Blog > What My Rescue Dog Taught Me About Finding the Right Home!
Sold Homes Save Lives · October 2026
What My Rescue Dogs Taught Me About Finding the Right Home
Plus a pet friendly house hunting checklist for the Louisiana movers
There is a moment every rescue dog has when they finally believe they are home.
It is not the car ride. It is not the first walk through the front door. It usually comes a few weeks later, on some ordinary Tuesday, when you look over and they are sprawled across the couch on their back, feet in the air, snoring like a grown man. That is the moment. They stopped waiting for the other shoe to drop.
I have watched my dogs do it. And I have watched it happen with people, too, standing in an empty living room on closing day, keys in hand.
October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, so I want to talk about both. Because after years of helping families find homes and helping animals find families, I have come to believe it is the same work.
Home is not a house. It is the place you stop bracing.
Rescue folks talk about the rule of threes.
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3 days
to decompress
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3 weeks
to learn the routine
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3 months
to feel truly at home
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Buyers go through something close to it. The first few days after you move, everything feels borrowed. By three weeks you know which cabinet the coffee mugs live in. Somewhere around month three, you pull into the driveway and your shoulders drop without you noticing.
That is what we are shopping for. Square footage and granite are nice. The feeling is the thing.
What a rescue dog would put on your wish list
If your family includes four legs, here is what I look at on every showing, long before I look at the backsplash.
1. The yard and the fence. Is it fenced? How tall? Wood, chain link, or something a determined beagle could talk his way under? Ask for a survey so you know where the property line really sits.
2. HOA and subdivision rules. Plenty of Northshore neighborhoods have pet limits, breed rules, or fence restrictions. I pull the covenants before you fall in love, not after.
3. Floors that forgive. Tile, luxury vinyl, and sealed concrete hold up to muddy paws and Louisiana humidity. Carpet in a pet household is a conversation.
4. The walk. Can you step out the door and actually walk? Sidewalks, quiet streets, and how far you are from a real stretch of green matter more than people expect.
5. Drainage. After one of our afternoon storms, where does the water go? A yard that stays soggy for days is hard on dogs and harder on your floors.
6. The vet and the emergency vet. Know how far you are from both. You will thank yourself at 2 a.m. someday.
The Northshore was made for dog people
I will say it plainly. If you love animals, this is a good place to put down roots.
The Tammany Trace runs about 31 miles through Covington, Abita Springs, Mandeville, Lacombe, and Slidell, and on a cool October morning it is full of tails wagging. Fontainebleau State Park sits right on the lake in Mandeville. Pelican Park has designated space for both large and small dogs to run free. Older parts of Covington and Old Mandeville give you shady streets and front porches where neighbors still stop and say hey to your dog before they say hey to you.
Every town has its own personality. Madisonville feels like a river town that never got in a hurry. Slidell gives you room and value. Covington gives you walkable charm. Lacombe makes you feel at home. I am always happy to talk through which one fits your crew, two legged and four.
A few loan options folks don't know about
The right yard means nothing if the financing doesn't fit. I work alongside Ariel Waterman at First Horizon Bank, and she has some programs I love telling people about.
Calling all veterinarians. First Horizon's Professional Loan is open to vets, along with dentists, physicians, pharmacists, optometrists, CPAs, and attorneys. Low down payment, no monthly mortgage insurance. If you spend your days caring for animals, I would love to help you find a home.
Doctors, residents, and fellows. The Physician Loan Program offers low or no down payment options with no mortgage insurance, and it can close before your new job even starts. A big help if you are relocating to Louisiana (Northshore or Southshore) for a hospital position.
USDA loans. Zero down for buyers within the income limits, on homes in eligible areas. Some of the quieter spots outside our bigger towns may qualify, and those often come with the most room for the dogs to run.
DSCR loans for investors. If you are buying a rental, this loan qualifies you on the property's rent instead of your personal income. Pet friendly rentals are in demand here, too.
Every situation is different and every loan has its own guidelines, so the best first step is a conversation. Reach Ariel at 504.301.7571 or ariel.waterman@firsthorizon.com, or call me and I will connect you.
First Horizon Bank, NMLS 87275. Ariel Waterman, NMLS 2170716. All loans subject to approval, including credit approval. Some restrictions may apply. Equal Housing Lender.
Why I do this the way I do
Every home I sell sponsors a rescue animal. That is what Sold Homes Save Lives means. It is not a slogan I picked out of a hat. It is the reason I get up in the morning.
Your closing day becomes somebody else's first day home.
When you buy or sell with me, a dog who has been waiting gets their shot at that couch moment, too. When you lease or do a land transaction with me, it fuels a transport to get an injured animal to safety or an animal one step closer to home. I love that more than I can put into words.
If you are thinking about a move
Seminar Spotlight
Ageless Enthusiasm
Not every move is about a bigger yard. Sometimes it is about the next chapter: downsizing, staying put safely, or helping Mom and Dad figure out what comes next. Those conversations deserve real answers from real people, not a sales pitch.
That is why I host Ageless Enthusiasm, a free monthly seminar series for seniors and the families who love them. We bring in trusted local partners from senior living, law and title, financial planning, and the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office to talk about the things that matter most, from protecting yourself against scams to planning a move on your own terms. Bring your questions. Bring a friend. The coffee is always on.
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Slidell
Aldersgate United Methodist Church
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Mandeville
Keller Williams, 1522 W Causeway Approach
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Next SeminarS
The Truth About VA Aid & Attendance
11/11/2026 at 10:00AM· 360 Robert Blvd., Slidell, LA 70458
12/8/2026 at 10:00AM · 1522 W Causeway Approach, Mandeville, LA 70471
If you are thinking about a move
Maybe you are outgrowing a townhome because the dog needs a yard. Maybe the kids are grown and you want something smaller, with a fenced patio for the two old pups. Maybe you are relocating and have no idea which side of the lake makes sense.
Whatever it is, let's sit down, talk about your people and your pets, and make a plan that feels right. No pressure. Coffee is on me.
And if you have room in your heart this month, go meet a shelter dog. You might find your best friend.
With love from Louisiana,
Jenny
Jenny Lazo & Associates
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Sold Homes Save Lives, every closing sponsors a rescue for adoption.
Serving the Northshore, Southshore, and Southeast Louisiana