I had a listing like that once. The dog was a big black lap, in a fenced yard. It barked and scared an old lady to death just about. I had to ask my sellers to take the dog to work (husband was in construction) when we had showings. 

Hi Kim, Great blog.  I have dogs and I KNOW how they are when someone comes to the door.  IF I know there's a dog inside a house, I will not show it. 

Agents should insist that the owners either take the dog away during showings or be there the dog before the buyers get there. I remember the time I was showing a property and there was no mention of a dog in the listing. As soon as we rang the door bell, the seller opened the door with 2 big black dogs barking at us. One of my buyers who was deathly afraid of dogs ran away so fast, as soon as she saw the dogs. Of course, my buyers did not end up buying the house.

I ask my clients with dogs, that if the dog cannot be crated, to at least put it in the garage the day of showing.  That way if the buyers like the house, they can come back when the owner is there to take the dog for a walk and see the garage.

Kim, this was a really fun read- and all too true.  I'd have gone the other direction, with paramedics called to the house to treat all of us after the attack. 

I wish I understood about owners and dogs. Others do not like dogs and most do not like dogs in the home when looking. I will not show with loose dogs. I am not fond of cats either but I do the cats because they hid most of the time.

Kim, I loved your story!! I have had labs and they can be very protective. Having pets in homes is always difficult. I broke my foot one time on a brokers tour because the dog got loose and came running down the steps where there was a line of us and the person in front of me fell back on me - :)

AMEN! Kennel the dogs!  Sometimes sellers are even more cruel locking up a dog or a pet in a confined space all day.

It can be a problem that's for sure.....there are time that the people looking don't like dogs or are afraid of dogs.  I don't like to see pets, locked up in those cages all day, that breaks my heart.  There must be a way of working this out for all.

Patricia Aulson/Hampton NH Real Estate 

Dogs should definitely not be present in houses when they are being shown.  And by the evidence of so much doggie damage to houses, they probably shouldn't live in the house at all. My granddaughter says that I am not pet-friendly....but that's the way I was raised.

I love dogs, but not when I am showing houses.  One scared my clients to death, we did not go back to see the listing and that was the seller's loss.

Missy - I haven't had to deal with it on a listing... yet :)

Kay - I'm glad you respect them and how they could be. I'm probably crazy to still try!

Gail - I agree! I've come across uncrated dogs that the listing/showing instructions haven't warned of - that's nuts!

Nancy - That works. I've seen people put them in basement - I don't like that idea as much - so much importance in the basement.

Laurie - Yikes!

Susan - The smell seems to be the other bad issue with dogs and cats!

Jo - I didn't ever know Labs would act that way.  Broke your foot! Wow! 

Jim - We've all come across that I'm sure. I had to water and feed one in a sectioned off area - I don't think it had been checked on in a few days :O

Patricia - True, true!  I think a walk would be agreeable to all :)

Barbara - I don't know if I'd go as far as the "shouldn't live in the house" part.... but I know there are those out there that feel that way - and I'm not to judge :)

Chelle - Love your name!  Exactly showings + animals = disaster.  I've also had clients spend time oooohing and aaaahing over the pets and neglect the house!

Kim- I have had this happen too. I once showed up with my client, all 4ft 11' of her, to show a home and there were 3 huge dogs there. The listing agent had no mls box and we were supposed to go through the back door after getting by the 3 dogs. We did not see that home and she never went back either. Agents beware, warn us that there are animals.

Vanessa - So true... PLEASE warn us - so that we can assess the situation first.  Yeah, get by the 3 huge dogs in THEIR house... yeah... right... sounds like fun, eh? 

Cats can terrorize visitors as well. My Somali doesn't like other people at all. When I had my own home on the market, it was evident. An agent came with buyers, so I left the house to go next door. I was standing in my front yard, talking with my neighbor when I heard this pounding on the windows. I looked up, and the agent was rattling my second-floor window. I turned to my neighbor, "Oh, I think he's showing the buyers the new dual pane and how sturdy they are."

Then we heard screams. I dashed into the house to find the agent and his two buyers cowered in a corner. My cat was sitting on the floor, growling at them. They were terrified. Unfortunately, I couldn't suppress my laughter.  Needless to say, they didn't buy my house.

I'm sure my dog is a nice playful dog, and would bite nobody, but if my house was on the market she would have to vacate.  I trust my dog, but not many other dogs.  Actually I don't like dogs, I only have a dog because of the wife and kids. 

 I would have never tried to open the door as you did.  And then there are cats, they will make me vacate a house faster than anything!