Tenants want to breed dachshunds

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Tenants want to breed dachshunds

Carol Venolia
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!

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Matthew DennehyPro Member
Concord, NH · Member since 2016 · 86 posts · 82 votes
7y

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.

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  • Amy Beth
    Rental Property Investor · Edison, NJ · Member since 2016 · 753 posts · 565 votes
    7y

    @Carol Venolia. I would not agree to this. Puppies are destructive to a property. To avoid having this problem, we require proof that all pets are spayed or neutered before accepting the tenant. I would suggest that you do this going forward.

    1Reply
  • James Wise
    Real Estate Broker · Cleveland Dayton Cincinnati Toledo Columbus & Akron, OH · Member since 2013 · 31k+ posts · 20k+ votes
    7y
    Originally posted by @Carol Venolia:

    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!

     In my dealings with 1,000's of tenants & investors throughout the years I have found the biggest mistake that landlords can make is deviating from their normal operating procedure because they fear they will loose their tenant if they do not change the rules to accommodate them. Do not do this. Stay in your comfort zone. Adhere to your policies, you created them for a reason. If the tenants can't accept them then let them move on. There will always be another tenant who will adhere to your policies.

    2Reply
  • Scott Mac
    Austin, TX · Member since 2019 · 5k+ posts · 5k+ votes
    7y

    For an extra $300 a month plus a $1000 security deposit for pet damages(?????)

    1Reply
  • Randall Weatherall
    Real Estate Agent · Memphis, TN · Member since 2019 · 261 posts · 253 votes
    7y

    @Matthew Dennehy

    My thoughts exactly! Tell the other two tenants 'no dogs' and then allow the one tenant to literally breed them. I'd bet it would be a matter of time (first litter) before they asked the other two tenants if they wanted to buy one.

    No, no way. If I were one of the other two tenants I'd leave as soon as the barking and puppy smells started happening.

    1Reply
  • Kiera Underwood
    Real Estate Agent · Oklahoma City, OK · Member since 2019 · 956 posts · 600 votes
    7y

    @Carol Venolia with my experience, puppies = pee. Too much risk unless they had some sort of outdoor thing set up? 

    1Reply
  • Joe SplitrockPro Member
    Moderator
    Rental Property Investor · Sioux Falls, SD · Member since 2015 · 9k+ posts · 18k+ votes
    7y

    No.

    1Reply
  • Michael Noto
    Real Estate Agent · Southington, CT · Member since 2008 · 5k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    7y

    @Carol Venolia Just explain to them that you have instituted a no pet policy since they were allowed to have a dog and it wouldn’t be fair to the other tenants for them to be able to add pets while the other tenants can’t. You can’t allow dog breeding to go on at a multi unit property. That is a disaster in the making. 

    2Reply
  • Pat L.
    Rental Property Investor · Upstate, NY · Member since 2012 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    7y
    Originally posted by @Michael Noto:

    @Carol Venolia  You can’t allow dog breeding to go on at a multi unit property. That is a disaster in the making. 

    What could go wrong????

    1Reply
  • Carol Venolia
    OP
    Flipper/Rehabber · Monterey, CA · Member since 2014 · 193 posts · 117 votes
    7y

    LOL, good point, @Pat L.!

    0Reply
  • Carol Venolia
    OP
    Flipper/Rehabber · Monterey, CA · Member since 2014 · 193 posts · 117 votes
    7y
    Update for anyone who's still watching this thread: I let the City do my dirty work; called the Planning Department and learned that dog breeding is not allowed in that zoning. Yay!

    So I politely but firmly told my tenants that the City won't allow breeding there, and that I won't give them permission to get a "female companion" for their dachshund because it wouldn't be fair to the other tenants who aren't allowed to have even one dog.

    I thought my tenants might get pissy or even move out, but their response was essentially "Okay, thanks; no problem." So I learned a lot from all of this. :-)

    Thank you all for your sage advice!
    1Reply
  • Grant Delmonte
    Rental Property Investor · WA · Member since 2019 · 60 posts · 15 votes
    7y

    70% of Americans have pets, so you can charge a pet management fee, which is what you deserve.

    1Reply
  • Jeffrey Bower
    Member since 2019 · 94 posts · 50 votes
    7y

    An occasional pet, sure. But breeding on a rental property. No way—buy a little plot of land and run your business there, I say. I imagine there would a lot of noise and odors. That isn't good.

    1Reply
  • Stephen Willis
    Rental Property Investor · New York, NY · Member since 2019 · 42 posts · 13 votes
    7y

    You have the right to add “No pet” clause in your lease. It is your right to add it. They have to respect you. 

    1Reply
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