Rentals and "Agressive Breeds" (Colorado Springs, Craig: apartments, renters, insurance)

[JustPeachy47]

My hubby and I are moving to the Springs around July 1st so I've started a hunt for a rental home that will allow one, older med. sized dog (60lbs). I'm getting highly frustrated because all I can find is breed restrictions at every turn. Where do all of the Rotties, Shepherds, Staffies, and Dobies live in Colorado Springs?



I don't want to lie to a perspective landlord. It's not my style but I'm unsure now. Do people just lie about their pets and everybody turns a blind eye? Do they have to surrender them for euthanasia, 'cos that ain't happening or do they just go someplace else? We're happy to pay extra pet deposits and extra monthly rent just as we've always been happy to pay for her care. It's part of ownership and a given.



I understand about homeowners ins., and HOA's but do we have to live in our car for christ's sake? It's just ironic to me that a city that touts itself as so "dog friendly" really isn't.

[glenninindy]

Most owners of aggressive breeds big or little, brought the dogs in later, after they secured the rental. Aggressive breeds are hard to re-train to be nice toward other tenants and their pets. Folks with aggressive breeds should never rent apartments where other tenants want to live in peace without being verbally harassed and threatened harm whenever they come and go, by their neighbors aggressive watch dogs. Folks should always rent individual houses with aggressive breeds. Even then, peaceful neighbors close by can still feel harassed and threatened by aggressive breeds viciously barking at them through the fence, doors, and windows, and complain to the authorities. God forbid if a dangerous, aggressive, watch dog gets loose. It would be better to muzzle your aggressive breed watch-dog outside, and make an enclosure around the fence, doors, and windows, where the dog cannot see people or other animals, rather than move, put it down, or get fined for negligence. Where I live, the law for owning a Pit-Bull is a quarter of a million dollars for insurance, and a fence higher that 8 feet or in an enclosed area with a covering. States and Cities have their own laws. I know your dog may probably be very loving and affectionate toward those it knows, but maybe not towards the rest of us, unfortunately.

[LHS79]

When I was a LL I would always meet the dog- if it jumped on me or ran around the yard not obeying commands etc... it would be "Next!" since I knew what the house would look like in 6 months.

Best of luck!

[TCHP]

I'd have to question that glenninindy's perspective is not of Colo Spgs as 8' fences are not the norm here and in fact require a variance allowance from our regional building department to have them in a residential area.

Sorry, no real input on how to deal with breed issues in rentals. If you are looking at apartments/condo/townhomes with corporate ownership or are zeroing in on some specific areas of the city that are highly desirable, then that may explain what you are running into. Smaller management companies or landlords with houses may be more open to a range of breeds.

[Parnassia]

"Aggressive breed" restrictions have been a thing for years. Makes one wonder why people who know they must rent rather than buy decide that's the type of dog they must have in the first place. Not as if there aren't many other great options! Totally agree that many times dogs are products of their training and treatment not their genetics. I'm sure there are people who happened to own a home, chose one of those breeds or "inherited" a dog from someone they know, and later find themselves needing to rent for a short time, but let's be real. There are a lot of other people who don't think this through before picking a pet. Then when they can't find a place to live they are outraged and blame it on everyone else.

[dr.frog]

More often it seems that the way it happens when people can't find a place to live with their pet, it ends up at the Humane Society or Craigslist. Or just dumped somewhere. :-(

[Zippyman]

Originally Posted by Parnassia

"Aggressive breed" restrictions have been a thing for years. Makes one wonder why people who know they must rent rather than buy decide that's the type of dog they must have in the first place. Not as if there aren't many other great options! Totally agree that many times dogs are products of their training and treatment not their genetics. I'm sure there are people who happened to own a home, chose one of those breeds or "inherited" a dog from someone they know, and later find themselves needing to rent for a short time, but let's be real. There are a lot of other people who don't think this through before picking a pet. Then when they can't find a place to live they are outraged and blame it on everyone else.

It’s not really that much better as a homeowner- many of the least-expensive home insurers have breed restrictions- there are a few insurers that don’t care, but they’re usually not the insurers with the best rates.

[Bamaman1]

We were first owners of a pit bull rescue dog. We later found a big male Rottweiler staked out in a field without food or water which we stole/rescued. Someone stole the Rottweiler and my daughter replaced him with a female rottie who we still have.

For the most part, the above mentioned breeds are no problem if raised right and mainstreamed into society. But dogs like bulldogs and pits have a jealous side to them, and they are a threat to other dogs--often attacking on sight. Neighbors feel threatened by the sight of such dogs.

Our female Rottweiler has the personality of a poodle, and she doesn't know she's a "viscous breed." We have a large fenced backyard, and she's a great house dog.

But people really need to be aware that these dogs have to live in a controlled environment, and rental houses and apartments are not the best places for some breeds of dogs They require more room.

[Even_Stephen]

Everybody with an aggressive breed dog says "yeah, but mine is a sweetheart." Maybe so, or maybe not, or maybe yours will snap sometime in the future. Ever wonder why certain breeds are tagged as aggressive? Because they are! The history is there. They were bred to be. Lots of folks get them because they want an intimidating dog. Everybody? No. Most? No. But enough.

Many landlord insurance policies prohibit renting to tenants with certain breeds. Many also prohibit trampolines, above-ground swimming pools, and other stuff. So, the restrictions aren't limited just to dogs.

Even if the landlord doesn't have restricted insurance, many still elect to limit dog breeds. Why? Because if some random person gets attacked by a dog owned by a tenant, guess who the victim is going to sue? The tenant AND the landlord. Why? Landlords are typically bigger financial targets than tenants who, just telling the truth here, typically don't have much in the way of assets to go after nor even renters insurance that will cover liability.

[City Guy997S]

Originally Posted by Even_Stephen

Everybody with an aggressive breed dog says "yeah, but mine is a sweetheart." Maybe so, or maybe not, or maybe yours will snap sometime in the future. Ever wonder why certain breeds are tagged as aggressive? Because they are! The history is there. They were bred to be. Lots of folks get them because they want an intimidating dog. Everybody? No. Most? No. But enough.

Many landlord insurance policies prohibit renting to tenants with certain breeds. Many also prohibit trampolines, above-ground swimming pools, and other stuff. So, the restrictions aren't limited just to dogs.

Even if the landlord doesn't have restricted insurance, many still elect to limit dog breeds. Why? Because if some random person gets attacked by a dog owned by a tenant, guess who the victim is going to sue? The tenant AND the landlord. Why? Landlords are typically bigger financial targets than tenants who, just telling the truth here, typically don't have much in the way of assets to go after nor even renters insurance that will cover liability.

I disagree with breed restrictions. To ban 10+ breeds all at once is insanity (Pit bulls, Doberman, Rottweiler, Boxer, Great Dane, Husky, Chow, German Shepard/Belgian Malinois, Akita).

I don't rent so ownership does not concern me. The dog "snapping" is a long shot, but then again people "snap" and shoot up a school/mall but then it becomes a gun argument. See how non sequitur it gets? The "history is there" is a slippery slope. For example: A modern data set, examining the 13-year period of 2005 through 2017, shows that Dobermans were involved in only 1.4% of human fatalities (6 of 433 deaths). Despite their function as a protection breed, Dobermans are seldom involved in fatalities. Keep in mind the popularity of the breed obviously will skew the statistics, when was the last time you saw a Doberman? A few years back the Cocker Spaniels were on a bite list, not for fatalities but rather because they were super popular and there were a bunch out there. They rarely make headlines because deaths are rare.

Some of the aggressive breeds aren't real bright so combined with a lack of training you end up with a beast on your hands. But if the cops use German Shepards/Belgian Malinois breeds regularly there is a reason for it, they are great dogs with the right training.

LHS79 has the right idea, meet the dog and see how it does. The only thing I'd add to that is to see if it has been spayed/neutered (for most it results in a calmer dog).