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Tips for Renting with a Pit Bull

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renting with a pit bullAre you a renter thinking about moving? Do you own a pit bull? As you can probably imagine, apartment hunting with a dog is a bit more difficult than apartment hunting without one. Many landlords don’t want to deal with the liabilities that come with renting to tenants with animals. This is especially true if that animal is a pit bull or bully breed dog. As pit bull owners are unfortunately well aware, bully breed-type dogs often face breed discrimination. As unfair as it may be (and as hard as we are trying to change the status quo!), it is likely something you, as a pit bull owner, will have to consider. Read on for our best tips on winning over those landlords and getting your fair choice of living quarters.

  1. Take your time. While many landlords are not dog-friendly, there are plenty that are. It just might take a bit longer to find them. If time permits, it is a good idea to plan ahead and be persistent in your search.
  2. Include a pet resume with your application. This can be especially helpful if you are attempting to sway a landlord who might not be normally willing to rent to tenants with dogs. It will show that you take pet ownership seriously and will directly address any concerns he/she may have.
  3. Also include letter(s) of recommendation. Along with your pet resume, consider attaching a couple of references from your current/past landlords, neighbors, groomers, and trainers who knew your dog, driving the point home that you are a responsible dog owner and your dog is properly trained and well-behaved.
  4. Meet and greet. If you are in a position to visit the landlord in person, it can be to your advantage to do so – with your dog, of course! It’s easier for landlords to decline dog owners over the phone or email, but harder if they meet you and your well-behaved dog in person. Be courteous and schedule an appointment first; dropping in unexpectedly will probably not be appreciated by most people! If you aren’t able to meet the landlord in person, be sure to include some high-quality photos of your dog with his/her pet resume.
  5. Offer an additional pet security deposit. Again, this will likely help ease the landlord’s mind over potential concerns and further catapult you into “ideal tenant” territory.
  6. Consider renter’s insurance. Be sure to buy a policy that covers your dog and make that clear in your application.
  7. Be honest. Don’t ever try to hide your dog or sign a lease that does not allow dogs. As cliche as it may sound, honesty is the best policy! You surely don’t want to risk being turned in by neighbors or found out by your landlord and potentially be evicted. It’s worth it to wait until you find a place that welcomes you and your pit bull.
  8. Hold up your end of the bargain. After all the campaigning you’ve done for you and your dog to be accepted as tenants, you must follow through and be an exceptionally responsible pet owner! Be respectful of your neighbors, pick up after your dog, keep him/her on a leash, etc. Doing so will set a positive example for those around you (serving as a breed ambassador) and you will hopefully be able to use your landlord as a reference for the next time you move.

We hope that you find these tips useful in your apartment search. If you think we missed anything important, please feel free to let us know in the comments!

The Importance of a Pet Resume

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Apartment/house hunting is hard enough as it is, not to mention with a dog. Landlords can be very particular when choosing whether or not to rent to tenants with pets. Reasons for this particularity are understandable–they may have had a bad experience or gotten stuck with an outrageous bill after a tenant left an apartment in disarray–so you must take their concerns seriously and get creative with overcoming the issue. You need to convince and reassure your potential landlord that both you and your pet are responsible, clean, “well-trained,” and fully capable of keeping the apartment in good condition. This is especially important if your furry companion is a pit bull or bully breed, due to the unfortunate stereotypes and discrimination facing these dogs.

pet resume

A powerful tool that will give you a leg up against other applicants is a resume for your dog. It might sound silly, but it will show the landlord that you take pet ownership seriously, and directly addresses any concerns he/she may have about pet behavior and health. The key here is to include as much information about your pet as possible while keeping it relatively light and fun. You want your pet to seem approachable, especially if your dog is susceptible to breed discrimination, to help break down those barriers with your landlord.

Just as you do with your own resume, your pet resume should aim to highlight your dog’s best qualities. A good dog resume should include:

  • Photos: Pick the most adorable ones you can find. You might also consider embedding a video if the resume is digital, preferably of your dog playing outside, interacting with people and/or other dogs.
  • Description: Talk about your dog’s age, size, temperament, years with your family, etc.
  • Activities: Describe how your dog gets exercise, what type of exercise he/she prefers, and how often. You can also mention favorite toys and games here.
  • Health and grooming: Describe your pet’s vaccination history, whether they’re spayed or neutered, flea/tick control methods, and veterinarian information.
  • Training: Talk about any kind of formal training classes your dog may have completed, whether they are house broken, and whether they respond to voice commands.
  • About you: Showcase your abilities as a responsible pet owner. Explain that you always clean up after your dog and that you have arrangements for reliable pet care if you go on vacation. Also mention that you would be happy to arrange a meeting between your dog and your prospective landlord.

In addition to your pet’s resume, it may also be a good idea to attach references from your current/past landlords, neighbors, groomers, and trainers who knew your dog, attesting to the fact that you are indeed a responsible pet owner. You may even want to offer to provide an extra security deposit for your pet as a courtesy. Supplying your pet’s resume and additional documents from the get-go, even without the landlord asking, will likely boost the “responsible pet owner” factor and improve your chances of being the chosen tenant. Furthermore, going to the effort to create the resume and getting the additional paperwork together on your own shows that you respect your pet, which will in turn encourage others to treat your pet with respect as well.

Even if you aren’t planning on moving any time soon, it can’t hurt to be prepared and keep a pet resumeresume for your pet on file. Life happens, and you may be forced to move sooner than you had planned. You deserve flexibility in your living situation, but leaving your dog behind should never be an option. Equipped with your carefully crafted pet resume, you can now approach hunting for your dream apartment/rental home with an optimistic attitude and man’s best friend by your side.

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