Buying a Home With Pets

When you shop for a home, you have lots of questions: Can I afford the monthly payment? Do I like the neighborhood? What schools are nearby?

When you are buying a home with pets, especially dogs, you probably consider backyard size. While some small breeds of dogs don’t need much exercise, most dogs need room to run and explore. Will your dogs be outside during the day? How much space will they need?

Here are two questions for anyone buying a home with pets:

• Are there potential dangers?
• How do I help my pets get used to their new home?

Here’s a quick list of things to consider when moving to a new home with dogs and cats.

Buying a Home With Pets: Safety First

Nearby open space. If you’re lucky enough to buy a home near undeveloped land, remember that the beauty of open space includes wildlife. In San Diego County, rattlesnakes and coyotes are potential threats to domesticated animals.

• Rattlesnakes are docile creatures. They prefer to escape rather than attack. Consider attending annual K-9 Rattlesnake Avoidance Training workshops.
• Coyotes hunt mostly at night, but they also come out during daylight hours. Keep your pets supervised whenever they are outdoors.

Proper fencing and gates. Before you bring your pets to your new home, check the fencing and gates for possible escape routes. Dogs and cats who normally don’t run away, can become frightened or confused when they move to a new home. Proper fencing also stops unwanted intruders, like coyotes and other neighbors’ dogs, from invading your pets’ space.

Neighbors’ Pets. Walk the neighborhood and get to know your new neighbors, and their pets. Dogs are naturally territorial. Keep that in mind when introducing your dogs to their new K-9 neighbors.

High Places for Cats. Especially if there are dogs at home, each room of the new house should include high places to ensure the cat’s safety. Cats like to have escape options, such as elevated places like tall cat trees and high tables or shelves.

Cats belong indoors. Domesticated cats are safer and healthier when they live indoors. (Read an article by the Human Society about Indoor vs. Outdoor Cats.) Cats are easy prey for coyotes. In San Diego County, outdoor cats pose a significant threat to all kinds of wildlife, especially our songbird populations.

Tips for Moving In – The First Two Weeks

It can be difficult for any pet to adjust to a new home. They are not always comfortable with change. Moving to new home means a new environment, smells, sights, and neighbors. It often takes a dogs and cats at least two weeks to become accustomed to their new environment.

Dogs – Baby Gates and Leashed Walks

Until dogs learn proper boundaries in their new home, use baby gates to restrict access to the kitchen or bedrooms that have sensitive items. Introduce your dogs to the new home on a leash. If your dogs are used to being crated, you may want to crate them when you leave them alone in the home, until they get used to their new environment.

Cats – A Sanctuary Room

Cats are independent and clever, but they need extra TLC when moving them to a new home. A move can be overwhelming for them. If possible, set up a separate “sanctuary room” for them, which can be in a bedroom or large closet.  The sanctuary should contain everything they need:

• a litterbox
• food/water (placed away from the litterbox)
• scratching post/scratchers
• cat tree (or other elevated places)
• a comfortable bed
• safe hiding places

After about a week, you can try letting your cats roam the house while supervised, until they get used to their new environment.

You can learn more about your cats’ needs on the Cat Behavior Associates website. The website offers the book Think Like a Cat by Pam Johnson-Bennett. You can also read about Bringing Home a New Cat and Moving to a New Home with Your Cat.

The Bottom Line

When your family includes pets, buying a new home requires extra preparation. Help them with the move by addressing safety concerns, and ensuring that their needs are met. Spend at least the first two weeks helping them get used to their new environment.

Selling your home with pets also takes some extra work. Offering a pet-free tour for your visitors may sell your home faster, and for more money. Keep your beloved pets, and your potential buyers, safe and happy.

Good luck, and contact me with any questions.

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