What do you do with dogs during house viewings?

[EttiKetti]

We are about to go on the market and wonder what to do with our dogs during viewings, they are very friendly but do bark when people they don't know arrive and although they are shut into the utility room when we are out, people will clearly want to view the whole house!

Are we best to make it very clear we need PLENTY of notice of viewings so we can take them out for them?

DH wonders if all evidence should also be removed for vieiwings (ie bed in car, bowls away in cupboard etc)
Many thanks for any advice

Yes all evidence of them hidden away. Just to de-clutter as much as anything really! Can't you dh just take them for a walk?

I'd definitely make sure they're out. Some people are terrified, or allergic, and surely your dogs will go ballistic shut in room but hearing strangers walking about the house?

When we were selling DP used to take the dogs and the children to the park, more so they didn't follow have a little trailing audience as they looked round to be fair, lol.

I didn't remove anything though, I knew there was going to be a faint smell of dog no matter what I did ( I mean I did try, but obviously it's still there a bit)and if they didn't mind the dog, they'd not mind the bed and what have you and if they did, they'd probably object to the smell anyway. I don't know if that's right or not, but it made sense to me, lol.

Oh I just noticed you said about being out, we always did the viewings, not the EA.

I used to remove ALL. Put everything (including hound) in car and drive around the block for a bit. Give house super good airing so no obvious smell.

Definitely make sure there's no evidence of them.

Nothing more off putting than dog bowls/smelly baskets - well, other than the dogs themselves!

We've been known to walk away from viewings when the next door dogs are barking - if they do it once, they'll be doing it constantly and making life hell.

Great thank you! Going out for a walk is the plan, but we both work, me only a a few hours some days a week but if the viewings want to come when we are both at work.... am hoping my boss remains as flexible as she currently is as our lady who dog walks if I am longer than 2-3 hrs isn't v flexible as she is so busy!

Will definitely remove all evidence, house doesn't normally smell as I am anal about washing bedding/sofa covers/floors all the time but it won't be completely dog free, obviously!

All this assumes we will actually have some prospective buyers of course!

Don't forget all evidence, I appreciate I am really anti-dog but have been seriously put off two viewings by what I could see in the garden ............. (yes, I know its not logical but I just wouldn't want to live in a 'doggy' house).

'house doesn't normally smell as I am anal about washing bedding/sofa covers/floors all the time'

Oh I wasn't suggesting you have a smelly house, lol, just that it really doesn't matter how much you do, if you have dogs and a non-doggy person comes round, they'll notice it.

Ragwort they dogs have a designated (concrete!) area for if they need the loo in the garden - I just need to find something more palatable than Jeyes to disinfect it as that smells almost as bad as dog pee IMO! I am precious about the lawn, they only go on in strict supervision as our spaniel is a digger!

tabulahrasa I am sure it does smell a bit doggy to non residents tho, despite my irrational cleaning!

tabulah don't be so sure. We removed all trace of the dog for our first viewing but when they came for second viewing after putting in an offer we left his bed out by mistake.

Buyers were surprised as they had assumed we did not have a dog and they had been looking for signs as their child has a bad allergy.

We now have to move the dog out and have carpet cleaners in a few days before we go which is a big hassle but I'm thrilled that they couldn't tell we had a dog

Agree with IceCream, my mil has a great big shaggy dog, but she is really into her cleaning and you honestly cannot tell.