- A new kitchen and renovated bathrooms
- Upgraded appliances and household infrastructure
- Two generators and dual internet feeds
- A 16-camera security system
- Two climate-controlled garages with electric vehicle chargers
- Termite protection
- A new garage and other extensive upgrades
“We didn’t spend $2 million renovating the house for the dog,” Howard told the New York Post after the claim spread online. “I just like things to work.”
Listing agent Sally Slater described him as “meticulous,” which seems fair. Most people settle for one internet connection and discover whether the backup plan works during an outage.
Which features were built for Buster?
Buster was not forgotten amid the generators and security cameras. The Collie received fencing, artificial turf, shaded areas and a pool adapted for easier use. The deck was designed to reduce heat, while shallow sun shelves gave him a safer place to enter and relax in the water.
The family nicknamed the property “Buster’s Retreat.” Howard previously described life there as “like a party all day for him.” The name and the pool helped make the house irresistible to headline writers, although a dog enjoying shallow water does not explain a new kitchen or dual internet feeds.
The Rubins had moved from Florida partly because the hotter climate did not suit Buster when he was younger. They upgraded the Pound Ridge pool to give him somewhere to swim comfortably during warmer weather.
Buster is more than a well-equipped family pet. CNN reported that he has worked as a therapy dog with people living with Alzheimer’s, adding some useful context to the couple’s willingness to shape major decisions around his welfare.
Why are they moving back to Florida?
Buster’s needs have changed as he has aged. Howard told CNN that the nine-year-old dog now has arthritis and would benefit from a warmer, single-storey home without hills, stairs, snow or ice.
That means Florida, once considered too hot for him, has become the preferred option. There is no great mystery here. An older dog with painful joints has different requirements from a younger Collie. The couple are responding to the animal in front of them, rather than following a permanent canine property policy.
Their next home will need to accommodate Buster’s reduced mobility. In practical terms, that means flatter ground, fewer physical obstacles and a climate less likely to leave paths covered in snow or ice.
The broader story is therefore not simply about extravagant pet spending. It is about a couple changing homes twice as their dog’s health and age changed, with an unusually large renovation budget making the whole thing easier to caricature.
How did the viral version take over?
The Wall Street Journal reported the purchase price, the renovation spending and Buster’s influence on the design. CNN later characterised the project as nearly $2 million in modifications “for their dog,” while also explaining that the work benefited both the couple and Buster.
Online retellings largely dropped that second part. The resulting claim suggested that the entire sum had gone towards canine luxury, as though Buster had personally requested upgraded bathrooms, electric vehicle chargers and enterprise-level internet redundancy.
Slater said those headlines prompted angry messages accusing the Rubins of spending lavishly while other people struggled financially. The New York Post follow-up gave the couple a chance to reject the simplified version directly.
The accurate account is still extravagant by normal standards. The Rubins bought a costly property and spent roughly another $2 million rebuilding and upgrading it. They also made several decisions around their dog. Both facts can exist without pretending every dollar went into Buster’s pool arrangements.
What is included in the Pound Ridge listing?
The 4,442-square-foot house has four bedrooms and three-and-a-half bathrooms. It sits on 2.76 acres, includes four garage spaces and carries annual property taxes of $46,367. The property is being offered furnished, apart from artwork and personal belongings.
Its asking price is $2.9 million, not just under $4 million as some coverage claimed. Coldwell Banker and OneKey MLS records showed the property remained actively listed as of September 10, 2026, with no accepted offer or price change since it went on the market on August 25.
The Rubins previously said one interested woman had visited with her own dog, an appropriate inspection companion for a property marketed around Buster’s comforts.
Whether the eventual buyer arrives with a pet remains unknown. They will, however, inherit a heavily modernised house with backup power, extensive security and enough internet infrastructure to survive a demanding video call. Buster’s contribution is the pool.
