Renting with your dog

[Skyedog]

Most people own property and then get a dog. I was offered to rent part of a house

from a Border Collie Owner. I was allowed my own dog. I developed a real bond

with my Border Collie and then had to get rid of her as my landlady's husband

did not like the dogs together while I was out. Landlady did not mind and the

dogs were fine together when I was around. Pet friendly rentals are scare

where I live.

 

So, if you love Border Collies like I do and can't afford a place, think long and hard

before renting a place.

 

Vancouver, Canada

[MrSnappy]

As someone who has been renting for 25 years in the Vancouver area, I would argue that if you look hard enough, you can find places to rent with a dog. I rent and I have 8 of them. My landlord lives on the same property and is cool with it. Previously I lived in downtown Vancouver with 4 of them. I moved many times with my dogs and always found something. Before you rent any home, and no matter with whom, you should have a written agreement stipulating the allowance of your pet and the residential tenancy board will uphold that agreement in the event of an arbitration.

 

RDM

[Laurelin]

I've rented a few places with two (small) dogs. I own now. Area definitely is a factor but I was even able to find a couple options for 3 dogs here. Weight limits are somewhat common but I've also found apartments where there's no weight limit. I think it's good to know what is common in your area and have some backup plans just in case you have to leave your current place.

[medic09]

You do have my sympathies. I've rented multiple places before we owned (including two different houses in Vancouver), and the only problem was there was always some damage or other from the animals. So at one house in Vancouver I lost my deposit. I think RDM has it right overall. I imagine Van has changed since I moved away (in '96); but it was pretty animal friendly when I lived there.

[GentleLake]

I'm sorry you had to go through this.

 

But as others have said, it's usually possible to find something, especially if you have only one dog.

 

What I discovered when I was renting was that a couple times I was able to rent places that had no dogs stated in their ads. What I did was made an appointment to see the apartment, and once the landlords had met me, liked me and agreed to rent to me I brought up the subject of my dogs. I brought along some written references and offered to pay an additional security deposit for the dogs. It didn't always work, but like I said, a couple times it did. I think offering an additional security deposit above the original one was the most influential factor because it showed the landlords that I was confident enough to believe that my dogs would do any damage and willing to be responsible if they did. The people who rented to me ended up not even taking the extra security deposit and it wasn't necessary anyway. I've known some other people who've use this approach and found rentals this way as well.

[geonni banner]

As Gentle Lake said, written, check-able references and a sizable security deposit can work wonders. Also, it's good to squirrel away $$$ for a boarding facility, should you need to move, or make an arrangement with a doggy friend.

[moosikins]

We paid a very hefty "pet security deposit" and we pay additional "rent" for Callie every month. We specifically chose the place where we live because they allowed dogs with no size restriction (I knew I wanted a large dog).

 

Our management office loves dogs and keeps biscuits in the office for them. The maintenance guys love Callie, even the one who is afraid of dogs is pretty comfortable being around her without us present.

 

We didn't know she was a BC mix when we got her, but we were prepared for her to destroy things and be hyper as she grew up regardless of her breed.

[kingfisher7151]

I have successfully rented. It takes some searching, but they're usually out there. I haven't had to do it yet, but I've heard that getting a CGC can give you some really good leverage in selling yourself and your dog to a landlord. Usually there's a hefty pet deposit out here, but there are still plenty of places. My sympathies for your situation though.

[Liz P]

I have also been renting with multiple dogs for more than 15 years. It can be done, though it takes a lot of extra work and effort. Good references, well trained dogs and being a responsible owner are key.

[waffles]

I rented tas well,with two cats and a border collie before we bought our house. I would never rent without a signed lease to protect myself. If somehow a landlord didn't want to follow the lease and I was told it was sell the dog or move, I would be packing my stuff. I know not everyone is willing to do that, but Levi or the cats wouldn't have been rehomed for a temporary inconvenience.

 

I think most people get into this situation when they rent from private people and not in complexes or professionally run buildings. When a lease is just a handshake or verbal agreement, there is no protection for the renter.

[aschlemm]

I've had a mess renting with dogs over the years. Ended up renting from people who were not my first choice! Then needed to move, broke my ankle, stayed with my Mom temporarily, rented from the same people again after fruitlessly searching for months and being told," one cat", "one under 30 pound dog" or" no pets" numerous times. Now I am house hunting but staying with Mom (poor Mom!) temporarily again with two Borders and one (evil) cat.

Maybe it is this area but when you look down the rental adds you see "No Pets" over and over and over. If you call an add that says nothing about pets and you ask, they typically say "no pets." Most rental places where I see pets, the people moved in, then moved the pets in and noone could evict them for it.

[Cass C]

I rented with two cats and Lyka. There was a huge pet deposit and rent fees per pet, but no one ever checked up on us, so in theory we could have had more and not said anything but to me it wasn't worth the risk. Part of the reason I bought a house was to avoid the back and forth with rental agencies about my pets.

 

Also be careful and read your rental contracts carefully, because sometimes there are stipulations about situations in which they can evict you or force you to get rid of your pets.

[geonni banner]

Just a little bit from the other side of the equation. I manage an 11-unit building. My rental agreement states that a specific number of pets are allowed at my discretion. Also that I must approve all incoming animals, and I have the right to refuse a given tenant any animals.

 

I talk with the tenants, meet their animals and check references. I want a written recommendation from a previous landlord and another party. A CGC means nothing to me. Too easy to get and I've seen UDs that were barking, destructive nightmares at home.

 

There are 3 people in the building that have pets. (Well, one is looking for the right cat.) I have one tenant who has been refused a dog. She has a cat now. She is always dead broke and has serious social issues which means she doesn't leave the apartment for weeks at a time. Plus, she had a dog here before I was manager and it was a hostile, behavioral nightmare and a barker that was put out on a chain in the courtyard. (She moved out and then back in again, so she had to sign my rental agreement.)

 

I have only put one pet out of the building - a Miniature Pinscher that barked all day when his owner was at work. I gave him two months to correct the barking and then three months to find a new home for the dog. (The barking was undiminished throughout that time, and his neighbors were completely fed up by the time the dog was rehomed.)

 

So it isn't all evil landlords who are prejudiced against dogs. Many people shouldn't have dogs at all, let alone in an apartment building. And I have seen massive damage done to places by irresponsible dog owners. Not to mention sleepless nights for their neighbors. If you are looking at an unknown person with animals, it is unavoidable that you will be thinking about destroyed door-panels, carpet/flooring, and uncollected pet waste. There is also legal liability if a pet bites another tenant.

 

When renting with animals one must use judgement and have the right paperwork. I have found rental housing with a Doberman Pinscher, a Collie, a Lesser Sulfur-Crested Cockatoo and a very large cat. It can be done, but it takes time, money, careful preparation, and an unshakable commitment to the animals.

[waffles]

In our old place we had balconies. I would walk past one of them and see it covered in dog poop! I thought, who can't walk their dog outside to potty and is lazy enough to just let it out the balcony?! Turns out it was a former customer of ours at my former work. The young lady had a pit bull that was unfortunately kicked out due to some serious dog aggression once it reached 10 or so months old. A couple months later they were kicked out of the apartment and the manager said it was literally covered in dog urine and poop. The lady was a nice 20something and looking at her, I never would have guessed she lived like that.

 

We also knew a couple that lived there with their mix breed. They said she chewed up the carpeting and molding. "Oh well, we just won't get our deposit back" is all they said after. I wanted to tell them that they set a bad example for other pet owners who need to rent and why not buy a crate?!

 

There was also a never ending problem with people not picking up after their dogs in the grass. The management did their best but I could see how annoying it was to deal with renters who just did not care. I think when management sets a high bar of what they expect (like Geonni) they will get higher quality renters. Our place was known as a bit of a free for all.

[geonni banner]

I wanted to tell them that they set a bad example for other pet owners who need to rent and why not buy a crate?!

 

 

 

It isn't just a bad example. One tenant like that and most landlords will never consider renting to pet owners again.

 

It's funny the misconceptions people have about pets. When I was looking with a cockatoo, a cat and two big dogs, I had dozens of people tell me the bird was fine. In actuality, the bird was the greatest risk for a landlord. Unless carefully managed he could dismantle baseboards and moldings at the rate of about a foot in ten minutes. And could he scream? Ai-yi-yi!

 

ETA: I have brought a couple of local landlords around to allowing pets by telling them that it can be quite a good way to get good tenants. Dog owners especially have a hard time finding rentals, and a landlord who screens carefully and gets a sizable deposit will have model tenants because the tenants know how hard it is to find a place with a dog, and they will be wanting to get that deposit back, too. The key is screening. Ask what they do with their dogs. If they give you a blank look, turn 'em down. A bored dog is a noisy, up to no good dog.

[chrisandgabe]

We were already in this apartment when we got Gabe, but our last dog was a 70lb labradoodle. He was bigger than the 65 lb. weight limit in place at a number of places. Whatever, we made it work, because he's our family. When we found our current place, I talked to trainers we had worked with on possibly giving us recommendations if needed (we didn't, but I was able to get if necessary). My dogs have both been crate trained, and the last dog was CGC and TDI certified. It's not easy to find pet-friendly rentals, but it definitely can be done. When we were looking for this apartment, I was heading into grad school, and luckily had a lot of spare time to do the leg-work on finding the right place for us, which also meant it was appropriate for the dog.

 

And in the case in the original post- would it have been a possibility to crate the dogs separately while people were out to appease the landlady's husband?

[chrisandgabe]

ETA: I have brought a couple of local landlords around to allowing pets by telling them that it can be quite a good way to get good tenants. Dog owners especially have a hard time finding rentals, and a landlord who screens carefully and gets a sizable deposit will have model tenants because the tenants know how hard it is to find a place with a dog, and they will be wanting to get that deposit back, too. The key is screening. Ask what they do with their dogs. If they give you a blank look, turn 'em down. A bored dog is a noisy, up to no good dog.

 

We are so grateful to our landlord for this place, and he's told us a few times we're the best tenants he's had in a while. We've been here for two years already, probably will stay another 6 months-1 year. We know there's nowhere else that will be this good for our family. We end up helping with a lot of maintenance things because we like to, and because we like our landlord so much. I can see there being a lot of truth to that statement.

[Beach BCs]

I work for a property management agency. We manage the rentals of houses, condos, and townhomes. I would estimate that 90% of our rentals are "no pets". We have owners that rented to pet people in the past and the home was wrecked. So I can completely understand that those people do not want pets in their home again. A security deposit may not cover the damages. When people complain about this, I can only tell them that other irresponsible people are the ones to blame. I express how important it is crate train your dog (some of our owners require it) and have good basic manners on their dogs. On the rare occasion that one of our pet friendly homes becomes available, there's a list of people waiting for it.

[TxMom]

Some relatives of ours wound up renting out a house they couldn't sell when the market was bad. It was pristine, so not wanting it trashed they chose an older couple with no kids and a small dog. After all, how much damage could one small dog do? (Are you laughing yet?) When the rental period was over, the house was trashed and the seemingly mature, responsible, considerate adult renters did not see any need to repair, replace, or compensate financially for the damages. It cost thousands of dollars to get the house marketable again. Needless to say, if that particular relatively of mine ever becomes a landlord again he will NOT be renting to anyone with pets. And that's how one irresponsible renter ruins it for everyone else.

 

(I'm sure there are steps that could have been taken to better protect against this situation. They were trying to sell the house long-distance after having had to move and originally had no intention of becoming landlords, so they probably missed some steps. They also rented to friends of friends and assumed that any conflicts could be resolved amicably between reasonable parties so they didn't worry as much about getting everything in writing. Live and learn.)

[waffles]

 

It isn't just a bad example. One tenant like that and most landlords will never consider renting to pet owners again.

 

That is what I meant to say but obviously didn't type properly. They set a bad example for the landlords who will think all dog owning renters are just like them or all dogs are destructive/not house broken. We left our apartment in better shape than we found it. I saw the apartment below us after the people moved who had a French Mastiff- it looked just fine. I also would see the door open at an apartment that had no pets but a few small children. The place was trashed! I felt bad the kids had to live like that and for the landlord who eventually had to haul all that garbage away when they loved. Bad renters come in all forms, with pets or without.

[Jumpin Boots]

Like Kate, I also work in property management. But my numbers are flipped, about 90% of our houses do allow pets. I encourage owners to allow pets, as it opens up the tenant market, and when you find a good pet tenant they are typically an amazing tenant all around because they are so happy to have their pet allowed in their home. We do require an additional refundable pet deposit, pet references, and I personally request to meet dog(s). I figure if the applicant can't get their dog to be somewhat obedient in the front yard of the house with one new person, then they probably aren't a good match in general.

 

And like Geonni, I heard of a horror story of someone who had a grey parrot and pet rabbit that were loose in a finished basement while the person was at work. Apparently, the bird ended up making it's own bird door through the floor into the upstairs of the house!

[GentleLake]

Parrots are extremely destructive. I visited a breeder with a friend some years back and the birds had pretty much destroyed the house. Gaping holes through walls and doors, woodwork totally gone. It was a real eye opener.

[borasaurus]

I just had the most irritating experience trying to rent an apartment with a dog. I was actually considering venting in the coffee break section, but then school took over. Most of the places say no pets. We found a complex that allows dogs, which sounds great.

 

Before I signed the lease, I asked the realtor, "So will the owners consider pets for an extra deposit, rent, and references?" She said, "Sure, they will. The pet just needs to comply with HOA." I was so excited. Anyway, I signed the lease, then asked about the pet rent. She comes back to me and says, "They said no pets. And the other realtor said it was on the listing for the condo." Nope, no it wasn't. At least not the listing we used. It is written into the lease, "No pets without written consent," which is why I specifically asked the realtor if it was possible to get written consent, where she flat out lied to me. We've been nothing but transparent to them, and yet they have misled us about more than just the dog.

 

And they were completely unclear from the start about the pet policy. We wouldn't have even considered it if we didn't think we could have a dog. My roommate even asked her when she went to the showing and she said, "I'm not sure."

 

I understand the risks you take when renting out a unit to people with a dog you know nothing about. However, as nice as the apartment is, it wasn't cleaned before we moved in (trash everywhere, paint on counters, sticky floors), three lights were out, the washing machine didn't work, and we discovered an ant problem. Most of the things have been fixed, but it just bugged me that any crappy tenant without a pet can live in an apartment (landlord told us the last tenants abandoned the place mid-lease), yet my well-behaved, completely trained dog doesn't even get a chance.

 

So, I guess my venting got posted here instead, lol.

[waffles]

Borasaurus- if you moved into the place that doesn't allow dogs, then what happened to your dog?

[borasaurus]

Borasaurus- if you moved into the place that doesn't allow dogs, then what happened to your dog?

I'm fortunate enough that my parents are willing to take care of him while I'm gone. If I didn't have a place for him, I probably would have looked for someone to take over my portion of the lease. The rent pickings in our area are already super slim, and most places don't allow dogs or are through the roof expensive.