Tenant with a big dog
Hi Everyone, We live in a 1910 townhouse are considering renting to a tenant that has a 4 year old, 60lb lab. They will be living on the top floor in an apartment that has new white oak plank floors. The common areas are a combination of engineered wood and original oak. The tenant claims that the dog is well trained (The dog is used to living in the suburbs.) & they are willing to put down extra $ for security deposit. Does anyone have any experience with this? Will the floors get destroyed? Thanks
anonymous
in Real Estate - Rentals 11 years and 11 months ago
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10 replies
curiositykilledthecat | 11 years and 11 months ago
There is no easy answer on this one, as you have discovered. We have a strict no pets policy, and have never had trouble renting our apartments. However, as others point out, a tenant doesn’t need a big dog to trash the place and/or be incredibly noisy–small children do a good job of that, as well as many other factors.
Our take has always been, as others have noted, if you can reduce the chances of damage by not renting to someone with a pet, then make that your policy. That said, again as others have noted, there are extremely wonderful pets and owners who are responsible and will be grateful to find a place to call home. If you are leaning that way, follow others advice: meet the dog, get references, and take an additional pet deposit (perhaps even a piece of it as a non-refundable fee to be used toward deep cleaning upon moveout). Good luck
kerry | 11 years and 11 months ago
Most dogs cause less trouble and damage than most small children. Would you ask for assurances that the children won’t run around, bang on things or damage walls or floors? I wouldn’t be concerned about the size of the dog, small dogs can make a lot more noise than large dogs and be more active. Just ask for extra security and references from former landlords.
anotherposter | 11 years and 11 months ago
I have a large dog. When renting we always just paid an extra deposit for the dog (which we got back). I walk the dog a lot (several hours a day) so he has no need to run around inside and mostly just sleeps (no barking or romping). Our dog happens to have pretty worn nails from all the walking and off-leash time so that’s never been a problem for us. If you can hear the dog’s nails clicking on the floor with every step, it might be a problem. You can ask about specifics about exercise (depending on the age of the dog, older dogs don’t need as much). If I were a LL or writing co-op rules about dogs, I would just require a deposit that can go towards damage or towards a trainer or walker if any behavior issues pop up. I would almost prefer a larger dog than a small one because people who get large dogs here tend to understand the responsibility better, whereas I know a lot of little dog owners who don’t walk them and just use wee pads (which leads to barking and peeing everywhere). In our last apartment the kids that the upstairs neighbors had caused far more damage to the house than our dog (who didn’t do any damage, actually) and we spent months after moving in having to get things fixed that the previous tenants kids had damaged (markers on walls, broken appliances from climbing), for what it’s worth. We own our place now and after having the wood floors screened and coated last fall, there are no marks from the dog’s nails. I think goattrap has some good advice.
Bklnite | 11 years and 11 months ago
“If I had a large pool of renters to choose from, I’d go with no dog. Why take the risks?” I agree.
nf85 | 11 years and 11 months ago
It’s another element to consider, but I wouldn’t write them off because of it. Our dog is 40 lbs, groomed monthly, and run daily. She never barks apart from at the doorbell and is quite calm. There are some scratches from her nails to our newly refinished floor, but not more than there are from our children, vacuum, moving men, etc–the stuff of life. I would ask to meet the dog and ask the owners about barking, whether they’ve ever had previous complaints from anyone for any reason, how they meet the dog’s need for exercise and company, how he’s done with the transition from the burbs, what they do with him when they travel, who the vet is, etc. That will give you a sense of how diligent they are in caring for the dog. In general, a well cared for dog (apart from any real anxiety issues) is not going to be a problem.
daveinbedstuy | 11 years and 11 months ago
If they are willing to put up more $$$, they sound like responsible people.
Bond | 11 years and 11 months ago
As a former landlord and a big dog owner, I’d be hesitant to rent to someone with a large dog. Floors shouldn’t take a huge beating, but if the dog is nervous at all or used to having access to an outdoor space, you could be looking at scratching at the door, shredded door jambs, whining, barking. If it was raining and my dog got wet, the first thing he would do once in the door was walk along the walls drying himself. It didn’t register with me until I saw a smudge line two feet off the floor all the way along the wall. Labs are also pretty high needs as far as exercise, so if the owners are not on top of that, it’s another potential problem. Dogs, like many people, don’t always react well to change. What works in one place may not work in another and a dog that was fine in one setting may act out in another. Last but not least, I have a friend who is selling her house and will be renting until her new house is ready to be lived in. She had to bring the dog to meet the new landlord for a “dog interview”. Her dog is normally skittish around people she doesn’t know. She’ll bark like mad, shows agressive mannerisms, all the things you don’t want in a dog. So the owner went to her vet and got a tranquilizer for the dog before the interview. If I had a large pool of renters to choose from, I’d go with no dog. Why take the risks?
Goatcrapp | 11 years and 11 months ago
housepoor – i disagree completely. Perhaps you’ve just had experience with bad dogs. I have a large breed, and have had tenants with large breeds (including one with a cane corso/ english mastiff mix – doesn’t get much larger, lol) I do agree with references, or even merely a demonstration of obedience. I’ve insisted on meeting the dog namely because i occupy the same building, and want to see if the doss (my own and the candidate tenants) will be snarling at eachother (or even just one-way aggression) through the apartment doors all day long while we’re at work. (so far, none have) – Just be frank and clear with the possible tenant about your expectations as well as the expectations for remedies that might be needed. ie: a constant barker will absolutely need training, bark collar, or outside training if need be, to remedy it.. and a dog that experiences separation anxiety causing it to scratch the door/walls, etc… will have to be crated during the workday and repairs done in a timely manner. These are just examples – but have a frank discussion with them. If the pet owner is willing to pony up an extra deposit, it shows me they are fairly confident that their dog won’t be a problem. Being a pet owner myself, i can anticipate some of the concerns, but if you don’t have pets – be aware that there is a trade off. A dog coming in from a rainy walk will stink up your entryway with a musky scent for up to several hours, regardless of how clean the dog normally is… and there may be extra wear on the flooring (BUT, i might add, assuming it is a trained and well adjusted dog, it’s almost always less wear and tear than a child adds to an apartment, but i don’t believe we’re permitted to ask for an extra security deposit for kids, in nyc, lol.) – to be frank, i’d rather have a tenant with dogs, than with cats, but that’s just me 🙂
ceci | 11 years and 11 months ago
I am a landlord and have rented to tenants with dogs. My experience is that responsible dog owners will exercise there dog in the park and take for walks so the dog should come home tired. Ask them for references from prior landlords and meet the dog to see if it is mellow or hyper. My floors were not destroyed by my tenants dog; when u rent expect some wear and tear with dog or without. Be open and deal with the situation on case by case basis. NYC is a mecca for tenants with dogs; and there presence will deter a criminal from burglarizing your building. Good Luck to you!
housepoor | 11 years and 11 months ago
Sorry to say but (in my experience) yes, your floors will likely be scratched up badly, possibly trashed. You also have to be ok with the barking. If your neighbors have dogs (or your other tenants) it can become a problem. Well trained means the dog is house trained and won’t chew the furniture — not much else. Finally, to the tenant below, a 60lb dog can can sound like a bowling ball rolling around — especially if the dog is used to running around in the suburbs.