Los Angeles Pet-Friendly Apartments, When Moving With a Dog or Cat
(Updated 2020)
How important is a dog resume or curriculum vitae (CV)? A dog resume is very important if you live in Los Angeles or any large city. Why is a dog resume necessary? If you want to live with your dog or cat a pet resume is critical to showing how you are a responsible pet parent, tilting the scales in your favor at being warmly accepted into a condominium, house, or cooperative apartment building.
Pet-Friendly Apartments Los Angeles
Finding pet-friendly apartments can be difficult. However, finding a pet-friendly rental or home is only the first step. Getting accepted by a landlord or Homeowner Association (HOA) can be equally or more difficult.
Parents dog training in Los Angeles and most densely populated cities understand why a well-behaved dog is so important. City dogs do not have the luxury of space, quiet, or predictable environments and are crammed in close quarters, dense populations, vicissitudes of city life and abundant, novel, unfamiliar stimuli that are often stressful which can lead a dog up the ladder of dog aggression: fear, anxiety, phobia and dog bites.
Los Angeles pet-friendly rentals, Homeowner associations, and Co-op boards are notorious for being extremely difficult and even discriminate against many dog sizes, weights, breeds, and dog ages. I, nor any educated professional, agree with breed specific legislation (BSL) or any form of discrimination, (speciesism) however, these laws still exist, and an informed, intelligent, responsible pet parent will work with a fear-free educated dog trainer and learn how to train their dog in basic obedience and work on any canine behavior quirks or problems your pup may have such as dog aggression, dog barking, separation anxiety, and potty training way before you are looking to move.
As you can imagine, dogs with behavior problems and anxiety that are loud, under-enriched, under-stimulated, and under-socialized dogs do not make for harmonious neighbors.
A tenant, or family may be evicted and fined by their co-op or condo board if a dog has behavior problems. It is incumbent upon a pet parent to act responsibly and to educate themselves and their puppy with the most up-to-date science-based ethology and dog training knowledge from a Fear-Free Certified Trainer who is also a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC) and Certified Professional Dog Trainer, to serve as an ambassador for their pet.
A well-behaved and responsible parent is an attractive asset to a building and homeowner association so they may relax their discriminatory rules and policies. Many insurance policies and building bylaws exist because too many pet parents are irresponsible and do not seek professional dog training advice from reputable sources and may not realize that training and learning is a lifelong process, not an event. Going to a few dog training obedience classes or a behavior modification session is neither sufficient nor conducive to a learned dog or parent.
How to Find a Pet-Friendly Apartment
Dog-friendly apartment buildings are challenging to find. Some cities are more difficult than others, however finding a building requires the same diligence. These tips will help you find a pet-friendly apartment.
- Ask friends with dogs. Ask pet parents when you are out for walks or at dog play sessions. Also, dog parks have many dog parents that may be resourceful.
- Real estate apps and websites such as Apartment.com, Craigslist, Hotpads, Trulia, and Zillow allow you to specify dog, cat, or pet-friendly apartments which are very helpful when searching for pet-friendly buildings in LA, New York, and most metropolitan areas.
- Dog training classes, dog trainers, veterinarians, dog groomers, dog food stores may all have people that can offer tips and give recommendations about where pet-friendly apartments are located.
- Real estate brokers may specialize in placing pets and parents into a dog and cat-friendly apartment.
- General friends, family, and coworkers. Network as much as possible and ask everyone you know. One of the many benefits of being generous and acting as a hub of information and help for people is that they are often wanting to help you in return.
- Search online for ‘pet-friendly apartments near me,’ ‘pet-friendly rentals,’ or some variation of these terms might discover dog-friendly apartments or homes in your area.
Buildings in more underdeveloped areas (pre-gentrified) or that are looking to attract new tenants and fill apartments may be laxer with their pet rules and policies than well-established, high-end real estate co-op and condo buildings. Regardless of how you find a pet-friendly home, more often than not, condominium and co-op buildings require dog parents to have a dog resume and cover letter for their pup. Your dog’s cover letter and resume should look very similar to the one you would make for yourself if you were applying for a job.
A pet cover letter and resume is a brilliant way to advertise and market your qualities why a building, would want to have you and your pet occupy the same building, common space, and community where they already reside. The cover letter and resume for your dog should look professional and the same structure as you would make for yourself.
How to Get Your Dog or Cat Into a Pet-Friendly Apartment
A well-trained and behaved dog along with a responsible and respectful pet parent will get you into a pet-friendly apartment every time! Parents can highlight their responsibility and their pet’s behavior and health through a pet cover letter and resume.
What to Include in a Pet Resume and Cover Letter
Whether you are looking for a pet-friendly vacation rental or pet-friendly apartment, a well-thought-out cover letter and pet resume will help ensure that you get accepted into your new pet-friendly home. This was written with a dog in mind but can also be applicable to a cat or any pet. Here’s what to include in a pet cover letter and resume.
- Any certifications, awards, accolades. Obedience titles, Canine Good Citizen (CGC), Service dog certification, Emotional Support Animal Certification, Therapy Dog Certification, etc.
- Dog Training Class Certifications and participation log with times/dates.
- Dog Boot Camp participation.
- Puppy training, socialization, and obedience schools your dog went to.
- Letters of recommendation from accredited, certified dog trainers, behaviorists, past neighbors, landlords, authority figures, etc.
- Your groomed dog’s pictures with or without their certificates and titles. Preferably professional pictures showing your dog or pet looking well behaved in a variety of environments.
- Medical records, vaccinations, flea, tick, spay, neuter, and other health-related concerns up-to-date from your veterinarian.
Have these ready long before you would be interviewed and be ready to proudly present these to the homeowner, broker, or building apartment boards.
A building that accepts dogs will call you in for an interview with your dog, to make sure that your dog’s resume is in line with your dog’s behavior.
It goes without saying that any misbehavior or punitive dog training equipment such as a shock collar, electric collar, choke chain, prong collar, are all indicative of an ill-behaved dog and an irresponsible pet parent who has not taken the time to educate themselves and their dog and build a strong bond between them built on education, understanding, and communication. These are all red flags and why a savvy apartment building board will deny your application.
Dog Cover Letter
Dear Home Owners Association/Co-op Board,
Please consider Fluffy for inclusion in the Dakota. As you will see from her resume and her extensive training with Fun Paw Care, Canine Good Citizen designation, and her multiple obedience awards, she is an exemplary pet that provides love and affection to everyone she meets. She is a role model in her dog obedience classes and was featured in her obedience trials. Her profile picture is attached although a personal interview would better show off her stature, temperament, and affability to all nonhuman and human animals. I am sure her impeccable grooming and hygiene, will bring smiles to your faces as you pass her whimsically frolicking in the hallway on the way outside to exercise, socialize, play, and relieve herself like a good girl! Her unmistakable saunter can be detected from afar, and when she sees you, she glows with glee.
She will make even the most seasoned curmudgeon crack a smile and have a wonderful day.
Sincerely,
Proud pet parents,
Dog Resume/CV Curriculum Vitae
Your dog’s name:
Your dog’s picture:
Your name:
Your email:
Your phone number:
Overview
Fluffy is an affable, amiable, vivacious, youngster who is accustomed to long walks on the beach at sunset, upscale organic dog treats, with an affinity for freeze-dried liver, loves apartment living, is highly socialized and very quiet. She is an expert napper in one of her many plush organic natural rubber latex responsibly sourced biodegradable luxury dog beds.
She is extremely friendly, and prefers tummy rubs to head patting and loves a good tickle behind the ears. Caveat: she may fall asleep in your lap, and she does snore on occasion. She is very friendly and maintains a beautiful disposition and temperament. She is not too independent or dependent but perfectly balanced in-between.
She has impeccable behavior and enjoys a nice sip of filtered water after a romp with her boyfriends in the park. Don’t worry though, she’s no hussy and far from a strumpet. She won’t be bringing all the boys to the yard at crazy hours. And don’t worry, because she is already spayed, she will not be having any puppies of her own. Spaying benefits not only her health but won’t arouse neighbor boys causing them to misbehave.
She has a strict bedtime and loves her routine. She is in bed by 9 PM snoring ever so gently which is perfect white noise for our family. She occasionally has flatulence but always runs away after she passes gas as her way of excusing herself. Gas only occurs after her meals which occur twice daily in her slow bowl feeders or through dog training while out on her walks. No knowledgeable pet parent uses dog food bowls any longer, that’s old-hat.
We have a daily dog walker to provide her much needed exercise and stimulation. We are also members of the most prestigious dog club in the world. Therefore we always have a certified behaviorist, nutritionist, and luxury Los Angeles dog boarding and daycare service as an option 24/7 for whenever we travel. We work with a fear-free, dog trainer, and behaviorist because we believe education shouldn’t hurt and is a lifelong pursuit, and dogs learn every second.
Health and Grooming
Fluffy is a short-haired beauty. She has beautiful almond-shaped brown eyes, and her hair smells like cinnamon and lavender after she gets bathed with her organic shampoo.
She rarely sheds, loves getting professionally groomed biweekly and groomed by us daily. She is up-to-date on her vaccinations, free of ticks, fleas, and mites. She has a microchip, and it is up-to-date as well. She receives regular health checkups at the veterinarian’s office.
Our dog loves bubble baths and smells delicious. Because of her oily skin, she gets bathed once every two weeks and loves her tubby time because we line the tub with peanut butter before her bathtub and she licks as we scrub. Sometimes she stays in the tub so long she gets pruney paws. Classical conditioning works like a charm, thanks, Ivan Pavlov! We are sure not to poison her cue when we use “come” when we call her for her bath or when using other cues as we have learned from our Certified Dog Behavior Consultant.
Fluffy adores lavender-scented soy candles with all cotton wicks (no lead or toxic paraffin for this rotund, bespeckled girl), stuffed Kong toys with organic, non-GMO nut butter (in a glass jar of course. Fluffy loves the earth and doesn’t use plastics whenever there is a choice) and Nina Ottosson puzzles to stimulate her mind.
Fluffy is environmentally friendly and insists on using biodegradable poop bags, hemp or upcycled dog leash, a collar for her tags, and a front attaching harness as not to affect a dog’s delicate neck, trachea, and our beautiful planet. She is very courteous to neighbors and their pet dogs and always asks politely and calmly to sniff other dogs’ rear ends to get to know them better. She loves reading her pee-mail on nearby fire hydrants and trees.
Unlike my ex-girlfriend, she is not pushy, aggressive, or a thief. She doesn’t counter surf, steal food off of the table, and waits patiently and calmly on her dog bed for her stuffed food toy which she delicately extracts the goodies the house chef concocts for her daily.
A lady never tells her age, so I will. Don’t tell Fluffy but she is a 4-year-old English Bulldog but acts much more mature for her age. People guess she’s two because of her beautiful shiny coat and spry, bouncy gate. Her grace is well beyond her years, and she oddly reminds me of Jackie O. She clearly has an old soul and is a diva at heart.
Fluffy drools on occasion, never because of desperation, gasp, but her breed. We always carry certified compostable, biodegradable, plant-based baby wipes to wipe her lady parts and paws when she comes back inside the house. A lady can never be too clean down below. We also clean her many love wrinkles and massage her daily. An English Bulldog requires more maintenance than other breeds.
Dog Attire
Fluffy only wears couture clothes handmade for her statuesque, bulbous physique. Her elliptical waistline tends to put on a few pounds during the holidays and has to have her clothes altered at the tailor. She likes to wear accouterments that highlight her deep brown soulful eyes such as a pink ribbon that makes her coat pop. She is not averse to wearing sweaters when it is cold or dog boots when the ice, snow, and salt build-up in our chateau in Aspen. Puparazzi sometimes catch her donning her seasonal garb which varies depending on her mood, the season, and the weather patterns.
Dog Training and Behavior
Fluffy was adopted by us from Los Angeles Animal Services where she was trained by the renowned, fabulous dog trainer at Fun Paw Care dog training school beginning January 1st, 2010, and continuing weekly to keep her canine behavior impeccable and our family educated. She has had dozens of sessions because we understand that learning is a process and our princess loves to learn during her training sessions with Fun Paw Care! Please feel free to inquire about her abilities and history from them as well.
We are also Members of Fun Paw Care’s exclusive dog club which means she’s always taken care of any day and any time we travel. She is an integral part of our family, and we wouldn’t think of treating her any differently than any other loved one.
Fluffy is fully potty trained and never has an accident in the home. She is accustomed to going potty on perfectly manicured grass and getting rewarded for doing so with a nice long walk and some premium dog treats or a ball throw.
She is very obedient and loves to train while we are out on our walks. Her dog training keeps her heeling at my side and very attentive throughout our walk. She sits at all curbs and whenever I, my wife or kids stop. She is a doll and adds an ineffable amount of love, value, and enrichment to our lives.
She rarely barks, if at all. Only sometimes when she passes gas unexpectedly and thinks it was one of us. She is great with kids and sits or rolls over like a lump of clay waiting to be painted like one of your French girls, or molded into a Picasso. Regardless, my wife or I always supervise interactions with youngsters or my friends’ children.
Fluffy gets walked four times a day by us and the dog walker and loves basking in the sun and smelling the flowers in the gardens and around the park. Fluffy does not need vigorous exercise due to her brachycephalic breed. When it is hot out we walk along the shaded tree-lined street and always bring a retractable bowl for water and cooling vest for those hot sunny days.
Fluffy loves her dog crate. Fluffy loves to travel and adores her crate which is the Zen environment that we train her with regularly. She adores swimming amongst the many ponds and pools and always wears her dog life vest and is supervised because Bulldogs don’t float.
Fluffy snores away during the daytime in between when we are gone and when the dog walker comes. She is a calm, cool, and collected young lady. She’s a very wise lady, like a miniature Buddha.
About Us
As longtime pet parents, we act responsibly, pick up after Fluffy, and always have extra dog poop bags to offer friends who forget or run out of bags. We continue to take dog behavior and training classes with Fun Paw Care because they are incredible teachers, don’t teach with force o fear, and understand learning theory inside and out.
Whenever we have a question, we call them because they are incredibly accessible, innovative, responsive, and sensitive to catering to our unique dog nutrition, dog boarding, and daycare needs. They not only teach Fluffy but us, how to understand and communicate effectively through operant and classical conditioning with Fluffy, and are incredibly knowledgeable about all things dog and cat.
We arrange for Fun Paw Care to pet sit and to come over when we are on vacation. It puts our minds at ease knowing that Russell is available to us to help in any way possible and that Fun Paw Care is licensed, bonded, and insured to the highest degree possible.
We have built a beautiful relationship with Russell over the years and he is our dog’s best friend. We always have reliable pet care if we are going out of town. Fluffy will be an exemplary role model for other dogs who reside at The Dakota, and if need be, we are willing to put up an additional security deposit to secure her spot in the most prestigious lovely building in town. We have many references which are provided below.
Dog Behavior References
(An organized dog dossier for your pup should include)
Our current HOA, Co-op board, or landlord contact details, may be reached at 424 341 0166. Please also see attached letters of recommendation, certificates, obedience titles, therapy dog designations, service dog information, emotional support animal (ESA) recent letter from a mental health professional, veterinarian bill of health, rabies and vaccination shots up-to-date, license and all other documentation.
Additional References
- Your dog trainer
- Your dog behaviorist
- Your dog groomer
- Your dog boarding professional
- Your dog pet sitter
- Your dog walker
- Your veterinarian
We would be ecstatic for you and the board to meet Fluffy at a time convenient for you as long as it is before her 9 PM canine massage, canine aromatherapy, and nail buffing bedtime.
When moving with your dog, cat, or pet, a dog resume and cover letter could mean the difference between getting the home of your dreams and squat! It comes down to a family’s preparation and your dog’s behavior and training skills. Don’t delay!
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