On the Trail with Peninsula House Hound

Don’t let dog odor deter a potential buyer from considering your home.  Dog odor is an instant turn off.  Even dog lovers would want to get out of a home reeking with dog odor as quickly as possible.   

I received an email from a reader who is selling her home and is worried her house smells like dog urine.  Apparently, her Bichon has a tendency to mark (which is a bigger issue) and she has some showings lined up this week.  She is eager to sell her home and doesn’t want to scare away buyers because of the smell. 

Here are some tips for getting the dog odor out of your home:

1. Avoid using steam cleaners to clean urine odors from carpet or upholstery. The heat will permanently set the stain and the odor by bonding the protein into any man-made fibers.
   
2. There are a variety of products you can purchase to help neutralize the odor.  Some of the most popular products are Febreze Air Effects Bundle Pack 4pk, Nature’s Miracle Stain & Odor Remover with Trigger Spray (24-oz trigger spray bottle), and Just Rite products. 
   
3. A popular homemade remedy is remove pet urine odor is to rub some iodized salt into the carpet where the odor is.  Spray some water on it and vacuum.
   
4. Purchase an air filtration system.  These can be pricy but they work wonders.  One of the most highly effective air filtration systems is the IQAir HealthPro Compact Air Cleaner. It features a gas filter element with 6 lbs of activated carbon to reduce pet odors.  It is also good for removing pet dander so if any of your potential buyers are allergic to pets they will not immediately turn around at the door.
   
5. The simplest, easiest and least expensive weapon against pet odor is good old fashioned baking soda.  You can sprinkle it on the stain and vacuum it up later.  Place a box near the source of the odor in an inconspicuous place and it will soak up the smell. 

Do you have any good tips for our seller with dog odor?  She needs a quick, easy solution since she has showings scheduled this week.

A New York woman wants the city of Norwalk, CT to reimburse her for the $54 she spent at Stride Rite replacing her toddler’s ruined shoes when the 1 year old stepped in dog feces outside the Maritime Aquarium.  Kelly DeBrocky filed a $100 claim against the city saying her child’s shoes along with the entire outing to the Aquarium were ruined by the dog poop. 

City officials responded by saying, “Poop happens,” and denied the claim.  The Advocate reported the story and quoted one city official as saying that he has seen some frivolous claims in his day but “the feces claim reeks.” 

What do you think would happen in the Bay Area if people could sue the city for dog poop related incidents?  At least once every day I see a pile of dog poop when I am walking my dog, Bucky.  It always amazes me.  How does a dog owner just walk away from dog droppings?  It is not like it is a surprise.  You know your dog is going to poop when out on a walk.  Maybe if cities could be sued for poop violations and fines were higher for dog owners people would be more responsible. 

What do you think?

Scout’s House in Menlo Park is a full-service rehabilitation center for animals.  They are committed to maintaining or improving the quality of life for your pet after an injury or surgery.  I recently connected with Lisa Stahr of Scout’s House who offered several suggestions on caring for a dog who is getting on in years, recovering from injury or surgery, or living with a chronic disease, such as arthritis, hip or elbow dysplasia, or worse. 

Lisa suggests the following tips for modifying your home environment to make it easier for your pet to get around if their mobility is challenged:

1. If the dog has difficulty walking, particularly on hard surfaces such as tile or hardwood floors, put down area rugs in the places where the dog normally walks. Rubber-backed rugs are best for this, but you can use any rug just make sure it you tack it down with double-sided carpet tape or rubber mesh to hold it in place.
   
2. You can also consider using a non-slip spray on your dog’s paws.  One such product called Bio-Groom Show Foot was designed to keep show dogs from falling in the ring.  You can also get rubber-soled dog booties for increased traction.
   
3. If your dog has decreased coordination, she may also have a hard time negotiating elevation changes, such as stairs, furniture, or uneven surfaces in the yard. Use a baby gate to block off access to these areas or only allow her into the area when someone is available to supervise her. 
   
4. To make it easier for your dog to get up on or off of the sofa or bed consider getting a small ramp or set of stairs to. There are also larger ramps made to help dogs get in and out of cars more easily; some are folding and some telescoping. Use whichever kind works best for you and your pet but consider how high your car is when buying.
   
5. As for bedding, dogs who have a hard time stepping up will find beds with raised edges difficult to use, so use beds that have low edges or none at all. If your dog has neck problems, use a bed that has no edges since some dogs will hang their heads over the sides of raised-edge beds, exacerbating existing neck issues.  

Lisa points out that there are a host of products available today for dogs with limited mobility or functionality. In addition to ramps, steps, boots, and harnesses, there are products for incontinent dogs, including disposable diapers, absorptive training pads, waterless shampoo, and anti-infective moisture creams, specialized bedding that keeps pets with bony elbows and hips from getting pressure sores when they lie on one side too long, and protective splints and wraps for dogs with weak ankles and knees, just to name a few. Scout’s House sells a wide range of these products and also makes them available to pet owners nationwide via their online store at http://www.scoutshouse.com/store/.

According to the Las Vegas Review Journal, a 2 year old Siberian husky traveled 80 miles across the high desert and two mountain ranges to return home.  Moon ran away during a road-trip rest stop in north-central Nevada when her chain broke. 

A couple of things struck me about the story.  First of all it is obviously amazing that the dog was able to find her way home across the desert.  I don’t think my dog would be able to find his way home from the next block if he ran away.  Second of all the article says the owner searched for a couple of hours for his dog at the rest stop but then packed up and headed home.  How do you just leave your dog in the desert?  Third of all it says that the owner was contacted by the vet because the dog only had identification tags from the clinic.  Placing identification tags on a dog’s collar is a basic safety precaution.  It is shocking that people forget to take this step.

So just as a reminder even if your beloved pooch has dogged determination and the instincts of a homing pigeon make sure your dog is microchipped and has identification tags.  This will help your dog friendly neighbors find you if your dog ever gets lost.  Better yet sign up for PetAlertz and join together with your local dog community.

In April of 1973, mortgage rates were hovering at the same near-historic lows that they are today. Since that time, mortgage rates have only dipped this low during the height of the seller’s market in the early part of this decade when inventory was tight and prices were on the rise. The last time we experienced major buyer’s markets were during the economic downturns in the early 1980’s and 1990’s – both with mortgage rates in the double digits. So, the current combination of substantial inventory and low mortgage rates is the best possible situation for buyers since 1973.

In Menlo Park we are not seeing a large number of sales but the majority of homes that are selling have multiple offers.  Buyers are demanding a good value for their money and when they see a good deal they jump on it.  Inventory is continuing to increase which is always good for buyers. 

I was very excited to see that Bucky and I made it into The Almanac today.  I had submitted the story so long ago that I didn’t think it was going to see the light of day.  In “Dogs are the new children for home buyers,” I talk about how dogs are just as much a part of the family as children.  Just as home buyers look for good schools and good neighborhoods for their children, they are now starting to do the same for their dogs. 

It is a huge quality of life issue for many dog owners to have a dog park in the neighborhood for exercise and socialization.  On my website Peninsula House Hound buyers can search for homes on the market near dog parks.  There is a mapping function which shows them all the listings around various dog parks.  My clients love that feature because their dogs need a place to play close to home.

One of the best things about having a dog is being part of the dog community.  Not since I was a student in college have I felt such a sense of belonging.  I have lived in Menlo Park for years.  However, when I got my dog, Bucky, that is when I really started feeling connected to the city and the community.  Because of Bucky I have met people I never would have come into contact with in the course of my normal life.  I have formed friendships that will last a lifetime.  The moment I entered the scene with Bucky I was welcomed with open arms by the dog community.

So who are we?  What are dog owners all about?  What does a dog friendly community look like?  According to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association dog owners tend to have the following characteristics:

• Be married
• Have a higher household income than the U.S. average
• Own their homes at rates higher than the U.S. average
• Have larger-than-average household sizes
• Be slightly younger than the U.S. average

From my experience these characteristics seem to be true.  However, what I have really noticed about dog owners is they are good people.  They are nurturing, loving and generous.  I feel lucky to be part of my dog community and I am grateful that because of Bucky I have met all these wonderful people.

I am straying from real estate and venturing into the metaphysical zone but I can’t help myself.  I saw this video today on YouTube and it is one of the most powerful demonstrations I have seen about how our minds limit us.  The title of the video is “Stupid dog does not realize there is no glass in the door.”  However, this is not a stupid dog.  This is a dog whose mind has been trained to expect certain things.  Just like all of our minds have been trained to see limitations in life that may not in reality be there at all. 

How many of us want to try new things or make a change in our lives but like this dog see a screen where no screen exists at all.  We can learn a lot from our canine friends.  They are not so different from ourselves.

Whether preparing your home for sale or just preparing for more outdoor time with the family, now is the time to tend to your landscaping.  There is nothing that can diminish the appearance of your home faster than a brown lawn.  One way to preserve the appearance of a healthy, green lawn is to install a synthetic lawn.  The synthetic grass that has been recommended to me most frequently is SYNLawn synthetic grass.  It will soon be available at Lowe’s home improvement center.

There are certainly other alternatives to keeping your lawn green and healthy.  I learned during my research that it is a myth that female dogs cause the brown spots because of a higher acidity level in their urine.  My lawn is proof that a male dog can do just as much damage.  The best way to avoid urine spots on your lawn is to train your dog not to urinate on the grass.  It is the same as housetraining.  You just give the dog a particular place in the yard which is the bathroom area.  You can also reduce the amount of damage by diluting the urine with water immediately after your dog relieves himself. 

For more suggestions on dog friendly landscaping check out Cheryl Smith’s Dog Friendly Gardens, Garden Friendly Dogs.  This is a great guide for making your yard enjoyable for the entire family including the four footed ones.