A recent post about the insurance aggressive dog breed list has been bothering me all day. The insurance companies have managed to brainwash us yet again. Landlords have been conditioned that pit bulls are bad and Labrador Retrievers , Beagles, etc. are good. Please hear me out . “ Listed” breeds are bad ( for business) because when they do bite it is usually catastrophic. The bite incidence is higher than other breeds so they are obviously more of a risk. Labradors, Goldens ( and other non aggressive list breeds )are bred for temperament and are low risk . We think they are safe because they are not on the list and most of them are. People pay thousands for that temperament that is successfully bred into about 90% of “ family dogs” . Ever wonder about the other 10%. I don’t.....that is the dog that the rescue sends my way. Remember the first face transplant recipient? That woman sustained that injury from a lab, her own lab. So, minimize your insurance risk by adhering to their list . I’m not downing any breed. Treat each dog as individually as each tenant. More importantly,- Please meet any dog you are considering allowing into your investment property, as your exposure to risk isn’t as easy as referring to a list. And for the record, labs make excellent guard dogs. You can definitely outsmart them, but you won’t outrun them.

My insurance company doesn't even have a list (or when I asked a few years ago my agent said "no, we don't have a list"). What he DID say was that if you allow ANY PET (dog, specifically) you should REQUIRE that the tenant have renters insurance and that you are named as first insured.

Then, no matter what happens ... their insurance is the first hit and it typically will take care of what is needed.

I typically would prefer a dog over a cat but that is a personal preference. I also know that it truly depends on the PERSON, not necessarily the ANIMAL of how things are going to be. If the person is not "clean" then the place won't be clean. It has no bearing on what the animal is doing or would do.

At times I would almost prefer that the animal rent from me and that the tenant isn't allowed to live there.

I agree, screen the dog as well as the human.

I couldn't agree more. Thank you for pointing that out. Each animal, like people, is an individual -with certain personality and temperament.

I've always had a process for screening animals. There is a separate animal application for each that includes full-length photo, name, age, weight, breed, fixed, Vet info, current on government-required immunizations, etc. And a form for the Veterinarian to confirm everything.

And it asks if this animal has ever acted aggressively toward any human or other animal. If they lie about its past, it's "on" them. I don't know how to screen for a dog's criminal history : p

If it's a dog, I ask the owner to give basic commands (sit, stay, come) & watch to see if it obeys. No obedience training is a no-go. Lazy, uncaring owners.

I have previously done this at the showing, saying if they won't let it ride in their car I don't let it in my house. Because of what some of you have said, I may switch that to during the in-home inspection (also new to me)on its own turf.

If approved, it is ONLY for THIS animal.

Maybe the thing to do if someone does NOT have a dog and is requesting is to give them a list of breeds that they can have since they are less aggressive. I also like the idea of the insurance for tenant making me the first insured. I will add that to my lease. I can suggest a few and I am sure someone will say "well my so and so ate my foot".

cjl, thanks for the idea about first insured on renters insurance, but can you advise on more details about when/how you get that?

DJ, that is a great animal screening process!

My beagles would fail, they pull and howl and sniff on walks. Heehee . Come to think of it my beagles would not be good neighbors I where yards are small. Too much howling! aArRrouughhh!

I have a prohibition against "little dogs" in multi-family housing. Pomeranians, Boston Terriers (any Terrier, really.) When I deny saying "we have found little dogs such as theirs to not be suitable in multi-family housing due to continuous barking when their owners are not at home..." VERY FEW have responded with "Not MY dog..." because they know it's true.

Rents, you are fooling yourself. Dogs bite. Any dog can and will bite.

Insurance companies are motivated by statistics and the likelihood of a claim. They list breeds that have a high likelihood of an incidence and thereby a claim. It is not brainwashing as you suggest.

There is a very dangerous breed missing on that list. They kill, injure, rape, and still from each other and the list goes on.