Whether you are looking for a pet friendly home or a home friendly pet. please read.

When my husband and I started looking at homes many years ago a top priority was to live near a playground and recreation area for our soon to be born child.  These days, in addition, to seeking a place that will be great for your immediate human family,  pet owners have other equally important criteria.  Ideally you want to live in a place that will be pet friendly. To be considered a pet friendly area there must be pet amenities nearby which include pet stores, places to walk, groomers, veterinarians, and often restaurants with areas to eat with your dog.   According to Dogtime.com the top 10 pet friendly cities nationwide include Portland Oregon as number 1 and Boston as number 7.  

As a local dog owner,  I can vouch for the Boston area being a great place to have a dog.  Whether you live downtown or in the suburbs there are numerous pet friendly amenities everywhere.  In addition, there are great vacation places within driving distance that welcome dogs along the south towards the Cape and up north towards New Hampshire.   In the suburban town where I live there are great hiking trails and nearby dog parks.   In addition to having many of the amenities mentioned above, with Tufts Veterinary School and Angel Memorial Hospital MSPCA in Massachusetts animal health care is a top priority.  

The physical setting of the home may be a factor in choosing a property.  Depending on the age and size of your dog, he or she may have difficultly walking up or down stairs.  You may want a place with a fenced in backyard where the dog can run outside freely.  (Of note, if you live in an area near woods you still need to be wary of wild predators and ticks and may not want to leave your dog unattended.)    If you are looking at a rental or a condo it is also critical to check the rules of the landlord/association as sometimes dog or pets over a certain size are not permitted. 

As city streets and traffic makes walking often difficult for urban folks the concept of dog parks has become increasingly popular over the past five years.  First starting in cities such as Manhattan and downtown Chicago this trend has more recently migrated towards the suburbs. There are close to 60  dog parks now in the greater Boston area.   Recently a dog park opened in Needham near my primary home and Mashpee where I spend time during the summer with my dog.  A dog park is a great place for dogs as well as their owners to socialize.  In fact,  many empty nesters flock to the dog park to meet other dog owners.  

Perhaps you have already found your dream property and are ready to consider becoming a pet owner.  As a near empty nester my pet has become my best little friend and I am always excited to seek out new places to walk with her.  If you would like to add a little friend to your life,  Coldwell Banker has recently engaged in an arrangement with Adopt-a-pet to help place shelter dogs in loving homes.  This is one additional way that my company works with our clients through all stages of life.  After all there is nothing like coming home to the unconditional love of a dog.  A dog truly does make a house a home. 

Wendy recently joined Coldwell Banker Needham.  She has been a realtor for over 8 years and knowing the area quite well can share a hands on local perspective.  She has also recently earned the SRES  designation and looks forward to helping other baby boomers as they approach their next transitions.  Feel free to contact her directly or click here http://www.wendybcb.com if you would like to learn more.