Pet Friendly Home Tips…Courtesy of St. Louis Home Sellers

Over the years I’ve worked with many clients who have all types of pets.

Everyone who knows me knows that I particularly love dogs. I have a dog of my own and also foster dogs too. I’m also a former cat owner and understand how to deal with roaming cats who need access to their litter box and might dart out the front door during a showing.

Whether I’m helping my clients look for a home near horse stables, a room that can be dedicated to the iguana or a spot for the chicken coop in the backyard, my goal is to help my clients find a home that meets their pet needs.

Yes…I have actually done all of these things for buyers who put their pet priorities on their ‘must have list’ for their new home. 

And if my clients are selling, I can make sure their home’s pet features included in the marketing without eliminating non-pet buyers at the same time.

Dog Friendly Home Tips:

I have fun snapping pictures of home modifications designed to make living with dogs easier. Check out a some of the pictures I’ve taken while showing clients homes all over town.

My clients Jenny and Michael bought a house last month where 2 growing puppies and a large adult dog were living. The owners puppy-proofed the family room to protect the rest of the house and the floors. While I wouldn’t have recommended showing the house while it was for sale with the room set up like this, it was a great solution.

If you have a puppy that will likely outgrow his destructive phase, or an extra room that you can simply turn into your dog’s palace, you might want to give this a try.

In the same house, these smart homeowners converted a twin bed and mattress into a dog bed. They just removed the legs off the frame and set it on the floor. It’s a brilliant solution if you have puppies still in the chewing stage, multiple dogs or giant sized dogs.

Another one of my buyer couples purchased a Webster Groves homes that used a floor doggy doorbell instead of bells on the door. All they had to do is teach the dog to ring the doorbell rather than scratching on the door or holding a staring contest (like my dog Milo does when he wants to go out).

This mid-century home originally had two windows near the floor with a large picture window above them. The current homeowner replaced one of the lower windows with a solid panel and a doggie door in her master bedroom. The doggie door leads directly into the fenced backyard.

I know a lot of small dog and puppy owners who would love to be able to send the dog outside without even getting out of bed.

Cat Friendly Home Tips:

I wouldn’t want cat owners to be left out. I’ve snapped some cat tips I picked up from home sellers too.

This cat door was built into the basement laundry room door at a home I recently listed in Kirkwood. The door was there when my clients bought the house, and my clients added he brush bristles on the other side of the door to give kitty a light brushing each time she headed to the litter box.

I’ve never seen a heated cat house before, but I guess it’s a thing. This outdoor cat was given a warm spot to rest on the front porch of a home I was showing a couple of years ago. Yes, I’ve been selling homes for a long time.