An article in today's edition of brickunderground.com gives advice on "how to get your dog past a co-op board" and notes that Elena Gretch of "It's A Dog's Life" has been "prepping dogs for their co-op interviews for about two years."

Ms. Gretch said in the article that "Most boards want to know if the dog is friendly. Can they pet it and hold it? Does it bark? And then there's the general temperament issue, such as whether the dog has a history of biting."

She researches the "pet peeves" of a "target" building and then, according to the article, "spends about 6 sessions ($175/hour) administering an individualized canine cram course on co-op etiquette."

The article said that she "encourages clients to get their dogs certified with the American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Program, and present evidence to the co-op board early in the board approval process - hopefully avoiding the need for a meet-and-greet.

"It shows that dogs have passed their basic good manners' test, and that they're a canine good citizen that will be an asset to the building," she explained, adding that "The dogs know how to sit, greet people, stay, come and how to be gently approached and handled."

Dogs can also prep for the "test" in group classes like those offered by Andrea Arden, who charges about $350 for six sessions, the article maintained.

Gordon Roberts, a real estate broker, suggested in the article that dog owners should submit an "about me" page with the dog's photo, personality, measurements and pedigree and "letters of recommendation" from dog walkers, groomers and current neighbors.

"Shareholders usually want to be assured that your dog is well-behaved, relatively unobtrusive, and won't urinate in the elevator," Mr. Roberts maintained.