Flipper/Rehabber · Monterey, CA · Member since 2014 · 193 posts · 117 votes
I have a three-unit property, and the family in the main house has a well-behaved male dachshund. Now they want to get a female to keep the male company--and they want to breed and "find good homes for" the puppies. I don't feel good about this, but they are great long-term tenants with a delightful little girl, whom they want to enjoy watching puppies come into the world.
As background, I decided after too many bad dog experiences to no longer accept dogs on this property, but that was after this family got their dachshund. So the other two tenants aren't allowed to have dogs at all.
My first step will be to check with the city about the legality of breeding dogs on that property. Does anyone else have insights that might be helpful? I know little about dogs, and nothing about breeding. Thanks!
If you have stopped accepting pets, then you should use that as your answer. Explain that you have recently instituted a "no pet" policy and while their current dog may be "grandfathered in" it precludes them from getting any more pets.
Secondly, I would consider breeding to be a commercial activity and wouldn't advise any commercial activities in a residential apartment. Especially one that includes a lot of untrained dogs. Additionally, this should never be allowed under a normal lease and would require a very specific and separate agreement.
Don't even worry about going to the city to find out about the legality of breeding. You have your policies, make sure you communicate them to the tenants and then stick to them.
Absolutely no!!! Do you really need the money that bad! Dogs under 30 pounds are okay, but larger dogs can cause damage, hair, odors and damages to the floor, cabinets, doors and yards that cost thousand of dollars to repair. And two dogs. And...then a litter load of stinky puppy poop!
Thank you, @Account Closed! I share your feelings. Would the fact that dachshunds are generally under 30 pounds alter your take on this--or would a litter of any size dogs be enough for you to say NO WAY?
Sorry! I don't know my dogs sizes. I forgot they look like little hot dogs (I think). No! I love to give tenants the opportunity to live in their unit with one pet. But, my personal experiences have been that tenants with more than one dog always resulted in odors and damage, as explained in the previous post and my regrets. Or... you need to get a $1,000 non-refundable cleaning deposit plus another $50 to $75 per month for the pets. If your tenants want to run a dog breeding business on your property then they can pay you, or move their business somewhere else.
I manage several properties and constantly evicting tenants only because they have too many personal items stored in their apartments so that we cannot have our pest control service keep their apartments pest free. Multiple dogs are much worse. But...you may have other factors or economic conditions that are different. I am not into letting my tenants thrash my apartments any more than what I can afford to offset my normal and expected costs to clean. It is all about dollars and sense. Do you benefit more...or less by allowing someone to run a dog breeding business on your property.
Dachshunds are one of the worst dogs for house training. They are a smart but belligerent breed. I wouldn't want more than one of them in a property of ours. Especially in a multi unit.
@Carol Venolia many people I have heard of have a clause about pets breeding or have a lease that specifically says no breeding. Mainly it’s a strict no
I don’t see anything wrong with it on a personal level(I don’t know much about the breed mentioned) but it could be a problem if they can sell most of the puppies. In our area you can’t have more then three full grown dogs so if we let dogs breed and they can’t sell them all, then we are stuck with a family that has too many pets and can’t comply with local ordinances/code. We can’t risk that so it’s a no on our end.
If you have stopped accepting pets, then you should use that as your answer. Explain that you have recently instituted a "no pet" policy and while their current dog may be "grandfathered in" it precludes them from getting any more pets.
Secondly, I would consider breeding to be a commercial activity and wouldn't advise any commercial activities in a residential apartment. Especially one that includes a lot of untrained dogs. Additionally, this should never be allowed under a normal lease and would require a very specific and separate agreement.
Don't even worry about going to the city to find out about the legality of breeding. You have your policies, make sure you communicate them to the tenants and then stick to them.
I breed dogs, I love doing it but this would be a bit fat no from me. Puppies produce a massive mess that is sure to stink up your rental and also very likely to cause damage. Think the potential of destroyed floors, puppies chewing cabinets and anything they can reach. Then you also end up with the issue of what if a tenant has a hard time finding homes for them or if a new home decides to return their puppy.
@Carol Venolia I wouldnt do it. Daschaunds are cute little things but they have a bad temperament and are very hard to train. My husbands parents only get dachshunds and the breeders they get them from and their huge dachshund group can agree. My parents also bred their dogs once and never again! It destroyed their house and they ended up replacing all floors, new paint, and the wood work on windows.
@Carol Venolia I wouldn't. Even if they kept everything clean (which is doubtful) what about all the noise from barking dogs and whinny puppies. I'm sure your other tenants or any other neighbors would not appreciate it.
@Carol Venolia I am one that allows their tenant to have multiple large dogs. Personal companions are fine, but a home business that brings traffic to neighborhood is not fine (versus selling stuff on etsy or ebay). Check on local regs regarding home-based businesses if needed, but I would say, "No."
Wow, so many helpful replies I can't even tag everyone to say thank you. But thank you all so much! You've given me the backbone and lots of good language for saying No. Thank you!!
The mess and damage that puppies bring is not worth it. Additionally, they may be required to obtain a license for breeding since they would then own more than 3 dogs, and in many states, this is the limit, unless a license to breed is obtained. That gets you into a whole other issue, which would be a Tenant who is running a business out of their unit. Ug. The list goes on.
Plus, what happens when the little girl falls in love with the puppies and wants to keep them....? Ug.
You've been given a can of worms. Don't open it. :)
Here are the downsides: Stained carpeting, smelly floors and sub-floors, chewed trim and cabinets, scratched floors and door casings, complaining neighbors, tons of dog poop in the yard, dogs yapping at all hours waking or disturbing other tenants, might violate local zoning ordinances or laws.
So yeah, the "can't find a home for the poor crippled/wrong color/daughter's favorite"= no. Also, people breeding dashchunds are selling them. There are no free purebred doxie puppies on CL.
If they truly have a wonderful, healthy delightful male with no conformational issues they should be able to stud him out, and make an agreement with the owner of the female that their daughter can visit the puppies (none of whom ever come back to your propert. Never ever).
@Deanna O., that is a brilliant idea! If nothing else, it will make it look like I'm caring and thoughtful--or maybe I'll be honest and tell them it was actually your idea. ;-)