So Your Dog Wants to Live in a Co-Op?

(Christine Toes here)

About 15% of Manhattan co-ops don't allow pets. I think by now everyone knows that if you have one dog, two dogs, or (god forbid) three dogs, your chances of finding a Manhattan apartment decreases dramatically. Finding a co-op building that will accept your dog is charted below in order of difficulty:

1. Dobermans, Rottweilers, Pit Bulls, or any other "aggressive breed" dogs - you're pretty much screwed. Maybe 10% of Manhattan co-ops will take you. Tip: Focus on new condo buildings that haven't already established their pet rules yet. Try to get grandfathered in somewhere! If your budget/tastes are more "co-op" in nature, take your dog(s) to the best trainers in Manhattan and make sure they have a very nicely written reference letter from obedience school.

2. More than one "large" dog. Generally this is defined by "over 40 pounds." Tip: look at condos or try to buy when your dog is a puppy. The vast majority of co-op applications ask for the breed and weight of your dog. Hope that no one notices that you listed in the co-op application that it was a 40 lb golden retriever, in which case the board is likely to suspect that your dog is going to one day exceed 40 lbs. I would wager that about 40% of co-ops will not take two or more dogs over 40 lbs. (Some buildings will take one dog over 40 lbs but not two).

3. More than two pets. Some buildings restrict owners to having only one or two pets per apartment. This is one of those situations where having a real estate broker who will call every single listing agent for you to confirm that having more than two pets is ok will save you a LOT of time.

4. Some co-ops don't provide a weight restriction but you have to be able to carry your dogs through the lobby. There are other buildings that only take dogs under 25-35 lbs. Some buildings don't take dogs at all. Some buildings will make you take the service elevator with your dog. Some buildings will want to interview your dog. More on that to follow.

Tip: Do not trust statements like "pet friendly!" in listing descriptions. Sometimes "pet friendly" means the building allows CATS (birds, etc), allows ONE pet, allows SMALL dogs, etc. Your real estate agent will likely need to confirm with every listing that your situation is ok.

The next step once you find an apartment that you love in a building that will take your dog(s) is to find out if the building interviews pets. This is becoming more and more common. All it takes is one yappy dog that won't stop barking when the owner leaves, a dog that "goes" in the hallways, elevator, lobby, Rhodedenrum just outside of the building, or dogs that growl at other dogs, people, or kids, and the board has to start interviewing everyone's dogs.

Interviews, really?
What happens at a doggie interview? I asked other brokers and buyers to share their stories and here is what I found... Someone on the board may bring their own dog to the interview to see how your dog interacts with their dog. A board member may go in and out of the apartment door to see if your dog barks when someone gets off of the elevator or passes by the apartment. They may speak in a really loud tone and clap their hands to see how your dog reacts. One board-member swears that a buyer must have sedated their dog for an interview! The dog was really sweet and quiet at the interview but was a non-stop barker from day one.

What if I'm buying a pied a terre? Do I really have to fly my dogs up for an interview?
Sometimes, yes. It depends on the board. If they waive the interview for you, are they going to have to make exceptions for everyone else? Sometimes these issues are more about whether you are going to be a team player and respect the board's rules. However, if the dogs really aren't going to be there for more than a few weeks a year and they meet the board requirements, some brokers say to not mention them. You can always say you've inherited them or adopted them at a later date. As long as dogs are allowed, your dogs are "regulation" size and breed, and they're well-trained, chances are that no one will care. It's usually only when someone's pets are a problem that it matters.

Getting Your Pooches Approved:
It never hurts to put a reference letter for your dog into the co-op package. Include reference letters from a trainer, dog walker, boarder or neighbor regarding how well behaved Rover is (doesn't bark, is potty trained, loves kids, plays well with others, etc). Have your dog groomed, make sure he or she is well rested, has been fed, and has gone to the potty before the interview and you'll be just fine!

Out of Town Buyers & Getting Dogs to the Interview
Dogs under 20 lbs can usually go on an airplane with their owners. Over that, they have to fly as cargo and dog lovers really don't trust their dogs to the airlines. If they can't always get your luggage where it needs to go safely... Are your dogs going to be safe? If there are dog owners on the co-op board, they should hopefully understand that you don't want to drive your dogs from California or wherever just for a co-op interview. Add a cover letter to the package explaining the situation. Or video tape the dogs interacting with kids and other dogs and include a dvd in the board package. IF the board has no sympathetic dog owners, you might have to get the dogs there for the interview. Perhaps try a service like http://petairways.com/

Best of luck, happy hunting, and woof, woof!

• Add to del.icio.us
• Digg this!
• Add to Technorati
• Add to Reddit