photo from flickr/digital_image_fan

Whether you own a teacup Yorkie or a St. Bernard, every Chicago condo building is different in the types of dogs they’ll accommodate and allow to live in each unit. While the MLS listings on www.sheldonchicago.com allows you to search thousands of available Chicago homes, but most listings only offer bare-boned information as to whether your pooch is welcome in a Chicago condo you’re interested in.

I’ve created the definitive source of information to break down the nitty gritty of a condo building’s special requirements concerning your pet. The MLS may say dogs are OK, but all dogs aren’t created equal when it comes to condo buildings. Can your pet have a four-legged friend of her own, or does she have to come solo? Does he meet special weight requirements? Are there any annual or registration fees
required?

The last thing a dog-lover wants is to fall in love with a Chicago home, only to find that Fido isn’t allowed. Getting these details up front is essential – and a complete list of more than 100 buildings is now available at www.sheldonchicago.com. Learn what buildings in the best Chicago neighborhoods are pet-friendly, as well as limitations concerning weight and the number of pets and any imposed fees.

Check out the list, and if you can’t find the building you’re considering a purchase in, give me a call at 312- 264-5853 or email me at ssalnick@rubloff.com. I’ll find out the particulars so you and your pup can happily find a Chicago condo to call home.

One walk around nearly any block of a Chicago neighborhood tells you that the city loves its dogs. And in my 20-plus years of selling real estate in Chicago, I’ve learned how important it is to many of my clients that they find a home suitable and accommodating to their pet.

After researching building after building in the best Chicago neighborhoods, I’ve found and compiled 116 choices among real estate in downtown Chicago for buyers looking for a high-rise condo that will welcome their pet. With downtown Chicago being a pet-friendly neighborhood in general, the options were aplenty. Some downtown Chicago condos limit the number or size of dogs in each unit, but there are also some that don’t impose any restrictions on resident pets. The list includes Chicago condos in coveted neighborhoods like the Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, and much more, and includes any restrictions or fees that a building might have when you move in with your pet.

My goal for this original research was to provide an additional resource for dog owners searching for a Chicago home. This kind of detailed information, while important to many buyers, isn’t readily available on MLS searches. This list will help dog owners quickly find a neighborhood they are interested, find dog-friendly buildings and see what limitations there are for each one.

Another plus to these neighborhoods – Lakeview, Lincoln Park and Lakeshore East in particular—is that they also offer community dog parks and dog-friendly areas for Fido to socialize:

Lakeview
Challenger Playlot Park, 1100 W Irving Park Rd.
Belmont Harbor, Belmont and Lakeshore Dr.

Lakeshore East
Grant Park, 337 E Randolph St.
Lakeshore East Park, 450 E Benton Pl.

Lincoln Park
Hamlin Park, 3035 N Hoyne Ave.
Noethling (Grace) Playlot Park, 2645 N Sheffield Ave.

For frequent travelers, Chicago even has options for your dog to check into a Chicago condo of its own. Full-service dog hotel Stay in Ravenswood offers both day care and overnight care for dogs, which includes suites with platform beds and floor-to-ceiling windows. Other options include the Pooch Hotel in Lincoln Park and the West Loop, DoGone Fun in the South Loop and Urban Out Sitters in Lakeview for day care.

Click here to view a list of Chicago dog-friendly buildings on Sheldon Salnick’s website, sheldonchicago.com. To learn more about Chicago real estate for you and your four-legged friends, contact Sheldon at (312) 264-5853 or by e-mail at ssalnick@rubloff.com.

After all, it doesn’t matter if you find the place of your dreams but then you discover that your new condo building doesn’t allow dogs.  Always make sure to check out the building’s guidelines before you even look at a place if you have a dog, cat, or other pet.

Next you need to ask yourself if your dog is going to be happy there.  Will your pet feel comfortable?  Every animal likes to find a special corner that they can feel is their own comfortable hideaway.  Make sure they will be able to adjust well and feel at home in your new Chicago condo.

You also need to make sure that there are convenient parks or other areas for your dog to play outside.  If your dog is used to an expansive back yard, they will not like going to the bathroom on the sidewalk.  Make sure there are dog parks or other dog friendly areas close to your Chicago condo, since dogs love to be outside and able to run around.

Last but certainly not least, are there local businesses like restaurants where dogs are allowed nearby? There are a number of books and websites that have lists of dog friendly places in Chicago (and other cities, for that matter).  Did you know that you can actually bring your dog into Tiffany and Co.?  Also there are many restaurants in Chicago that allow dogs on their patios, so your favorite buddy too can enjoy the wonderful summer weather right along with you.

So remember to think of your pets when you’re searching for Chicago real estate, and be sure to let your realtor know if you require a dog friendly Chicago condo.