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Original poster

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:
nooka · 11/02/2018 19:00

The last house I bought in the UK I looked at thirty or more houses before finding it. I had to take my toddlers to see one house but I didn't do it again. They were very interested for less than five minutes and then got very restless which made looking at he house too difficult. Afterward they demanded we bought that house because they liked the sofa. When I found the house that I thought was going to be the one I took the children for the second viewing. The lovely dogs there were one of the reasons we liked it so much.

greendale17 · 11/02/2018 19:37

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 wouldn’t purchase a house where smokers lived.

TheDailyMailLovesTheEUReally · 11/02/2018 20:04

I took my dogs out when we sold our last place, whilst DH did the viewings. All dog paraphernalia - beds, toys, bowls, leads etc. - went in the boot of my car and I took them off for a lovely long walk.

Original poster
RingFence · 11/02/2018 20:30

Some of us work from home and have confidential information there that we're responsible for

Can you not lock your confidential information in a cupboard/desk for viewings?
We always lock our confidential things and valuables away before a viewing. I trust the estate agent to keep an eye on the people viewing.

I don't mind buying a house that's had a dog in it. We'll change the carpets and have it deep cleaned pets or not. But I'd like to be able to view the house without a dog present. Even if we left DD with her childminder, I still wouldn't want a dog running around during the viewing. I don't like being licked, drooled on or dog hair sticking to my jeans, or have to worry about stepping on it's paws or tripping over it. TBH I'm nervous of dogs in other people's homes, I was bitten on a home visit when I was a student nurse. Dogs can get territorial/defensive over strangers in their home. If you absolutely can't take them out, why not crate them until the viewers leave?

I don't mind cats as they stay out of the way, or watch from high places. Have viewed lots of houses with cats and never had a problem.

OP posts:
Original poster
RingFence · 11/02/2018 20:37

I wouldn't want a toddler coming to a viewing at my house. In fact I'm not sure I would say yes to them coming in especially with my dog there. My dog is scared of toddlers who are unpredictable and try to hurt her

So you would turn away potential buyers because they had a toddler in tow? Not an option for sellers who need/want to move quickly. Why not just put your dog in a crate or take her out for a walk while the family looks around? That way your dog will be happy and safe too.

OP posts:
virtualreality · 11/02/2018 20:37

I would not even enter a house where dogs are waiting to lick me, smell me or whatever. All I want to see is the house. But I can smell a doggy/cat house within seconds of entering. So that's a no from me.

Dogs are for some people, a majority it seems, but they are not for everyone. I have no problem with pets as long I am not forced to enjoy them like their owners think I should. Shudder.

But it doesn't matter. If you have dogs and they are there for viewings, you will limit your market.

MiddlingMum · 11/02/2018 20:48

virtualreality I think you are me Smile

madsiemoomoo · 11/02/2018 20:50

I think the 'who does viewings' question depends on where you live. We saw over 20 houses and all of them were done with agents without anyone else being around, so I guess that's the norm here. We did meet one owner on a second viewing - we'd loved the house on the first viewing and were ready to put in an offer, but wanted to see it one more time before we did. She totally put us off because she was so completely OTT about needing a specific price because she had overpaid for where she was buying and wanted to renovate so needed more money. In the nicest possible way that's not our problem, nor is it a reason we should overpay, so we walked away

virtualreality · 11/02/2018 20:51

MiddlingMum,

We are a minority of two!

I will say no more lest I am banned or whatever. But what I said, I mean truthfully.

strawberryrum · 11/02/2018 20:55

Yes I would turn them away unless the parents planned on carrying their toddler around. My house is not toddler friendly at all. I wouldn't think people would bring their toddler to a house viewing. As you would want to put your full focus on looking at the house for the few minutes you are in there.
No I would not put my dog in a crate. She would be very anxious and I would not put her through that. I doubt you would put your toddler in a crate if someone came to a viewing at your house.

GothMummy · 11/02/2018 20:57

When we were selling our house I tried to get someone to take my dog out if I could, but I couldn't always manage it, as the estate agent kept ringing up to send people round at very short notice, 20 minutes notice on one occasion.

strawberryrum · 11/02/2018 20:58

Although I will caveat that with my dog would never bite or be aggressive to anyone. If anything she would run and hide away and be frightened. Also she is very small.
But I would want the estate agent to warn me if someone was bringing a toddler yes. I would need to toddler proof my home to a certain extent. If the toddler is injured on my property I could be liable.

virtualreality · 11/02/2018 20:59

It is no wonder houses linger on the market if dogs and cats have free run, and toddlers cannot be brought to a viewing.

Double standards.

OK what do I care, leave your house on the market for years. Not the viewer or buyer's problem is it? It just might be YOURS!

joystir59 · 11/02/2018 21:02

we weren't in for any viewings until we had sold the house and the buyer wanted to come to measure for curtains and such like. One of us took the dog for a walk then as new buyer very scared of dogs

PistFump · 11/02/2018 21:02

Some people lack common sense. I took ours out whilst all our viewings were happening.

veuveo · 11/02/2018 21:03

I'm selling in an area where the EA always do the viewings. Suits me.
Buying in an area where I've always been shown round by the owners.
I've just bought a house which had a dog there, no trouble at all, kept outside in secure area.
Someone bought my house, with us and dog out of the house.
Don't think it's a big deal, but they shouldn't be jumping up at you.
Lmao at toddler having a say in the house!
My 10year old gets to come to 2nd viewing when I've made my mind up. Far too distracting to have him there and he likes some very strange things!

joystir59 · 11/02/2018 21:04

it is important to really depersonalise the house as much as possible for viewings. Unfortunately for us we had an ancient mil in situ in her own self contained room throughout the process bless her!

GothMummy · 11/02/2018 21:06

I think it depends on the area then. When I have sold I have had to do all the viewings, and when I have bought its always been the vendor showing me around. I actually found the process so stressful I would have been delighted to hand viewings over to an estate agent.

If there's only one of you, and estate agents send round a short notice visit, then its hard to remove dogs/pets/kids. Still, my houses have always sold fairly quickly so can't have been much of a problem.

Pennyweather · 11/02/2018 21:12

I once viewed a house whose seller bred snakes for a living. In fairness, he did ask us "are you okay with snakes?" before leading us into one of the upstairs rooms - but when I said "sure" I was not expecting to met with 40+ plastic drawers each with a little slithery inhabitant.

We didn't buy it.

ToadsforJustice · 11/02/2018 21:19

I wouldn't buy a house that had a dog. Even if the house owner took the dog out, you can still smell it. You would probably have to totally redecorate and rip up the carpets. Too much work.

virtualreality · 11/02/2018 21:36

Toads, we might be a minority but I agree.

But bought two houses over the years and had to strip them down. Dog and cat hairs BOAK.

Even though both houses were lovely, the owners did not understand the smell and the hairy residues. But after 20 months on the market for property one, sold. We replaced everything.

Ten years later after two years on the market, moved on, to similar, sold. Same thing.

Bargains on both houses because they loved their hairy smelly pets. Doh. Worked in favour of the buyer though in the end.

AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 11/02/2018 21:45

I'm currently doing viewings. My first criteria is that the new resident must be a dog person and consider my dog a bonus not a drawback.

But then I am looking for a lodger not a purchaser Grin

veuveo · 11/02/2018 21:48

Not all dogs are smelly and dirty
They don't all shed either
Why would you have to rip up carpets because you have dogs?

TheDailyMailLovesTheEUReally · 11/02/2018 21:56

I had hard floors in my old property. It was also kept very clean. No evidence of dogs at the viewing - so how would you know? My previous property went for more than next door, who were not pet owners and in fact the DW was a complete germaphobe and obsessive cleaner. Their place was lovely and spotless, but it didn't attract a 'premium' for being pet-free because mine had no evidence of pets.

virtualreality · 11/02/2018 22:02

I understand the defenciveness of pet owners and their smells and hairs. That is absolutely fine if you are their owner.

But it is not the case for people who might want to purchase your property.

Some people might need to take the blinkers off now. But that is only applicable if they are trying to sell their home.

Dogs and cats smell and moult and leave hairs everywhere. I know you clean them up but they will always be there somewhere.

I would never buy a property that had pets roaming around. Sorry. Why would I, if I had a choice to buy a property without all that.

As I said in an earlier post, did buy at a big discount where smelly hairy pets were resident. That was the seller's problem, not mine.

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