By Cindy Aldridge

Keeping a tidy home, minimizing the personal touches, and making yourself scarce during an open house are typical points on a realtor’s checklist for a successful sale. No brainers, right? But what happens when you have a pet pooch? Or a pack of pets? Chew and claw marks, dirty paw prints, and slobber stains are a horror to realtors and potential buyers alike, so how do you address your much-loved source/s of the mayhem? To generate a top dollar bid, showing a pristine place is a must! Even if you get lucky – you attract potential buyers who are pet lovers – your canine companion can – harmfully to your purpose – distract the people viewing your home. This is when cuteness, playfulness and adorableness ironically turn against your interests. (Ouch.) What to do? If you want a handsome sale, here are a few tips to staging and selling a home when you have a dog, and later, how to comfort your dog when moving: Out of Sight, Out of Mind Piggybacking on the distraction idea above, you and your pets will likely be asked by your broker to not be present during an open house. Think about it. In the same way that people react differently to color and carpeting, they’ll have a personal reaction to your pet. Scary or lovable, noisy or cuddlesome, your pet will surely “color” a potential buyer’s impressions of your place. To skirt this risk, consider having a friend, relative or professional caretaker take in your dog during a visit or open house. Impossible? Have the dog taken out for a long walk. Fortunately, it’s standard policy for realtors to give you 24-hours notice of a visit, a good chunk of time to pull your trusty old Houdini trick on the dog. Truthfully, no buyer will plunk down thousands of dollars extra because you have a dog, but a few or all of them might dismiss your home for a dime if your dog’s there. Clean the Heck Out of the Place Keeping a spotless place is easier said than done when you have a pet dog running around. But you can pull it off, if you set your mind to it. Consider working in conjunction with a hired housekeeper to keep the space extra clean -- a small investment to make in your biggest investment. Bust pet odors and allergy-provoking dander as much as possible – make Mr. Clean proud. If the constant vacuuming isn’t enough, consider removing rugs, replacing any carpeting, and/or repainting the walls. Final touch? Scent candles everywhere. Clearing the clutter should also be a part of the master plan. Hide or remove feeding dishes, toys, pet beds and accoutrements. Be thorough and unrestrained in completing the total disappearance act – potential buyers love a home that smacks of punctilious ownership. But be diligent in replacing said objects in their old, familiar places, so your dog feels she still has a space in your home and heart. Beautify Your Home Staging a home that’s been lived in for years is the equivalent of a cosmetic facelift and can add thousands to your bottom line, when the sale comes through. Decluttering, illuminating dark corners and spaces, and beautifying the exterior of your home – yard and all – is a terrific idea, and regularly recommended by most realtors. Success! Home Sold, Handling the Move with your Dog Your dog may suffer a case of the nerves when moving day comes. Surprised and perplexed, the change of one home scene for another can incite anxious barking, unwelcome peeing incidents and even hair loss, for a time. Here are a list of small and big things you can do to make the transition process go smoother: · Keep familiar toys near the animal as much as possible. The scent of the toys will reassure and remind your dog of the scents of the old home, which, in turn, will calm her down. · Have a sitter take care of your dog on moving day so that your family and the movers won’t be burdened by a hyperactive dog in the middle of the move. · Take your dog for an extra-long walk on the morning of the move to keep her energy levels low for the rest of the day. · Stick to a set-in-stone routine of walking, feeding and playing with your dog before, during and after the move. This will reassure her that the home chaos is only temporary. The Takeaway Phew! Selling, staging a home, and moving, is exhausting. But all that extra effort in showing off the best aspects of your old home, sans pet hair and messes, is a good investment that can lead to a brighter, rosier future for you and your loved ones.

showing a pristine place is a must! - https://www.thebalance.com/how-to-prepare-your-house-for-sale-1799018

potential buyers who are pet lovers - http://www.zimbio.com/trivia/tEZLZfne9oR/Test+Will+Determine+Real+Dog+Lover

present during an open house. - https://www.thebalance.com/open-houses-how-to-hold-a-successful-open-house-1799063

Staging a home - https://www.closetbox.com/blog/selling-your-house-learn-how-properly-stage-your-home/

Decluttering, illuminating dark corners - https://www.home-storage-solutions-101.com/clearing-clutter.html

and even hair loss, for a time. - https://canna-pet.com/common-causes-dog-hair-loss-tips-diagnosis-treatment/