Finding a Home That Suits Both You and Your Pet

Question: I'm buying my first home for me and my golden Labrador retriever, Rocky. I'm looking for places with big yards, but wonder if there is anything else I should be looking for?

Answer: There's no question that Americans have gone to the dogs. According to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association's latest national survey, pet ownership is at its highest level since 1988, when tracking began. More households -- about 43 million -- own dogs than any other kind of pet. And we spoil them, spending $35.9 billion annually on everything from $300 wrought-iron poster beds with velvet pillows and crystal finials, to gourmet vitamins. Indeed, a just-released survey by Nestle Purina PetCare Company, the pet-food maker, showed that 31% of dog owners select their home décor with their pets in mind.

But you can decide whether your carpet matches your canine's coat later. Right now, the most important consideration should be how friendly the community is towards big dogs like Rocky. Before you buy any home, take him on a walk around the neighborhood to sniff things out. Does the neighbor next door keep unconfined outdoor cats that could drive Rocky crazy? Do people smile at you and your dog as you walk by, or start eyeing their mailbox flower beds, worried that he might leave a calling card there? Are there other big dogs on the block? Are there any off-leash dog parks nearby?

Keep in mind that many communities have restrictions on dogs, which you can find in their covenants, conditions and restrictions (CCRs). If you are planning to buy in such a community, you or your real-estate agent can get a copy of this document from the homeowners' association president. Among the restrictions you might encounter: How big or heavy a pet you may own, what sort of fencing is allowed, where pets may be walked, and even whether you're permitted to have a dog house.

And when it comes to fencing your yard, try to be considerate of your neighbors. For instance, some neighborhoods allow "invisible fencing." They're popular with some pet owners because they're much cheaper than traditional fences, costing around $500 to install in a typical yard, as opposed to several thousand dollars for a traditional fence. But I have doubts about these systems because of their effects on animals and humans.

Made by several manufacturers, these fences create an electric barrier around your property, through ultrasound or an electric wire buried a few inches below the grass line. The dog wears a specially fitted collar that gives your pet an electric shock every time it crosses the barrier.

Putting aside cruelty considerations (manufacturers say the electric shocks are mild and aren't painful), I've watched young children coming home from school pass houses with invisible fences and unattended dogs. When the dogs race up to the end of the property to bark, snarl and protect their territory, the children are inevitably frightened, since there's no physical barrier between them and the animal. Elderly pedestrians and people walking their pets on a leash are often intimidated, too. So if you must use an invisible fence -- and I hope you won't -- please keep the electric boundary line well back from the street.

Write to June Fletcher at june.fletcher@wsj.com