by case basis afterwards. I would strongly prefer NOT to have pets for that exact reason, but in this property, one month's rent is $2200. I spent $3100 on the new carpet. It seems like if it comes down to renting to a person with pets or another month of vacancy, that renting to a pet owner would take precedence.
My experience comes from personally owning dogs and cats all my life. German Shepard's were the very best I have owned as they were the most trainable, any small dog is generally high strung and hard on any floors but tile and cats, well cats are cats, and they will do as they please and stink up any home. There is also the ever present issue of flees.
I am a life long pet owner and believe if you want pets you should be responsible enough to own your own home. I rent properties for people to live in I am not operating a animal shelter. If you want pets buy your own home to destroy.
Real Estate Broker · Indianapolis, IN · Member since 2014 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
10y
Most places just put a weight limit on dogs. 25-30lbs is typical. It's not just a violent dog you have to worry about. You can have a sweet pitbull that decides it wants to reproduce and he'll chew through walls to get out.
A buddy of mine had one chew through two walls and a door to get out. Not that a yorkie can't cause damage. But it's gonna take him a whole heck of a lot longer.
Investor · Stafford, VA · Member since 2014 · 246 posts · 83 votes
10y
@Chris Mason After I started this thread I found a list of dog attack deaths on wikipedia. By far those lists are dominated by pit bulls but a few other breeds make occasional appearances including German Shepherds.
@Chris Mason After I started this thread I found a list of dog attack deaths on wikipedia. By far those lists are dominated by pit bulls but a few other breeds make occasional appearances including German Shepherds.
I'm going to suggest to you that the majority of those were abused or neglected shepherds.
They are very trainable dogs, hence sometimes being used as seeing eye dogs for the blind. A guide dog for the blind is basically a dog that can do the same 30 tricks over and over again with 100% reliability (or a blind person could end seriously injured or dead).
But, the flip side... is that they are very trainable dogs. Meaning one form of dog abuse is to train them to do bad/horrible things that will result in said dogs being put down, and people being hurt.
I would suspect that the overwhelming majority of tenants, you will have some other warning sign that they are abusive towards pets.
Doesn't matter what the tenant thinks or what pets I would possibly prefer. I call the insurance company they tell me X breed is on our list of animals we won't insure and then I say sorry tenant no home for you here. And if they meet my criteria and absolutely want to keep the insurance approved animal, they will pay a hefty fee for down the road. Honestly, I would give my pet away before I paid my fees and I probably didn't charge enough.
Having pets long term makes your hvac stink so you have to clean the interior coil at least (might even have to change the ducts).
To cover up any smell, you'll likely have to not only wipe the walls and baseboards but repaint the entire house to seal in what smell is left. Then you have to deal with damaged floors/doors but not so much with tile/concrete.
Then the hair, you'll never get all the hair out of a unit from pets before re-renting it. And no, it doesn't matter how clean a person is, animals are gross.
...Honestly, I would give my pet away before I paid my fees and I probably didn't charge enough... it doesn't matter how clean a person is, animals are gross.
Eddy, you asked about aggressive breeds, not whether other investors on BP would rent to pets. Maybe compassionate people shouldn't manage property BUT the fact is, there are dogs and cats in the world. There is more demand for pet-friendly housing than there is supply, and many animals are getting euthanized (because of people with the above mentality) as a result.
It's not your job to save the world's animals, but if you want to meet a need in the marketplace AND earn higher rents AND make a lot of people happy and keep dogs alive, then just do your due diligence and have good insurance.