Pets in Apartment Rentals: Tips for Downtown San Diego Living With Pets
San Diego is a very pet-friendly city, with dog beaches and dog parks, cat cafes, and eateries that will cater to your pet with special treats that rival their people food menus.
Even if you’re downtown, living with pets is made easier by available luxury apartment amenities in pet-friendly buildings like the Allegro Towers. These buildings allow your pet to live their best life with complimentary pet washing stations, mini dog parks, and more.
How to Find a Pet-Friendly Apartment
You’ve likely already read all kinds of apartment hunting tips to find the perfect San Diego apartment. If you’re moving with a pet, though, things can be a bit more complicated.
Luckily, downtown San Diego as a whole is very pet-friendly. Here are a few tips for finding that perfect pet-friendly San Diego apartment.
Use your community
If you’re already living in San Diego, you know there are many resources available to you to find pet-friendly rentals. Check the message boards, both online and where pet owners congregate, like parks or the vet’s office. Talk to friends with pets. Visit the local pet shops and groomers, where listings are often posted, and chat with the staff there. You have options.
Gather references
San Diego apartment hunting can get quite competitive, and a reference or two vouching for not only you but your pet, too, could put you over the edge to beat out the competition.
Be honest
If the listing has limits on breed, size, or the number of pets allowed in a unit, don’t try to cheat the system. Sometimes properties will work with you if you’re honest, especially if you can introduce them to your pet. You know that 60-pound retriever can’t pass for a chihuahua.
Set up a meet ’n greet
As mentioned above, if your pet is very well-behaved, it may work in your favor to have a property owner or landlord meet the animal. This strategy likely wouldn’t work with a cat or dog that isn’t the best boy or girl.
Read the fine print
It isn’t unheard of to expect pet deposits, pet rents, or additional fees when moving into a new place with a pet. Make sure you have all of that information before signing a lease to know the full cost of an apartment going in.
Tips for Keeping Downtown San Diego Pets Happy
When you’re moving to a San Diego apartment, your pet likely didn’t have a say in the place you chose in the end. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do your best to make them happy.
So how do you do that?
Check out the amenities and building layouts
Some buildings have easy access to green space if you have to take your dog out in the middle of the night. If you’re downtown, you’ll likely be in a high-rise. Consider how far you’d want to be from the bottom floor in those scenarios.
Establish boundaries
Pets thrive when there are rules in place, and you don’t want to burn through that pet deposit the first week after moving in. If you’re having trouble sticking to a routine, call for backup, whether that means a dog walker to take them out in the middle of the day or a cat sitter to check in on your kitty while you’re away.
Make your apartment as pet-friendly as it can be
So you’ve moved in, and love your place. Make it a place your pet loves, too. Think cat scratch posts, so your pet doesn’t go after your furniture out of boredom, and lots of toys for your pup to keep them occupied.
What’s in the neighborhood?
Many urban city areas are concrete jungles. That’s not true in San Diego. There are plenty of places where pets are welcome, even encouraged. Just beyond downtown, there are lots of places to get your pet the exercise they need to be happy when you’re not in the apartment with them.
Where to Brings Dogs in San Diego
There is no shortage of outdoor spaces in San Diego for residents to enjoy, usable year-round thanks to the city’s mild weather. If your furry friend is of the canine variety, there are all kinds of places they can come along with you.
Hit the beach
If you’re looking for lots of friends, head to Dog Beach in Ocean Beach, one of the most popular beaches for off-leash play. Fiesta Island in Mission Bay is another expansive doggie playground, with a large grassy area when your dog is done splashing around in the bay. Coronado Dog Beach may be the most scenic, with views of the Hotel del Coronado wherever you look.
Find your favorite park
If your pup isn’t a fan of water activities, San Diego has off-leash dog parks in nearly every neighborhood. Balboa Park and its adjacent neighborhoods have three: Nate’s Point, Grape Street, and Morley Field. The Little Italy Dog Park is even more convenient for downtown residents, with separate areas for dogs big and small.
Take your pooch on a date
San Diego is spoiled for choice when it comes to dog-friendly restaurants. Queenstown Public House is one of the most popular options for dog lovers in Little Italy, thanks to their large outdoor patio and delicious treats on hand. Just make sure your dog is leashed, well-behaved, and used to interactions with others, including other dogs, if you’re planning to bring them along for some patio dining.
Spoil your pup
Whether you’re looking to reward your pup with a doggie spa treatment or just give them a good scrub after all that fun at the park, you have options in San Diego. The downtown City Dog and Spawtlight Dog Salon and Spa are two popular options for both ordinary baths and specialty treatments some pampering for your pet.
Are you – and your pet – ready to check out one of downtown San Diego’s best pet-friendly luxury apartments? It’s time to pay a visit to Allegro Towers. Contact us today to schedule a tour and see the pet-friendly advantages of Allegro Towers.