Yes they are on the insurance dangerous dog breed.

You can do an in home visit to see how they care for the home and IF there is a dog odor in the home.

Call your insurance company and ask if the tenant moved in with a german shepherd would there be a problem. And would the insurance company require a special rider paid for by the tenant?????

If the insurance is good with an additional rider and or insurance from the tenant.

And the tenant checks all your other screen criteria.

PLUS you charge an increase in monthly rent and a pet fee for future damages as well.

We allow animals but charge extra for them. Charge a one-time non-refundable animal registration fee and charge an additional amount per month. We don't have carpet in any of our houses, so carpet issues are not a concern. Yes, cats can pee on hardwood and it makes a terrible smell that's difficult to remove...but we feel the extra income is worth it.

If you don't allow animals, you limit your tenant pool significantly.

To have pets you want photo gets records showing the animal has been fixed, this slows down the aggressive behavior in general, before keys are issued be sure all monies are paid and you now have a animal registration fee at least 150bux per walking pet, have a written pet exhaust cleanup policy in your lease of the yard will be a mess, copy what your city park has so this is a community accepted standard on the books already.

The insurance has list of restricted dog, but the tenant will say it is ESA to be around it. Do not know what to do.

I purchased a building that had one of those dogs. Nice animal and friendly. When I worked at the building after the purchase, I kept smelling something around the trash bin. At first I couldn't figure it out. Then it dawned on me, all day long no one came to the property to walk the dog. So up i went on a ladder to "clean out the rain gutters" and had a great view of this tenants rear balcony patio area. Dog droppings everywhere. Old, new and fresh. Fly's, etc.

When the first rain came, that balcony's downspout got clogged with dog stuff and the secondary drain hole was shooting out dog droppings onto the rear parking area.

CJ-MO, within the last week in your post Barb-MO gave you detailed instructions how to verify the esa and service dogs, I have never had any push back when asking for photo vet records for every walking animal - pet or otherwise, I used to manage in 4 other states, you choose to "not know what to do", the instructions have been handed to you by others and you turn away and do what you like them complain that your ignored the preferred method and as predicted your method failed.

First step is to verify with your insurance company.

My experience with German Shepherds is that they are very honest. If they are the type to bite, they don't sneak around and hide it. If they are friendly, then they are friendly (as long as you don't threaten their kids)

They should be met in their own home, where they are the most likely to be protective and territorial. If they are friendly there, then they are going to be OK.

I expect all dogs to be clean, well mannered, and to have at least a minimum amount of training. Also, dogs must be spayed /neutered.

Yes, German Shepherds shed a lot. They have a heavy undercoat that is going to come out at some point.

My insurance company doesn't have a list. They did say IF you decide that you want to allow a dog (regardless of the breed) make sure that they have renter's insurance and that you are named FIRST INSURED on it.

Outside of that, it's up to us for our policy. All dogs shed - so do cats, birds and yes, even fish (haha). If you have a no pets policy then you have a no pets policy. PERIOD.

There are other companies that have the list and if they (when they) do an inspection and see that animal on the property - they will cancel you. So definitely make sure that you contact them for that list and what (if anything) that can be done if you do have it on the property. If it's "find a different company" then that's up to you.