How dog smells could be affecting your house sale PLUS how to fix it with Be:Loved’s 100% natural pet care range

With the Chancellor’s latest stamp-duty threshold increase designed to ignite the housing market, there will be many homeowners poised to see an influx of offers on their properties. But for many, there could be one thing putting potential buyers off and that is the inevitable whiff that comes from having a canine companion!

It’s a basic fact of nature that owning a dog comes with a few hygiene “issues”. From muddy paws, hair on everything, and the occasional accident, being a doggy parent does mean your house will inherit the scent of your dog. For many dog owners this fragrance is undetectable or indeed, a scent that evokes the feeling of being home, but for buyers viewing your property this smell could be off-putting, to the point where it could turn them off entirely.

A report this year from OnTheMarket.com highlighted that not every buyer will feel the same as you do about your beloved pet, with an OnTheMarket agent saying: “Potential buyers could have allergies, or there could be lingering smells you haven’t noticed because you have lived with them for so long. Smell can have a powerful effect on us and you don’t want to lose a sale simply because the odour in your home left a buyer feeling negative”. This sentiment was echoed by a recent Wall Street Journal article which stated that a house damaged by dogs, including one that suffers the doggy stink, could be worth two to five percent less than dog-free homes.

Whilst it might be tempting to reach for the disinfectant, estate agents are urging homeowners to resist as disinfectant doesn’t exactly evoke a warm and fuzzy feeling, if anything it points out that you’re trying to hide something; something that is most likely a little bit gross. Instead, why not reach for a solution that tackles the issue of dog smells but does so in a refreshing and effective way, such as Be:Loved’s 100% natural room fragrances? Let’s find out more……

Accidents happen and when they do it’s easy to clean up with the Be:Fresh – Prebiotic Home & Kennel Sanitising Spray (RRP £12.00). This specially formulated prebiotic spray is used to prolong a healthy, clean environment for both pet and owner. A truly versatile product, the spray’s active ingredients including refreshing citrus, work to clean, eliminate odours, kill germs and prevent re-soiling from occurring. Safe for use on fabric, Be:Fresh Prebiotic Home & Kennel Spray is perfect for use on dog beds and surrounding areas, as well as other areas where our four-legged friends may enjoy lounging about!

Whilst the Be:Fresh Sanitising Spray tackles odours at their root, the Be:Calm – Lavender & Chamomile Mud & Boot Room Candle (RRP £15.00) is the perfect way to set the mood for a calm and relaxing house viewing without the fear of dog stink stealing the show. Perfect for the boot room, kennels or kitchen, this odour-eliminating candle is formulated with enzymes which not only cover up but remove household odours – whether from pets or cooking smells. Crafted with soy, beeswax and essential oils, this lavender-scented candle has a wooden wick, which gives a satisfying crackle as it burns. Presented in a reusable glass jar, Be:Loved candles are crafted with 100% natural, dye-free soy wax and contain absolutely no paraffin/petroleum by-products. Approx. 40 hours burn time.

Of course, tackling the cause of the stink is one of the easiest ways to ensure it doesn’t impact your house sale. With Be:Loved’s range of shampoo bars there is an option for all dogs, whether they are the king or queen of itching, or the destroyer of the muddiest puddles. The full range includes:

·        Be:Clean – perfect for dogs that can manage to find the stinkiest thing possible to roll in! Featuring essential oils and natural growth-boosting green tea, this antibacterial shampoo bar provides a glossy clean coat, a fresh fragrance and helps to keep lice and bacteria at bay.

·        Be:Bugfree – packed full of a 100% natural blend of neem oil and insect-repelling citronella, Be:Bugfree is perfect for those dogs that enjoy long walks in the countryside and are more susceptible to bug bites and stings.

·        Be:Vegan – this soothing and calming shampoo bar is perfect for those pet parents who practice what they preach when it comes to living a true vegan lifestyle. Be:Vegan is packed full of naturally calming ingredients including vegan hemp and chamomile, making it the perfect choice for a range of skin issues including dandruff, eczema or rosacea.

·        Be:Calm – with the calming scent of lavender and extra moisturising goat’s milk, Be:Calm is the perfect way to help your pet unwind after a long day exploring the local area.

Pull out box

The family heirloom that kickstarted the Be:Loved story

The inspiration for Be:Loved came in the form of an old family heirloom: a farmhouse recipe book. Be:Loved’s founder’s father-in-law and his wife, both farmers and stock people, used the recipe book to create farmhouse fare when they had no money – using nothing but what they could find in the hedgerows or from nature’s harvest. Together they compiled a treasure chest of recipes – from soaps and shampoos to help farmers clean grubby hands and paws, to moisturising balms for callouses – and absolutely everything was natural. It is these recipes that have been reimagined for our four-legged friends to create an effective and luxurious range of British, hand-made products to help care for and delight pets and pet-parents alike.

Since its launch the range has expanded to help dogs with sensitive skin, whilst extra moisturising aloe, goats’ milk, hemp and shea butter have been added to improve dry or cracked paws, and natural insect repellents sourced to help keep bites at bay when adventuring in the great outdoors. Made of luxurious and moisturising ingredients, the range of soaps, sprays, oils and balms work to protect and nourish our hands as well as giving your dog the natural boost they deserve.

Always tested on humans!

Utilising the natural healing powers of the world around us, the Be:Loved team tested the products first on themselves, with the belief that if it is good enough for them, then the Be:Loved range will certainly be good enough for our much-loved pets.

The Be:Loved EcoPledge

The full range is also MIT and paraben-free, and is supported by an EcoPledge, which means no plastic is used anywhere in the range.

Find out more at www.wearebeloved.co or join the Be:Loved community on Instagram by following @belovedpetz

Ends

Editors notes

Comprising a uniquely collaborative network of senior PR professionals based at offices around England, Hornby Whitefoot PR has helped a wide range of companies and brands to communicate their news, build business and reposition their reputations since 2015. From strategy to tactics, project management to copy-writing, Hornby Whitefoot PR offers flexible, proactive public relations expertise, founded on real business and marcomms understanding. And our ‘open book’, annual budget or project-based approach – with no murky retainers to hide behind – means you can trust us to make your money go further. Specialisms include the garden, home and lifestyle sector, and the automotive aftermarket industry.