Why Do Landlords Hate Dogs?

Dear Landlords of America,

On my quest to find the perfect apartment, I couldn?t help but notice that half of your apartment advertisements contained one or more of the following phrases:

• No pets allowed.
• Cats ok.
• No dogs, no exceptions.
• Sorry, no dogs. One cat is ok.
• No pets with fur.

After being (instantly) rejected from so many potential homes because of our dog, I started to ask:

Why do landlords hate dogs?

I have an 11-year old papillon terrier mix. He?s 22 pounds, calm as a tranquil rock garden, and favors sleep over any other activity. He rarely barks, is house-trained, and is overall a very well-behaved, very well-mannered dog.

But he?s a dog. And according to most landlords, he is not allowed.

I tried to look at things from your perspective. Yes, puppies can cause destruction, since they like to chew things and are not yet house-broken. Yes, some dogs may be more aggressive than others, which may or may not cause damage. But the majority of dogs do not fall into either group.

I understand that some people would not provide the proper training and discipline for their pets to minimize this sort of damage. Naturally, you want to protect your investment. But?isn?t?that what an extra pet deposit is for?

As I sit on the couch with my puppy dog snuggled next to me, I can?t help but imagine how this little guy can be turned away from so many places. He causes less damage than a toddler or an angry adolescent (Have you ever seen a toddler color on the walls? Or a teen punch through a wall? No bueno, mis amigas). His daily exercise consists of getting out of bed, going for a walk, and then promptly returning to his bed for a post-walk nap. Followed by a post-nap nap. And, if he?s been a good boy, a post-Beggin? Strips nap.

I?m not the only one who agrees that landlords should be more open to allowing pets. In addition to my personal pet-ownership, research shows that pets help landlords ?attract more renters, reduce unit turnover, and make more money?. Here?s how:

• Pet-friendly apartments get rented faster. Landlords who open up their doors to pets are accessing an additional 70% of the tenant market. Congratulations, pet-friendly landlords, your places will get rented quicker ? on average within 19 days compared to the 29 days it takes for a no-pets-allowed apartment.

• Pet-friendly landlords can be more selective about tenants. Instead of offering that creepy guy with two snakes and shaky credit a lease, you will have a much larger pool of tenants that you can be selective with, which means you can get the good tenants with the great credit (and the adorable little dog).

• Pet-friendly apartments have reduced turnover. Tenants with pets stay an average of 46 months in an apartment, compared to pet-free tenants who typically move every 18 months.

• Pet-friendly apartments?can charge higher rent. Pet-friendly apartments attract a greater number of applicants, which means you can price your apartment more competitively and?charge a little more (but fairly, of course).

• Responsible pet owners are responsible tenants.?If a tenant takes care of a pet well, chances are they?ll take care of your apartment too.

So, Landlords of America, why not give dogs a chance? Our dogs are members of our families. And our family is looking for a good home. How can you say no to this little face?

Gina is a marketing nerd, freelancer, and founder of the Miss Grown Up website. She is an East Coast transplant?living in San Diego with her husband and rescue dog. Her current challenges include attempting web design, dropping those last five pounds, and finding an age-appropriate store with clothes that fit just right. You can find her on?Miss Grown Up,?Twitter, and?Pinterest.?

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