Shhh!! They don’t know that their new “hotel” is simply two enormous dog training crates linked together… So, we’ve been thinking more and more about the possibility of selling our condo and looking for an affordable house. We met with the same team of realtors once again (Liz and Nancy) and I’ve still been keeping busy with all the cleaning and organizing that need to be done in the meantime. However, we’ve been at a real loss when it comes to our kids! What does one do with their beloved pets when their house is on the market? I’ve done some research, and the overwhelming conclusion is that pets distract and even scare away potential buyers. It seems that the sheer sight of a pet dwelling in a home for sale serves as a warning sign for a number of unpleasant things, such as carpet stains, odd smells, damage to walls and fixtures- the list goes on. Needless to say, I’ve been stressing myself out over what can be done with our kids when the place needs to be shown.
Our options were few to begin with- there is no way that I could even think about boarding them at a kennel. Aside from the ridiculous cost, I just couldn’t cage my pets in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people in tiny crates for who knows how long. And I would feel awful if they contracted some sort of kennel illness. So that option was scratched immediately. Then we thought about the possibility of leaving them with a friend or family member. But, that option presented another collection of problems. First, most of our family and friends have their own pets. Then, there’s the fact that the house might be on the market for quite a while, who knows how long! Is it really realistic that we cart our kids to and from another house on a daily or even weekly basis? That would not only be stressful for them, but for us and for the family or friend that would be required to care for them in our absence. So that idea was thrown out too. Next, our realtors suggested that we simply leave the kids to roam free around the house and when it was being shown, we could post notes on doors and windows warning the visitors not to allow the pets to escape. A viable option, but could we trust strangers to ensure that our kids stay inside where they belong? And what if a potential buyer has a fear of cats or severe allergies? That would be an instant deal breaker.
So, one day while I was at work, I was browsing on amazon.com and came across a dog crate for sale. This made me think- could we put the kids safely away in a crate in a corner of the extra bedroom for an hour or two during showing appointments? I talked to Eric and we thought that it just might work, if the crate was large enough. So I went out shopping and eventually landed at Ross (of all places for pet supplies!) and happened to stumble upon 2 big dog crates. I bought them both. Since each crate had two doors, we simply linked the crates together, put a food and water bowl inside, and I made a little cushion for them to sleep on. And so far, so good! We’ve left the contraption open for them to play in and out of and I’ve even found Mr. Blake sleeping in it on my way out the door one day. We figure that once they’re used to it, it won’t be an issue for them to take a nap or hang out in the “hotel” when we have appointments or an open house. Not a perfect solution by far, but we won’t have to worry about them escaping, bothering agents and buyers (not that they would!), burdening a friend or family member, or being uprooted from their familiar home.
Problem solved!
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