“They dig holes in the yard. They track in mud. They bark at everything. They chew on the woodwork and scratch the doors. They leave nose marks on the windows. They have doggy odor!” - What your potential landlord think when they see your dog
Let’s talk about changing their minds…
You love them to pieces. They are your best friend. You can’t imagine your life without them… But you also need a place to live.
A Landlord’s Top Grievances
Although there can be many reasons for landlords to avoid renting to people with dogs, 99% of those reasons can be deduced to these four:
Liability: They could bite another tenant or damage their property
Damage: Scratch the floors, the doors, chew up carpet, etc
Noise: Your dog’s barking likely won’t make neighbors happy
Odors & Mess: No matter how well-behaved or hypoallergenic your dog is, it still poops…
All of these things describe someone else’s dog! Not yours, right? So, is there a way for you (and the best dog in the world) to refute these stereotypical shortcomings?
Talking With Your Potential Landlord: 5 Tips For Winning Them Over
“I know your listing said no dogs, but we were wondering…” No! Stop! Bad Human!
First and most importantly, do not ask your future landlord if you can have a dog. Unless your landlord is your mother who loves you dearly or someone you plan on swooning, just don’t. Why? Because 👏the👏 answer👏 is 👏going👏 to👏 be👏 no👏 everytime. Let’s talk about a better approach.
Seeing the world through your landlord’s eyes
The vast majority of landlords are going to care about one thing: money.
They care about making it and not losing it. If your dog doesn’t mean more money for them, it just means potentially having to repair scratch marks, fix broken things, deeper carpet cleaning, carpet removal, etc. If you can make them believe you and your dog are not a threat to their paycheck or their wallet, you just might have a chance. It’s all about showing them you’re an exception to the rule.
Tip#1 - Offer to pay “pet rent”
Don’t wait to be asked, offer it. Your dog can cause more damage and be a liability to the property. Landlords don’t want that. However, they don’t have a fixed number in their head or on a spreadsheet of how much a dog is likely to cost them. If you can make an offer that makes having your dog feel like it turns the whole dilemma into a net positive for the landlord, they just may bite.
Tip #2 - Offer a non-refundable pet deposit
Even though it’s illogical, landlords often have a subconscious emotional connection to something they don’t want a pet to damage or to negatively impact: the new carpet, the couches, the amount of cleaning they’ll have to do after you move out. If you offer a pet deposit and can equate it to that deposit to the solution to their fears (i.e. “This $600 deposit is enough to replace the entire couch, or the living room rug or 12 hours worth of cleaning”) this tactic could create an equivalency in the landlord’s mind that quiets their inner “no.”
Tip #3 - Show the landlord pictures of your current living space
(as long as it’s clean, tidy and well-decorated) - This tip is all about demonstrating that you have nice things, that you’ve (obviously) taught your pet how to keep those things great condition. If you can show a landlord a picture of your current living space and showcase how clean, nice and beautiful it is, this would likely irradicate any visions they are having about you being “the tenant(s) from hell” and instead, brand you as the kind of renter they dream of (but just with a dog). This might be the just the thing to push them over the edge to make an exception.
Tip #4 - Make them Feel like They Don’t Need to Do a Background Check
Typically, the most important part of the background check for the landlord is employment verification. Why? Because the kind of tenants landlords love most are the ones that always pay on the 1st of the month and never even have to be reminded. It may feel unnatural, but give every little authentic detail about your employment that will offer reassurance that you’re that kind of renter. If your landlord plans on doing a background check, be forthright about any information that may be unsavory. If you tell them what they’ll find, you can at least hope for some honesty points.
Tip #5 - Bring Your Dog When You Go To See the Place
Read the full excerpt in our “What the Landlords Say” section below as this tip comes directly from one of our expert panalists, Maxwell Pond. To summarize, Pond says, “ They told my wife and I how perfect our place was for them (landlords love it when you gush over their property). As they were about the leave, they asked if they could introduce us to their dog. Up until this point, they never said anything about a dog. It caught me off guard a bit, but looking back, this was their smartest move. They built a solid rapport with us AND THEN introduced their dog when they came to see the place. They showed us how well behaved their dog was, and admittedly I was charmed.”
Who is most likely to “roll over” and rent to you despite your dog?
This sliding scale shows, easiest to hardest, where you might get your dog in.
Basement / Mother In-law apartment: usually owned by someone in the same structure or nearby with only one rental unit. Chances are very good that if you can get them to love you, they’ll love your dog.
Privately owned leased home or apartment: you’ll most likely be dealing with either the landlord or a gatekeeper. Your chances are still good if you can get directly to the owner and convince them that you are clean and have a stable income.
Small apartment complex: gatekeepers and third-party property managers will make it nearly impossible.
Large apartment complex: the larger the complex, the more red tape, and the less likely your chances.
Honorable Mention- Tip #6: Look into registering your dog as an ESA (Emotional Support Animal)
As a last resort, consider registering your dog as an Emotional Support Animal (ESA). It’s a lot of work, and you may not fit the bill. It’s important to note that if you do go this route, legally, you will have to disclose to your landlord that you have an ESA dog. However, your new landlord can’t legally discriminate against you because of it. They also cannot charge you a ‘pet fee.’ It’s a sure win if you can make it happen, but there is no guarantee it won’t “put you in the doghouse” in the eyes of your new landlord. Legally stiff-arming your new landlord into allowing you to have a dog typically isn’t the best way to start a relationship.
Who is most likely to “roll over” and rent to you despite your dog?
This sliding scale below shows which type of landlord is most likely to take action if you disregard the contract and get a dog anyway.
We don’t recommend nor condone violating your contract, and you’ll be hard pressed to find a landlord that won’t take that problem seriously, especially if the property is privately owned.
However, what we gathered from our expert panel of landlords is that they often don’t allow dogs or pets because it’s a liability issue. If your dog bites or scratches someone, it could come back—and bite them.
Ironically, it’s typically the case that the bigger apartment complexes are the ones least likely to take action. Large apartment complex’s biggest and most annoying costs don’t come from a spill on the carpet or a scratch on the door, they come from tennant turnover. Large complex’s need and desperately want to be at capacity. They like and need your rent money and don’t want to replace you. However, you don’t want to stack the cards against you and having a dog breaks your lease agreement… That’s a pretty big card.
If you can win over your landlord or the property manager by being the perfect renter (except for the dog of course) you give them a reason to overlook your furry friend. That’s the key: give your landlord, property manger, and neighbors all reasons to overlook the fact that you’re breaking the rules.
Again, we don’t condone this, and we’re definitely not going to assume responsibility for anything bad that happens to you or anyone else if you choose to do this. We’re just passing on the information we’ve collected from landlords and other experts.
Quotes From Landlords Themselves on Tips to Get Around Their Policy
- “Landlords want to feel good about who is living on their property.” (Maxwell Pond)
- “Just remember, when trying to get your landlord’s permission, you’ll always catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.” (Daniel Caughill)
- “… the deposit is rarely high enough to cover these damages.” (Ravi Davda)
- “I started by reaching out to my landlord and asking if there was any way I could be an exception.” (Chris Anderson)
- “Put together a pet resume that includes the breed, age, potty-trained year, spayed or neutered, any professional training, etc.” (Bill Samuel)
- “If the tenant named their firstborn child after me, I'd consider letting them have a pet.” (Thomas Jepsen)
- “If you have more than one pet, or a big dog, look for a single-family home or a condo/townhome with its own yard/fence.” (Christina Crionas-Spence)
Straight from the Dog’s Mouth
Really?! This is about not wanting me in your place!? I wouldn’t bite a flea! Well, maybe a flea .. but I don’t have any! Cats can have fleas, ya know. Plus they bring in dead mice and they scratch the woodwork…and…and they poop inside! I say no cats. Dogs good, cats no good.
What the Landlords Say
Maxwell Pond
www.SQRDmedia.com
I've been a landlord for more than four years. I have a mother-in-law apartment in my home, so I share my living space with my tenants.
I rented to a tenant with a dog one time. They played their cards perfectly. Here's what they did right.
They told my wife and me how perfect our place was for them (landlords love it when you gush over their property).
They told us about their employment and their income before they even saw the place and reassured us that making rent was never going to be an issue. (Another thing that landlords love: knowing their tenants are going to pay rent. haha!)
Last, they never said anything about a dog. This was their smartest move. They built a solid rapport AND THEN introduced their dog when they came to see the place. They showed us how well behaved it was, and admittedly I was charmed.
A part of me wanted to be upset at them. I felt like they conned me a little. They clearly saw "no pets" on the listing but proceeded anyway. They played a game of chess and they won. We gave them the apartment over seven other amazing non-pet owning potentials we were considering. Hats off to them ... well played, well played.
Dr. Nolan J. Mayer
Cottage Health
As a landlord who currently does not allow dogs (or any pet), I would consider renting to a dog owner if the dog were an active therapy dog volunteering in the community, keeping up with their training, and being able to provide recommendations and proof that the dog was fulfilling these duties and obligations. The dog would also need to be able to be left alone comfortably, and not suffer from isolation distress or separation anxiety. If both of these factors were met, I would consider renting to a dog owner. Of course, these considerations would also need approval from the HOA.
In my personal and professional opinion, therapy dog organizations hold higher standards for the dogs who volunteer for them. Dogs are required to be proficient in a specific set of skills in a variety of settings. This would indicate that the owner went to great lengths to make sure the dog is well-versed and can thrive in many environments under different stress levels.
Daniel Caughill
The Dog Tale
Our hunch is that many landlords don’t care that much whether you have a pet, but they disallow them by default just because that’s what other landlords do. They also may not give you explicit permission to help mitigate their liability if your pet damages something or injures someone on their property—even though they don’t mind pets.
If you’re a renter who already owns a pet, and your lease doesn’t allow it, your best course of action is to have your pet certified as an Emotional Support Animal (ESA). There are many services that will do this online for a reasonable fee, and it will quality your pet for protection under current housing laws.
Although we don’t recommend it, we have created a guide called “How to Hide a Pet from Your Landlord,” which may be relevant to your readers.
Just remember, when trying to get your landlord’s permission, you’ll always catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.
Ravi Davda
Rockstar Marketing
I've been a landlord for around eight years now, and generally, we don't allow pets. It's nothing against pets - I love them and have a dog myself. The main issue is that pets can cause damage, and the deposit is rarely high enough to cover these damages.
In the past, when I had a cat, our landlord didn't want us to move into the property with her. However, we offered to double the deposit and promised to professionally clean the house when we left. She agreed to it. I appreciate this isn't financially feasible for everyone, but from a landlord's perspective, this is somewhat of a safety net in case anything does go wrong.
Chris Davies
Fauna Facts
I was a landlord for many years, and I never allowed dogs in my rentals. I always felt like it was too much of a hassle and that there would be too much damage. But then, one day, a young woman came to me with her dog. She told me her story and how her dog had saved her life. I was so touched by her story that I decided to make an exception and allow her to keep her dog in my rental. It was the best decision I ever made! That dog brought so much joy to her life, and she took such good care of my property. I would never have known what I was missing if she hadn't taken the time to tell me her story.
Chris Anderson
Symbolism and Metaphor
I was a landlord for many years, and I never allowed dogs in my rentals. I always felt like it was too much of a hassle and that there would be too much damage. But then, one day, a young woman came to me with her dog. She told me her story and how her dog had saved her life. I was so touched by her story that I decided to make an exception and allow her to keep her dog in my rental. It was the best decision I ever made! That dog brought so much joy to her life, and she took such good care of my property. I would never have known what I was missing if she hadn't taken the time to tell me her story.
Craig Stevens
Groundbreaking Real Estate
I am the founder of Groundbreaking Real Estate and have been a landlord of several multifamily units in the NYC suburbs for the last seven years. I typically don't entertain dogs due to the additional cleaning and expenses associated with pets--in addition to potential complaints from neighbors. However, if a potential tenant offers to pay an extra cleaning fee in addition to their rent we can usually accommodate on a trial basis.
As a potential tenant, I would target single family or small multifamily rental units, as larger complexes typically have less flexibility around pet policies. In addition to offering to cover cleaning fees, tenants can offer their services in other forms such as handyman, landscaper, garbage removal, etc., as those types of jobs are always needed. Lastly, I would recommend offering a trial period to determine how well behaved the dog is. A barking dog is sure to unravel the pet accommodation quickly.
Tomas Satas
Windy City Home Buyer
have been talked into allowing a dog into a freshly renovated rental before. The tenant won me over by bringing the pooch and showing me how well trained it was. They had obviously spent countless hours working with their dog, and it was the best behaved pup I have ever met. The tenant also outlined how much exercise the dog got to keep it from getting anxious, destroying things, or using the bathroom in the home. Puppy brain: If you don’t walk the dog enough it destroys the house. They have been a perfect tenant and dog owner for years. I couldn’t be happier with the result. As long as you take great care of your dog, and can prove that, you can probably talk your landlord into allowing the dog. References for the dog help too.
Bill Samuel
Blue Ladder Development
Given my seven years of experience as a landlord, I thought I could share a few tips renters with pets can use to get their rental application accepted.
Get started off on the right foot by being personable and likable when you first meet the landlord during the property tour. Similar to making a sale, you want to build rapport with the landlord and present yourself as an organized and responsible person.
Be up front that you have a pet, and put together a pet resume that includes the breed, age, potty-trained year, spayed or neutered, any professional training, etc. Many landlords will charge additional rent for your pets, so ask your realtor if you should consider offering this as well.
Highlight the main reasons why you are an ideal tenant such as your excellent credit score, high and stable income, you are clean and organized, and you are a non-smoker. These are all considered desirable traits of a tenant. If you present yourself as a financially responsible tenant and show documented proof that your pet is being well managed then a landlord would be more willing to allow your pet.
Brian Davis
Spark Rental
I've been a landlord for 17 years, primarily for townhomes and the occasional detached single-family home.
I used to not allow dogs. I changed my mind when I discovered how much faster I could fill vacant units if I did, and when I realized that pet owners tend to stay longer because they have a harder time finding new homes to rent.
Even so, I still take steps to protect myself against the greater damage potential and wear and tear. I charge a higher security deposit than I do with non-pet owners, plus I charge an extra $15/month in nonrefundable pet rent. Pets do cause more wear and tear, and when the tenant moves out, I usually have to replace the carpets or vinyl flooring.
I never allow dogs in units with real hardwood floors, because they scratch them. I do allow cats in these units however.
Kurt & Terri Grosse
homesforsale.vegas
I’m a 26 year Realtor, former Nevada Building Engineer and have owned about 20 different self-managed rental properties in the last 25 years.
If I were renting a house, I’d invite the owner of the property (property management won’t do this) to view my current residence RIGHT NOW. Let them see how you live and that your current residence is free from damage and odors. If you have a clean house and the backyard is in good shape, they’ll notice.
We had a house with cream carpet where we said no pets. Our tenant was approved and ended up getting a guide dog. I wasn't happy but the law is the law. When he moved two years later, the house looked exactly the same as when he rented it. That changed my mind about pets.
Thomas Jepsen
Passion Plans
I have several rental units where rooms are rented out individually. If the tenant named their firstborn child after me, I'd consider letting them have a pet. I've seen two really bad situations of dogs just going off the rails, and that was enough for me.
Smriti Tuteja
Yogic-Experience
I am a dog fearing landlady for over eight years now. Even barking sounds are enough to send me into a frenzy. However, an experience made me reconsider my bias. I made an exception for my current tenant and also attended sessions that helped me get over my fear.
My current tenant is a 22 year-old girl who lost her parents and sibling to Covid early last year. She stayed in their family house with the dog for over a year before she moved to our city. She told me how they got the dog home because her mother was having a hard time getting over the demise of her sister (tenant’s aunt) and the grief counselor had suggested a fur buddy for mental health benefits. However, barely three months after the dog came home, my tenant's mum passed away followed by the rest of the family.
The way this girl narrated how the dog was her only companion and helped her stand back up, I couldn’t deny her therapist a space in our house. However, I put strict rules around defecation and cleanliness. The space that I have rented out is in the upper floor of our duplex. My nephew, who often felt lonely in the absence of a sibling, loves playing with the dog, and we see quite some positive behavioral changes in him. He is happier and shares more often. While I am still not 100% comfortable with the dog around, I am happy with my decision to get over my bias.
Liam Miller
Energy Drink Land
Three years ago, we were very lenient with our tenants. We allowed any pet inside the units and had no problem with it. However, this new tenant had one big dog and one small one, a Chihuahua, with her. We allowed them inside, but as months went by, they were always crying every night, and other tenants were getting irritated.
Moreover, when the girl moved out, we were curious why she only had one dog with her when she left, which was the big one. We didn't mind because we thought she had brought it earlier with her before moving. However, when there was a new tenant, we had to do a little renovation because the walls were full of scratches. And later on, we smelled something unpleasant. We didn't know where it came from, not until we opened the toilet tank; the little dog's body was there, and we were terrified, and I was traumatized. Because of that, I had difficulty accepting tenants with pets, not unless I know them personally.
Christina Crionas-Spence
Freedom Home Investors
I think we speak for most landlords here: A policy to allow/not allow pets in our rental properties is a difficult one (especially for pet lovers like us). The decision is always based on three factors: 1. the type of property being rented, 2. the condition of the property, 3. the pet type/breed, and the number of pets. The landlord's goals are to make sure the property doesn't get damaged or for someone to pay for the damage, and to make the property as desirable as possible to as many tenants as possible.
Like most things in life, the relationship between tenant and landlord is important for the longevity of a lease. Good two-way communication, honesty, respect and care will make a big difference, enabling a tenant to bring along their pets and the landlord to sleep easy at night knowing their property is not being damaged. Happy property fetching!