Even The Friendliest Dog May Be Cujo When You're Selling Your Warren County Home!
"Why do you want my dog(s) out of the house for all showings? Little Fifi is THE friendliest dog EVER!"
And while Fifi, Rex, Spot, Josh & Sammie are all QUITE friendly when you're home, all bets are off as soon as you close the door and leave the house. YOU are their reassurance, their comfort blanket that these strangers in their house are okay and they don't need to be afraid.
However, without you there the dog has to make its own judgment call when it's loose in the home. Protect or hide? Bark or be quiet? Lick or bite? We've seen dogs so frantic that they were literally in danger of hurting themselves, hurtling around the house and sliding into cabinets, HARD. We had to cut the showing short.
As listing agents we ask you as a dog owner to do one of two things:
- Get your pet out of the home during showings (either you, a neighbor, just please, out of the home).
- OR secure your dog. That means locked up in a crate, hopefully in an out of a way spot in the house, because there's still risk that the dog will bark the ENTIRE showing (been there, done that, VERY distracting). And secure is NOT putting a large dog behind a baby gate and hoping he or she stays put.
Why do we ask for this inconvenience?
- Some buyers have had past trauma with a dog and they're terrified of dogs. Period. A loose dog means they won't step in the house. Showing over. Your dog just cost you a shot at a sale.
- Liability. One dog bite and you may get to find out just how good your homeowner's insurance coverage is.
- For your dog's safety. It's a lot less stressful for them to either not be there, or be someplace "safe" like a dog crate.
So while our request is a hassle, it's for your own good and the good of your dog. We don't want Fifi becoming Cujo and biting your home's sale in the ................
Serving Warren County's residential real estate needs,
Liz and Bill aka BLiz
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