Helping Your Landlord Love Your Dog

Helping Your Landlord Love Your Dog

Finding a place to rent that will accept pets can be difficult, time consuming and frustrating. When you do find a place that will allow your pets, make sure that you follow the rules of the complex as set out by the management, so that future tenants will also be able to live there. Be certain to thank them every day by following the rules of the complex. 

Know all the apartment complex rules and follow them

The apartment manager should include a “Pet Rules” form when you sign the paperwork for your apartment. Signing this form acknowledges you are aware of the rules that you must follow to keep your pet in that building. Make sure you read them and closely adhere to them. Some of the most common rules that property owners require are discussed in the following sections.

Walk your dog off the apartment property

When giving your dog a bathroom break, most property owners have a rule about walking the dog off the property for normal and everyday breaks and exercise, except for obvious emergency circumstances. If your landlord allows dogs to be exercised on that property, a particular area may be set aside to do so. Be courteous and use that area exclusively when exercising your dog. Always carry plastic bags with you in case your dog does defecate on the property.

Keep your dog on leash at all times

This rule should be obvious to people, but unfortunately there are still people who do not believe in collars or leashes for their dogs. Most urban cities have leash laws, and most private property owners require dogs to be on leash.  If the pet rules state that you dog “must be under control at all times,” it is probably safe to assume that the use of a leash is implied. Even if you have the best trained dog in the world (and who doesn’t?), don’t put your dog on a leash and then allow the leash to drag—or worse, allow the dog to hold the leash in its mouth and “walk” itself. Those don’t qualify as being on leash. 

Even if your city does not require your dog to be on leash, private property owners can have their own rules that can differ from your local laws. As a tenant on private property, not public property, you are required to follow the rules of the property owner. 

There are a wide variety of reasons for keeping a dog leashed. For example, they won’t be hit by cars. They won’t be chasing other dogs, cats, wildlife or people. Walking your dog on a leash will prevent your dog from approaching other dogs as well as people, especially if they are elderly or children. You will also know when your dog has defecated so you can clean up the stool.

Clean up after your dog 

Always carry more plastic bags with you than you think you may need. Your dog may go more than once, or another dog owner may have forgotten theirs and may need your spare. Dispose of the waste in proper garbage containers, not in the street. 

Do not allow your dog to cause damage

Do not allow your pet to cause damage to your apartment such as chewing and urinating or defecating inside. Accidents do happen, so be prepared to clean up after your dog as soon as an accident happens. Be responsible enough to clean up, fix, or pay for any and all unforeseen mishaps as needed. 

Be a model tenant

Make sure that you firmly yet politely inform and remind other tenants of the rules of the apartment. Remind them that having their pets is a privilege, not a right. It’s extremely important to keep your managers happy so they continue to allow dogs. If you know that one of your neighbors is deliberately and consistently breaking the pet rules and talking to them does not resolve the issue, then you may wish to speak to the apartment manager about the behavior. Although doing so may result in negative consequences for the other tenant, you may be able to prevent the landlord from taking actions that are unfavorable for all present and future pet owning tenants.

It is rare for property owners to allow dogs in apartments or on their property. Do not ruin this generous opportunity for current and future residents with pets.