DOG - weight limit

[Sam Leon]

I know some of you landlords have a weight limit on dogs...for example a "not to exceed 25 pounds" clause.

Is this weight limit typically a "CURRENT" weight or is this a eventual full grown weight?

[Bill Gulley]

Landlords often get a little too protective in many areas of their business, they aren't willing to accept risk and on the other hand they want premium rents. These types need to chill, you can't control everything nor should you even try.

You either allow pets or you don't. I do and always have, with my consent.

A 15 pound dog can turn into a 20 pound dog, a 25 pound dog can end up being a 35 or 40 pound dog. Are you going to tell a 3 year tenant to get rid of their dog because they grew just to comply with your rules? Really..... 

At the Housing Authority we had a 15 pound limit, that takes in all the lapdogs popular with the elderly tenants we would get or others. It also covered most cats.  

Then we had an applicant that had a cocker that was about 12 years old and weighed about 30 pounds. The dog had sight problems, poor teeth, it was an old dog and being an old dog it would be very difficult to give the dog away to a good home, who would want a dog with a life span of just a few more years? We changed that policy, it wasn't fair nor is there any evidence that a 3o pound dog posses any greater issues than a 5 pound dog.

Need to consider the property leased, a house with a fenced yard is much different than an apartment. Common sense should prevail.

If you don't know anything about dogs or cats, I suggest you learn. I'd also suggest that if you expect to be in business that you develop the ability to say the word "no" !

The more rules you make the less freedom you have in running your business, it's not just a tenant who is effected my you setting rules, you must abide by them too so that you are treating all tenants fairly, saying no to a 25 pound dog means no to all 25+ pound dogs, that owner could be your very best tenant. Business wise, is that fair or the best 

 As to age, puppies chew and they aren't born housebroken. Okay, what's the risk, a male can hit his favorite spot on the walls, a female wont. It all cleans up. As to any damage, the breed has more to do with that, molding or a door can certainly get scratched, that's where deposits come in. Puppies usually go after personal property, shoes or furniture not doors or light fixtures. If you have a deposit amount set, it may really be too much or too little, you can't really estimate damages. If you know something about breeds then you can better access potential damage and set a deposit accordingly. You can simply say a pet deposit will be required, the amount being agreeable between landlord and tenant.

What you're doing is whimpping out, you're avoiding negotiations and having to justify your deposit amount. You're looking for an easy way out from doing your job of management which includes making decisions and holding tenants to reasonable conduct and expectations. Everyone wants to take the easy way out.....well, for those that can't manage, you're probably missing out on good tenants.

Every see those rental ads that say "pets ok" or "pets accepted", they compete with you!

You need to look at the pet owner as much if not more than the pet, what experience do they have as an owner, do they really know much about the breed or did they get it just thinking it was cute or that they have some macho personality thing a guard dog is just cool? Is the animal well groomed, does the owner take care of the animal? You'll see the owner's personality in the dog collar, a bull terrier with a spike collar reflects the owner's attitude, the dog didn't pick it out and buy it. A good leather collar usually translates to the owner spending more on the pet, quality care, a rhinestone collar for Fefe is another expression of the owner. Asking an owner "how long have owned dogs" is just a common question talking to owners and you'll usually get a truthful answer without much thought by the owner. Oh, I just got him 3 months ago....or, I've owned dogs most of my life.

Many of the messes and damage you get is due to the owner, not the pet. The owner that just shuts up the pet in a bedroom for the day is not a responsible owner. The size has little to do with anxiety and their response is to be bad dog. Dogs that can and need to be crated when the owner is away need to be. Requiring an appropriate crate for younger dogs might be a good idea.

When a tenant has a dog or cat, you can go to the American Kennel Association web site and look up the breed and see what the personality of the animal is, the expected size and it's traits.

If you allow a pet, go in the unit or home 1 week later and check on the housekeeping and the animal's conditions, if the is an issue grow a pair and speak up and correct it, leave with the understanding that you'll be checking again or make another excuse like, I'm going to need to get in here to check the HVAC soon, I can call you a few minutes before I come as I'll just be swinging by when I can.

If you're charging an increase in monthly rents for an animal then you're getting paid to manage the animal situation, you're not just gouging the tenant for the right to keep a pet!

My comments here pretty much apply to all small landlords, not so much the large corporate complexes where noise and animal waste can be more of a problem.

Speaking of animal waste, your lease agreement should have housekeeping responsibilities by the tenant, those responsibilities are not just inside the unit but extend to the entire property. If only one tenant has a pet in a tri-plex, any waste in the yard is their responsibility, that goes for any waste as another dog may not come around if they didn't smell the tenant's animal.

I'm not going to deprive a 5 year old from having a cocker puppy or a 50 year old guy from having his Labrador or some little old lady from having her 12 year old Poodle, I will take appropriate measures to manage that circumstance. So long as the property is appropriate for that animal.  I can say no to a 25 year old tenant who has a Doberman with a spike collar and not because of the Doberman but because of the owner!

Pets are not a protected class under tenant law, you can discriminate. Yes, I'm an animal lover, I don't let that get in the way of my business relationships, I take advantage of the opportunity of charging more for some pets that will actually contribute to any additional wear and tear or clean up when the unit is vacated. If it gets to a point where an additional rent is necessary, that pet becomes a tenant as to management duties.

Check with your insurance company, they exclude certain breeds, if a tenant has a policy that covers that policy in force I certainly consider that as it's unlikely liability will fall on me if that policy is sufficient.

Lastly, including the management of the Housing Authority, I've had hundreds of tenants with pets and there was never any significant loss arising out of the keeping of any pet. Worst damage I had was from a cat kept in a bedroom that clawed the carpet under the door trying to get out, the deposit covered it! Odor Out is the best odor removal cleaner I've used, I think a gallon is less than five bucks and can cover about 700 square feet of carpet. Mix with water and spray it on sheetrock and let it dry before painting. Frankly, smoking is more of a cleaning issue that a pet that has been cared for.

Sorry for the blog in the forums, but this animal pound issues has come up several times. You can use a weight limit, I have before and ended up changing it. I found over they years that trying to make rules wasn't the best approach, it can't be fair and if costs me money trying to take the easy way out. So, step up and do your job as an owner, make decisions on a case by case basis, know the expectations of the animal, know the owner's abilities and personality toward the animal. Put your game face on and be fair. :)