Should I Allow My Tenant to Get a Pitbull Puppy?

by Janet
(Terrace, BC)

I have a tenant that wants a blue nose female pit bull. The apartment is a bachelor pad and is only 520 square feet.

There are three other tenants in the building. I have no idea what the issues would be. Noise would be a concern for me with barking and whimpering as well as damage to the suite from chewing items and from urinating on the floor.

He stated that he was to get a blue nosed pit bull female puppy for free. It is worth 1500 dollars. I don't know why would someone give a pitbull for free.

But really that is not my real concern. I want the safety of the other tenants and to protect the suite.

There is no backyard either.

Hope someone can shed some light.

Thank you

Gale's Reply:

Hi Janet:

I gather you're posing this question here because you're concerned specifically about this breed living in a small apartment in a building with other tenants.

So, if I were in your shoes, I'd break this down as follows:

1. Size of the Apartment: This isn't as important as you might think. I know someone who lived successfully with 2 greyhounds (rescued racing dogs) in a small apartment for a time. What IS important is the extent to which this dog will have the opportunity to have ample exercise. A tired dog is a happy dog. Your tenant needs to have an understanding of this and be available to provide lengthy walks and play sessions.

2. Destruction of Your Property: This would be a concern with ANY puppy. And again, so much hinges on the type of dog owner your tenant will be. Does he have time to take the puppy out at frequent intervals during the potty training phase? Will the puppy be crated when he can't watch it?

3. Annoyance Factor to Other Tenants: Is this puppy going to be left alone for long periods--for example--while your tenant is at work? Does he have the kind of job or lifestyle that would allow him to take his puppy with him when he's going to be away from the apartment for hours? Is there someone who can come over and entertain the puppy while he's gone?

4. Safety of Other Tenants: Pit bulls, unless they've been mistreated, are generally people-friendly dogs that may have a tendency to be aggressive to other dogs and prone to chase smaller animals. So, once again, it's back to the owner. Does he have plans to obedience train this dog, socialize it and mold it into a good canine citizen? Is he considerate of his neighbors to the extent that he will manage his dog in a way that does not put anyone else's pets at risk?

When it comes down to it, these concerns are really no different than the concerns you might have with any tenant getting a puppy that will one day be a high energy, medium to large breed dog.

That said, because there has been so much distorted information distributed about the breed, a number of municipalities have banned pit bulls along with other bull breeds that look like pits. Check your local ordinances to make sure that you and your tenant will not be out of compliance with any laws that govern your area.

You should also get out your property and liability policies and read them over to make sure that no dog breeds are specifically excluded from coverage in case you ever need to file a claim. Some people have actually lost their insurance for harboring an excluded breed even though a claim was never filed. (The company just found out somehow and canceled the policy!)

Hope this is helpful. Good luck and thanks for asking the question. I know many pit bull owners find it difficult to rent these days. So, I applaud you for giving this man's request consideration. I hope you're able to reach a satisfactory agreement about it.