Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Why don't people take the dog out when they have a house viewing?

258 replies

RingFence · 11/02/2018 10:04

It's really off putting! I hate walking viewing a house with a strange dog sniffing my ankles. Or jumping up at toddler DD, who gets scared and then has to be carried. Or yapping and snarling from the kitchen because I've asked the owner to shut it away.

Viewed one recently where the owner hadn't even bothered to pick up a dog poo in the garden. Toddler DD stepped in it Angry We didn't notice until she left a trail of dog poo indoors. Owner tutted because of the floor, but I was so angry at the thought of having to clean dog poo off her shoes, having the smell in the car, disinfect them at home etc I just thought 'serve you right'. Why on earth would you not pick up after your dog when you're trying to sell your house??

Then there are the owners who say 'I'll just keep him in the living room' and sit holding the straining/growling/whimpering dog by its collar, so you have to rush that bit of the viewing.

We saw one house where the dog was in the garden, barking and growling. Owner said 'he's all right with people but he might jump up. Do you want to go in?' We declined and ruled out that house.

Why don't people take the dog out for a walk or get a friend/relative/neighbour to look after it for the half an hour it takes to view? We always book a time days in advance so it's not like it's short notice.

OP posts:
tumblrpigeon · 11/02/2018 15:47

Agree. Houses with dogs always stink, even though the owner doesn’t think so. And will sometimes vehemently deny it
And many dog owners expect the world to find their dog enchanting .

Thelampshadelady · 11/02/2018 15:51

Gosh you’ve met a lot of angry dogs during your house viewings Hmm

ProfessionalPirate · 11/02/2018 15:56

I wouldn't buy a house that had had a dog in it, even if we were going to totally redecorate. I don't think they should be kept in houses, they are animals and need to be outside or in a kennel.

What a bizarre view, I totally accept some people don't like dogs that's fine, but most dogs are pets and it would be cruel to keep them outside. Are you pro-animal cruelty?

MiddlingMum · 11/02/2018 15:57

many dog owners expect the world to find their dog enchanting then get upset (and even abusive on more than one occasion) when you politely point out that you really don't like dogs. No, not even their little fluffy-wuffy Fido.

Houses with dogs always stink Yes, which is one reason I refuse to go in them. I have a friend with a dog but we always meet elsewhere. I don't want to be in a dog-stinking house.

HelloFreedom · 11/02/2018 15:57

We have a dog. Gentle, people dog loving. She's lovely.
No way would I have her in the house if we had a viewing! Ideally I'd have the children out of the way too. It's all about putting best foot forward. First impression is the most vital.

HelloFreedom · 11/02/2018 15:58

'people loving dog' that should read

BookHelpPlease · 11/02/2018 16:00

It's like people who have viewings with snotty toddlers snivelling about the house. Can't stand it, the screeching, the babbling, interrupting when we are trying to talk about the house. Their bloody toys cluttering the garden- how can I see past the trampoline and wendy house!

And then they need the toilet and run around trying to pull their pants down. Fucking nightmare. Parents should of course remove the child from the house when a viewing is booked. Easy enough to find a babysitter or just hand it over to a neighbour.

greathat · 11/02/2018 16:04

We viewed a house once where we got yapped at whole time. Horrible. Plus there was a dog turd in the middle of bed of master bedroom. Nice

meandmytinfoilhat · 11/02/2018 16:04

Where is the dog to go? Surely putting the dog in another room while you view the home is the most practical solution?

Botanistinhiding · 11/02/2018 16:06

Ha I wish I had a neighbour I could hand my toddler over to at times! I agree though, we removed as much of the kid stuff too because any personal stuff makes it harder for people to imagine it as theirs

UgandanKnuckles · 11/02/2018 16:14

@middlingmum you do know the dog wouldn't come with the house Hmm

PurpleRobe · 11/02/2018 16:17

I agree... dogs should not be at house for a viewing (they could put him in the garden or something)

But on the other hand... if I was selling my house then I wouldn't want viewers bringing toddlers running round touching my stuff with sticky fingers etc

Works both ways my dear

exLtEveDallas · 11/02/2018 16:23

When we were looking we saw 10 houses, and only one was with an EA, the rest we were shown around by the owner.

Each time we had our dog with us - but left her in the car. We didn't however have DD (then 7) - we left her at school!

The house we bought had a lovely collie in situ. Bloody fantastic dog he was, obedient, friendly and gorgeous. When the owner realised we had the Mutt in the car she asked if we wanted to bring her in. We did, and then spent an hour with the owner & had a brew while the dogs played in the garden. We agreed a sale before we left!

Horses for courses, Olly (the collie) sold the house to us I reckon.

Boatsonthewater · 11/02/2018 16:25

I have experienced this. Anyone with half a brain would put their dog in the garage or car. i recently viewed a house where the garden was littered with dog mess. It really put us off.

MissWimpyDimple · 11/02/2018 16:28

I genuinely wouldn't purchase a house where a dog had been living unless I knew for certain that the whole place would be ripped out.

I know that's not popular but I wouldn't.

userofthiswebsite · 11/02/2018 16:33

I'm not sure about the people saying the owner should be out.

I feel I'd be in a much better position to give information about my property than an EA so if I were selling I'd want to be here to meet the viewers. I don't understand why people think it's better left to the EA. Fine they could be there as well but not solo.

Plus don't people selling ever worry about things getting pilfered whilst strangers are in the house. When I was looking often the EA said 'Wander round' and left us to it it a bit but as an owner I'd be worried that it's very easy to pocket small things like jewellry in the bedrooms etc.

Off topic I know but...

Goldfishshoals · 11/02/2018 16:34

Ideally all members of the house (adults, children, dogs etc) should go out for viewings.

If there's no agent, then one adult stays home to show people round the house and all others go out/are foisted on friends/neighbors etc.

If Im looking around a house and the occupants are there without good reason then I assume they're going to be a pain at other parts of the sale process too.

derxa · 11/02/2018 16:38

The word toddler is beginning to make me squirm. Nothing against toddlers Wink

Lilsquish · 11/02/2018 16:46

I put mine in the car when i had viewings - they are german shepherds tho and i didnt want anything putting off potential viewers.

Im a massive dog lover (i even work with dogs) but i wouldnt be happy with dogs running about or locked in rooms you want to view!

And poo in the garden!!???? :-@

steff13 · 11/02/2018 16:57

When we were buying our house, we went to a couple of viewings where there was a dog present. One was in the kitchen behind a baby gate, and barked at us the whole time we were there. We couldn't go in the kitchen, because it was in there and snapped at us when we tried to step over the gate. The other one was so aggressive we didn't even get to look at the house. I think people don't realize that dogs can become territorial with strangers in their home when their family isn't there.

MiddlingMum · 11/02/2018 17:07

I genuinely wouldn't purchase a house where a dog had been living unless I knew for certain that the whole place would be ripped out.

Me neither - the house would just feel and smell filthy for years.

PurpleTraitor · 11/02/2018 17:07

This is hilarious. I always watch kirsty and Phil with my jaw on the floor wondering if those people live int he real world, they certainly don’t live in mine.

So, here it is, I’ve sold three houses, and bought four. I’ve viewed hundreds. I’ve got DC and I’ve got a dog.

This is the way viewings happen. I get a call from the estate agent who says they’ve got some people in the office, can they come now, and they send them round. Often you get home at 5.30pm to a message on the answer machine from the estate agent saying someone is coming tonight at 5.45pm, can you be ready, ten minutes later the person is at the door. You’ll have people wandering past who see the for sale sign and knock to see if they can have a look. At least half of the viewings arranged more than a day in advance will not show up, because they are either rude, forgot, or just found a house the hour before they were due to see yours.

Only once did the agent show people round and that was the day we had an open house for two hours on a Saturday, and one family arrived.

When we were viewing properties, the same applied. We were often sent up from the agents office immediately, or if we rang about something we’d be told to pop round that day. We once bought a house that didn’t have a sign up by knocking on the door. Second viewings have never been a thing, I’ve never had one and nor have any of the people that have bought my houses.

We have viewed houses with active dripping leaks, houses in which the owner recently died down to having paramedic/medical mess still on the floor, houses that aren’t even built yet, houses with mould, houses that aren’t for sale, houses where you can’t even see the garden under twelve feet of brambles, house with active pest infestations. We’ve found families with pets, including dogs, cats, snakes, tarantulas, rabbits, guinea pigs, with DC including several toddlers, whilst they were having their tea, whilst they were having a bath, we’ve been unable to see one room because there was a teenager in residence. We’ve visited families with disabilities, adaptations for elderly and disabled people, wet rooms, rails, light up doorbells, etc.

It’s always the person who lives there showing you the house, unless they are dead. I’ve sold houses with dogs in, DC in, I can’t think of a way on earth we could remove the dog from the premises for viewings and I can’t think of a single way we could avoid taking dc to view. Kirsty and Phil it ain’t.

Northernbeachbum · 11/02/2018 17:50

My agent had to show people around while I was at work, so no I had no opportunityto get the dog out. BUT I told them to warn people and he doesn't jump up or bark. If they wanted to see the house without a dog they'd have had to visit at a weekend or after 5.30

It's not realistic to find somewhere to look after your dog for weeks/months while you try to sell just in case you get a viewing each day

MrsGloop · 11/02/2018 18:10

Having the dog there is just as odd as having the owner there! I live in the US and the real estate agents do the showings. We have a dog and sold our home recently - it was a giant pain in the arse to have her out (and any trace of her gone) but you have to do it. We actually were advised to remove as much trace of the dog as possible so her bed, toys and water bowl were all thrown into the boot of my car on a regular basis.

Skarossinkplunger · 11/02/2018 18:39

I agree with the picking up the pop thing, I mean why wouldn’t you? But I don’t shut my dogs away for anyone, they are both rescues who are absolutely fine being left on their own, but shut on one side of a door when people are on the other can prove traumatic for one of them. However they are extremely well trained and you’d be lucky if they so much raised their head when you walked in.

I remember when my ex was selling his house. We had to warn people about the snakes and it was interesting to see the reactions.