How do I approach apartment hunting with a dog?

November 8, 2007 6:45 PM

What's the protocol for when you are moving a long distance with a dog w/r/t apartment searching?

I'm in the (very early) stages of planning a big relocation, from Phoenix to most likely Chicago. I am fortunate not to have many huge things to have to take with me and will probably go pretty bare-bones to start. I have one fairly major thing to deal with-- a dog whom I don't want to give up at all.

Now of course, I know that there are a fair share of apartments that say 'dogs ok' or ask for a deposit or extra pet rent, I'm cool with that. My dog won't have a huge problem making the grade sizewise, as she's a midget and only weighs 6.5lb. She is a bit of a freak, being a 2y.o. minpin who was rescued and has some separation issues, but I'm working on it with a dog trainer friend of mine and will put more effort into helping her along with that before I move. But what I'm wondering is how do you go about getting an apartment when you have a dog? I mean, since this is not a nearby move, I would rather not shell out the $200 or so I'd have to pay for a flight to take her along apartment hunting. I'm pretty clueless about this because I'm not very well versed in apartment searching-- I don't know if landlords would want to screen your pet before they choose to rent to you (I noticed some craigslist ads saying 'dogs considered'), or would I have to put together a resume for the little mite with references and such?

If anybody can point me in the right direction that'd be incredibly helpful. I know this move is going to be months away, but I'd rather be well-versed ahead of time!

posted by actionpact to pets & animals (9 comments total)

You don't need to take muttley along when apartment shopping. You can have photos and offer proof of all shots and vet references, etc., but your dog is so small that it isn't going to be a problem if the property allows dogs. Most landlords aren't even going to want to see that as long as you are willing to pay a pet deposit. It might be a problem if you had a very large dog, but most apartments will tell you their size restrictions in their ads. 35 pounds is a typical amount you will see.
posted by 45moore45 at 6:55 PM on November 8, 2007

Most won't bother to screen, especially since your dog is so small, but putting together a resume with references from your vet, previous roommates/neighbors, photos, etc, can't hurt for the landlords that do. Extra pet rent is bullshit, I've never heard of anyone paying that, but be prepared to happily volunteer to pay for a deposit if a landlord is being iffy about renting to you. Showing you're secure about your dog's behavior can go a long way into reassuring people that you're both okay!
posted by lia at 7:27 PM on November 8, 2007

I've always had cats, never dogs, but I've never had landlords demand to see my pet in (ahem) person, nor have any of the dog owners I know. The fact that you have a small dog is definitely in your favor.

A photo is probably a good idea, in case a landlord does want to see proof that your dog is indeed wee. Also, a vet reference as well as any references you can get from neighbors who will vouch that you are a good and responsible dog parent are a great idea to have. Good luck with apartment hunting!
posted by Rosie M. Banks at 7:29 PM on November 8, 2007

I just finished apartment-hunting in Chicago with a 10-lb dog very recently. I was looking in the River North, Gold Coast, Streeterville and West Loop areas, so this advice will probably apply best to those neighborhoods.

The dog will cut down your options a bit and will probably take away some of your bargaining leverage, but Chicago is a pretty dog-friendly city overall. None of the landlords or owners I talked to wanted to see my dog, even though I offered. You'll have to include your prior landlord's contact information on almost any application you fill out, and I found that about half of the potential landlords I talked to were interested in contacting my previous landlords to make sure my dog wasn't destructive or otherwise a problem. The other half seemed to figure that if they accepted a dog, they were taking the risk and didn't really care about references.

The big rental buildings that allow dogs are a a good bet if you want an easy apartment-hunting experience. For example, The Shoreham, Chestnut Tower (has an indoor dog park area), and 420 E. Ohio are all dog-friendly buildings. Many rental buildings only allow dogs on certain floors, which can make it a bit harder to find a place since you'll need to find a unit open at the right time on a dog floor. Although these rental buildings make renting with a dog easy, the downside is that the rent is usually higher than an individually owned condo unit, and the units are often not as nice. Watch out at those places for the fees added on top of rent! They often don't have security deposits, opting instead for a big list of non-refundable administrative fees, pet fees, move-in fees, move-out fees, etc. Don't fall for the great rental rate before figuring out what the fees look like.

The condo buildings are more difficult to get into for people with dogs. You'll usually be renting from an individual owner who's more skittish about allowing dogs. You'll pay a higher security deposit, usually another half month of rent. Watch out for the pet clause in the lease the landlord suggests -- the usual form used by condo owners in Chicago says they can revoke permission for the pet at any time, without cause, without notice. Some owners refuse to make any changes to the lease, but I found one who agreed to scratch out that part. You usually need to have more time available to search if you want to rent in a condo building. You're likely to run into a few crazy landlords, or landlords who are so hesitant about the dog that they drag their feet an unacceptably long time. That said, I found that the rent is lower and the units much nicer in individually-owned condos, which makes it a great deal if you can find a decent landlord.

Good luck!
posted by pitseleh at 7:38 PM on November 8, 2007

Thanks everybody, I guess having a weirdly little dog (I've owned a few of this breed in the past and they've all been like ten pounds heavier!) can work to my benefit. Hopefully the fact that she's a toy breed won't make landlords reluctant thinking she is a yappy jerk.

pitseleh, thanks! i appreciate hearing somebody else's experiences in Chicago--I can see that there are more apartments and such that are dog-free than dog-friendly, although I found a fair share off Craigslist and the Reader, so I don't think it'll be impossible per se to nab a decent place.

I'm not sure if what I was looking at would be classified as a condo or what-- a lot of the places I was looking at were walk-ups/gut rehabs and the like, with individual owners. But I imagine regardless the advice about that is the same-- I'm not really a big fan of rental buildings/complexes usually, so I haven't done a lot of searching in that.

Thanks for the well wishes!
posted by actionpact at 7:54 PM on November 8, 2007

As a Chicago resident, I'd also add that you picked a perfect time of year to relocate. As the winter approaches, many landlords become lax in their selection process. Rents are dropped, requirements are loosened, and concessions are made in the fear that few people are going to want to make a big move when it's cold and snowy. My boyfriend and I recently signed a new lease. While looking for places in the last few weeks, a handful of "no pets allowed" places said okay to our cats.

Good luck!
posted by macrowave at 9:17 PM on November 8, 2007

Generally speaking, if you're renting from a pet friendly management company (i.e from a wholly owned aparment building), they will be less likely to do anything except make you pay a pet deposit. Just make sure you read the lease very carefully - there may be rules that specifically say that you could lose your lease if there are any complaints with the dog.

On the other hand, if renting from an individual or private landlord, they may ask you not only to pay a pet deposit, but they may want to see your dog in person. I always ask my previous landlord to also write a letter of recommendation for my dog, so my next landlord will know that none of my neighbors or my landlord had a problem with my dog and that I left my previous home in excellent condition. It's worked out fine.

Good luck! It's hard out here being a renter with a dog!
posted by HeyAllie at 10:00 PM on November 8, 2007

Moving on slightly from protocol to logistics, I wonder if you might find this helpful... it's a google maps mashup that takes all the craigslist rentals, shows them on a map, and lets you apply filters, including one for dogs. Click your city, then Show Filters, and select the dogs checkbox.
posted by daisyace at 3:52 AM on November 9, 2007

I would actually make sure NOT to take the dog apartment hunting. If you are looking at places still occupied you'll be bringing a dog into someone's home. The landlord might be OK with dogs, but for all you know they have allergies, a cat, whatever.
posted by Kellydamnit at 1:27 PM on November 9, 2007