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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:
veuveo · 11/02/2018 22:05

I'll say it again
Not all dogs shed
Not all dogs are smelly and dirty

Not all dog owners let their dogs on the furniture or carpets.
Some actually clean them, bath them, clean up after them.

MiddlingMum · 11/02/2018 22:10

Why would you have to rip up carpets because you have dogs?

Because some people find dogs smelly, dirty and germy. I wouldn't walk around on carpet which will have traces of dog poo on it. You might think your dog is clean but they all have bare bums.

My brother finds this odd, but I don't go to his house because of the dogs.

strawberryrum · 11/02/2018 22:13

Totally agree with you @veuveo!!
I have a dog and some houses I go to smell like dog and I don't like it. Normally they are bigger dogs who are harder to wash and malt.
Mine doesn't and some of my friends who have dogs houses don't smell. I know mine doesn't because people have told me so. But I am a clean freak (think Monica from friends), always have lovely candles on, wash and take care of my beautiful small dog who doesn't malt at all.
I also vacuum regularly and use the washing vacuum. My carpets are in good condition and are not dirty/ don't smell.

veuveo · 11/02/2018 22:16

Ah-dog poo on the carpet,of course!

MakeItStopNeville · 11/02/2018 22:17

I once viewed a house where not only was there a large barking dog following us around, there was dog crap in 5 of the rooms. I love dogs but ruled that one out pretty quickly. Last time we sold our house, we knew it would sell pretty quickly so left the dogs with their babysitter for a week. It was expensive but worth it for the peace of mind.

virtualreality · 11/02/2018 22:21

The reality is that some pet owners do not smell their own pets, they either don't want to, or think everyone else should put up with it.

They might clean up the hairs and the poo, but the smell lingers.

Ask a non pet owner now and then what they think.

I know the minute I enter a house that there is a smelly dog/cat there, it cannot be hidden. Sorry folks.

veuveo · 11/02/2018 22:23

Well it can be hidden because I've bought 2 houses that had a dog and I never knew.
Because they were clean

virtualreality · 11/02/2018 22:24

If there was a whiff of cigarette smoke it would be the same reaction from me.

Just for the anti cigarette smoking brigade who might think their pets are smell free.

They are NOT.

virtualreality · 11/02/2018 22:29

Dogs and cats put me right off on a viewing, but I hope it is OK to have a view on this.

strawberryrum · 11/02/2018 22:29

Unfortunately some humans aren't smell free either Wink. My dog is cleaner and smells better than a lot of humans.

virtualreality · 11/02/2018 22:31

Pets are for some but not for everyone.

Is that a reasonable view now

Cheeseislife · 11/02/2018 22:33

YABU, the dog shouldn't have to leave it's home so you can take your toddler in

GrowThroughWhatYouGoThrough · 11/02/2018 22:46

Our house is on the market if I can take my 2 dogs out I do (usually go to grandmas) . However if I my dh is at work and I have the kids it's not always possible

cupcakemania · 11/02/2018 22:47

I wouldn't buy a house where the previous owners had a dog.

Floorboards probably rotten with piss and half the garden soil would be dog turds

veuveo · 11/02/2018 22:53

Oh yeah and most dogs are house trained and have never pissed in the house.

virtualreality · 11/02/2018 23:13

Some pet owners do not understand that non pet owners buak if they see a dog/cat.

Be invisible, but if you want to your pet to deny your sale....off you go.

strawberryrum · 11/02/2018 23:23

You could say the same about babies and toddlers though. They don't exactly smell nice and are hardly known for their tidiness, cleanliness and non germyness. They poop , wee and sick everywhere, crayon on things, throw food about etc but this is ok and having a dog isn't?

lilabet2 · 11/02/2018 23:24

The dog poo issue is very reasonable and totally disgusting but it is perfectly possible that some people don't have a willing family member/neighbour/friend who can take their dog out.

We are currently selling our house and I take the dog for a walk whilst people are viewing the house but it might not be possible for everyone.

FrancisCrawford · 11/02/2018 23:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

thatwouldbeanecumenicalmatter · 12/02/2018 00:24

I’m not the biggest dog fan - it’s the jumpy overexcited licky ones that make me nervous, the big lazy ones I’d be fine with - they’d even get a pat on the head (lucky old dogs Grin ). But if I knew there was a cat about I’d be positively looking for it - I’d be most disappointed to find out if it had been shipped out specifically for our viewing!

My parents bought their house from a dog owner with a massive dog - which thinking about it I’m rather surprised about as they don’t like dogs and are massive germphobes. They still have the carpets that the previous owner had and I don’t recall it smelling of dog.

I was nipped on the wrist by said dog on a viewing - I was allowed to sit next to the dog on the floor - my parents knew I loved animals and sure enough I reached out to stroke him. You’d think the dog bite marks up the doorframes in the entire house would have been a clue that he was a biter... Hmm Grin

TroubledTribble28 · 12/02/2018 01:19

My smelliest dog (only have 3) smells nicer than the cleanest human Grin (disclaimer, I fucking hate people in general but specifically dog haters) This thread escalated over time didnt it.

Original poster
RingFence · 12/02/2018 07:17

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

You see I don't mind snakes because they're contained in tanks!

OP posts:
TheDailyMailLovesTheEUReally · 12/02/2018 08:08

I still don’t understand why the owners are home during viewings? I’ve never heard of this!!

I prefer it because it means that you can ask questions and expect an answer - whereas most EA will look blank and promise to come back to you on it on the 12th of never

If you notice something odd or that doesn't look right, you can ask about it. You can judge by their reaction if something's up; if they look evasive or try and dodge round the question.

I'm amused by the concept that all dog owners are being defensive - not so! Simply stating that if a property has hard floors and is kept clean and the dogs aren't there when you view it (and there's no evidence of dogs), are you sure you would know? My previous property was steam mopped and cleaned on a regular basis. Even one of my friends - who really does not like dogs and would never have a dog in the house - when she finally agreed to come round, conceded that if she didn't already know I had dogs she wouldn't have guessed, because there was no smell at all.

It really does depend on the breed, the furnishings you have and how keen you are to keep things clean. The house we are in now has carpet so no doubt the place will smell a bit doggy at the moment. It's being pulled up and replaced with a hard flooring because it's more practical to keep clean as it means I can steam mop.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 12/02/2018 08:18

The most mind boggling thing about this thread is that you’d let a toddler chose your family house ShockShock

This is going to be some prince/princess...

greendale17 · 12/02/2018 08:34

Floorboards probably rotten with piss and half the garden soil would be dog turds

What about houses that have babies or toddlers then? I know people whose toddler has taken off their nappy and smeared it into the carpet. Or ran off during a change and peed on the floor.