Dear Pat,
We're just about ready to sell, but we're concerned about our neighbor's dog. She's a great dog when you get to know her, and she never barks at us, but she can sound pretty threatening to strangers. What if she barks at everyone who walks around our home during the open house? We have a dog, too, and a cat. What about them?
----Too Many Animals

Dear Animalized,

It's true that prospective buyers may not understand that your neighbor's dog is just doing her job: barking at strangers and protecting her home (and yours). Make sure your Realtor meets the dog and makes friends-this can go a long way to solve your problem during the open house and any private showings your agent arranges. Your agent can also leave helpful dog info in the listing database for other MLS agents who arrange to show the home. 

Ideally, you can get your neighbors to keep the dog inside during the open house, and once "Fluffy" gets to know the new owners, peace can return. If you actually have doubts about this quiet outcome, it would be best to tell the buyers about the dog at the time of purchase to avoid hard feelings later.