How do I handle rude neighbors?

[FryFry]

My old neighbors moved to Miami, FL about 5months ago. His sister, her husband and kids moved into their place. After about 2 weeks of them moving in they tried to start things with my family, all over where we take our dogs to use the bathroom. The first time it happened, my Grandma was walking Zoey down the street to this large grass area to use the bathroom. As she was walking back up, the lady comes out of her house, yelled at her and told her to take our dog other places..as if she had been watching my grandma the whole time; I find that sort of creepy. My Grandma told her it was the common area, it's not anyone's yard. The lady got harsh and almost made my grandma cry. This lady is probably in her 30s and she had 2 kids. I live in a townhouse complex, so we have common areas, which is where I take my dogs. The one common area is right across the street from my house where the mailboxes are. Last night the lady tried to starty with me. I had my JRT out for the last time last night around 9:45pm. My neighbor comes out, and starts to walk down. Her dog was already growling and barking at my dog, as she walked past, her dog lunged at my dog and came pretty close to us. I walked away startled and, well this is our conversation:

Me: "excuse me, but please watch your dog"
Her: "It was an accident! she slipped, okay?!"
me: "that's fine, but just be more careful next time. I don't want a scuffle to start between our dogs"
I start to walk away so my dog can use the bathroom for the last time tonight. She yells at me;
Her: "Why do you let your dogs **** in my yard?!"
Me: confused because I don't let my dogs in her yard "I've never let my dogs in your yard, perhaps you have me confused with someone else"
Her: "you're letting him pee here" she was referring to the common area.
I then told her it was the common area, hence it wasn't anyone's yard. I then said to her "unless you bought it, and it is yours..is it?"
Her: "No! but you don't let him pee here! go somewhere else"
This is the same woman who made my Grandmother cry a few months ago.. I said to her "What is your problem? Ever since you and your family moved here, all you've done is tried to pick on my family for no known reason. What did we do to you? Or are you the type of person who needs to always start things in order to feel good about yourself? I think you're a very rude and ignorant person, and I don't even know you, but you come off that way..How about instead of constantly picking on my family, why don't you speak to your neighbor next door, because whenever you're gone, her dog runs around in your yard and yes uses the bathroom..so perhaps those pee stains in the grass are from her dog, because they're aren't from mine." The look on her face was like dumbfounded, perhaps she wasn't expecting me to go off on her and call her out on things. She didn't say anything, but stare at me with her mouth open. Right before I walked into my house I said "I don't even know how you were related to the guy who lived there before you, because your brother was a hell of a nice person compared to you" Sorry, I needed to rant about this. I hate confrontation, and it makes me feel all shaky. This lady, and her husband have been trying to start things and pick on my family ever since they moved here 4months ago, and we've never once said anything or did anything to them.

[Teegy]

Personally think you handled yourself with class. Probably they aren't used to being challenged. Good for you

[CouversMom]

Interesting. I'm guessing she will shut up now. I would just ignore her... She's not worth your time!

[FryFry]

Originally Posted by CouversMom

Interesting. I'm guessing she will shut up now. I would just ignore her... She's not worth your time!

Now that I have that off my chest, I will ignore her from now on. A few weeks ago, her husband was walking their dog on the other side of the street, and the second he saw me and my dog, he came the side I was on. Walked right past me and his dog once again lunged at me and my dog. I didn't say anything then. But its as if they do stuff on purpose or for their own sick amusement.

[Teegy]

Take your phone with you and video the next encounter should it occur again. Suggest a muzzle and if it continues keep as backup and report them to animal control

[Lil Sis]

wow... why do people have to make the world miserable??


Do you have a home owners association? I would talk to them if so.

I agree.... take your phone and start taking videos. documentation goes a long way!

If you dog does poop on the common area I would have bags and pick up... it may be common area but kids may play there. I am don't understand what the issue about pee peeing is.. geezzee

I think you handled it very well.... stand your ground with class!!

[Yorkiemom1]

I do not like getting into pissing contests with idiotws.....you will never win. If I were in your situation, I would contact the HOA or whoever is in charge of the townhouse complex you live in. I would tell them what this neighbor is confused about, regarding the "common areas"....and I would mention she has an aggressive dog that has snarled and lunged at my leashed dog once, if it happens again, animal control will be called. I would send a copy of this letter to the obnoxious neighbors, and send it signature required. I would also do as suggested above and be picking up droppings deposited in the common area, as other people do walk through that area with their own dogs, and kids run through the area, not to mention the poor soul that has to mow the grass in an area that has piles of dog poo in it. Be very careful with your dogs....there may very well be an "accident" where this neighbors dog attacks your pets and real damage is done. That is why I would get that letter immediately written and sent, so they will know it is reported to the HOA and you will be notifying animal control if it happens again.

[FryFry]

Originally Posted by Lil Sis

wow... why do people have to make the world miserable??


Do you have a home owners association? I would talk to them if so.

I agree.... take your phone and start taking videos. documentation goes a long way!

If you dog does poop on the common area I would have bags and pick up... it may be common area but kids may play there. I am don't understand what the issue about pee peeing is.. geezzee

I think you handled it very well.... stand your ground with class!!

Thanks, I really had enough of this ladies crap. My dogs actually poop outside the neighborhood when I take them on walks. The few times they have pooped in the common area I picked it up

[theporkieyorkie]

Originally Posted by Lil Sis

wow... why do people have to make the world miserable??


Do you have a home owners association? I would talk to them if so.

I agree.... take your phone and start taking videos. documentation goes a long way!

If you dog does poop on the common area I would have bags and pick up... it may be common area but kids may play there. I am don't understand what the issue about pee peeing is.. geezzee

I think you handled it very well.... stand your ground with class!!

I would go talk to the homeowners association or management and talk to them. I would tell them everything you told us.

First off, if her dog is lunging at you or your dog, it's a danger to have in the complex. What happens when it bites a little kid??

Secondly, she needs to understand what is HER yard and what is the common area. You can tell her all you want, but it's probably going to be much more effective if it comes from Management.

As long as you are picking up your poop, then she really doesn't have any ground to stand on anyways...but you do if her dog is aggressive. If she was just being a b**** then I'd say simply ignore her, but the fact that her dog could easily hurt your dog because of her negligence is concerning.


If mgmnt doesn't do anything and her dog lunges at you, I'd report her to animal control and I would tell her I was doing it. Heaven forbid, if her dog attacked yours, you could always sue her for the vet bills and/or your loss, but there's no amount of money that's going to replace Zoey.


If it were me, I probably wouldn't even have my little guy out if she had her dog out. I'd wait or walk somewhere else...and if she started walking up, I'd scoop my little guy up and away from harm so no accidents happened.

[buffy512]

I agree with the great advice given.
I have come across many situations similar. In my opinion, you handled it well. I hope things can be resolved in a calm matter. If not, I'm sure we can help you figure out what is to be done.

[FryFry]

Originally Posted by theporkieyorkie

I would go talk to the homeowners association or management and talk to them. I would tell them everything you told us.

First off, if her dog is lunging at you or your dog, it's a danger to have in the complex. What happens when it bites a little kid??

Secondly, she needs to understand what is HER yard and what is the common area. You can tell her all you want, but it's probably going to be much more effective if it comes from Management.

As long as you are picking up your poop, then she really doesn't have any ground to stand on anyways...but you do if her dog is aggressive. If she was just being a b**** then I'd say simply ignore her, but the fact that her dog could easily hurt your dog because of her negligence is concerning.


If mgmnt doesn't do anything and her dog lunges at you, I'd report her to animal control and I would tell her I was doing it. Heaven forbid, if her dog attacked yours, you could always sue her for the vet bills and/or your loss, but there's no amount of money that's going to replace Zoey.


If it were me, I probably wouldn't even have my little guy out if she had her dog out. I'd wait or walk somewhere else...and if she started walking up, I'd scoop my little guy up and away from harm so no accidents happened.

I try to always wait until she takes her dog out. I swear the moment her or her husband see us they are outside. It's quite sad when people have nothing interesting going on in their life, so they have to do stuff to others in order to have something going on. I should feel bad for them

[Quadraphinic]

I think you have handled it quite well so far, I agree with everyone about the letter to them and the HOA, or management group. If the dog keeps lunging for you and you Yorkie, I'd consider getting a small thing of pepper spray, and warn them if their dog tries to attack again that you will use it. It is sad that these people have nothing better to do than try to ruin your daily walks. Were you on good terms with the brother when he lived there, if so have you tried to get in touch him, and let him know what is happening? I wish you the best of luck with this and that it gets resolved very quickly.
Cheers Quad

[chestermama]

Im sorry you are going through that, I have some crappy neighbors as well

[FryFry]

Originally Posted by Quadraphinic

I think you have handled it quite well so far, I agree with everyone about the letter to them and the HOA, or management group. If the dog keeps lunging for you and you Yorkie, I'd consider getting a small thing of pepper spray, and warn them if their dog tries to attack again that you will use it. It is sad that these people have nothing better to do than try to ruin your daily walks. Were you on good terms with the brother when he lived there, if so have you tried to get in touch him, and let him know what is happening? I wish you the best of luck with this and that it gets resolved very quickly.
Cheers Quad

I wasn't close to her brother, or his partner but we were civil. The normal "hey, how are you?" when we'd see each other outside. The few times his dog barked at my dog, he'd apologize to me for it. All this lady needed to do was simply apologize for her dogs behavior, and I would've let it go. I honestly don't know how her and her brother are related.

[Quadraphinic]

Originally Posted by FryFry

I wasn't close to her brother, or his partner but we were civil. The normal "hey, how are you?" when we'd see each other outside. The few times his dog barked at my dog, he'd apologize to me for it. All this lady needed to do was simply apologize for her dogs behavior, and I would've let it go. I honestly don't know how her and her brother are related.

My brother and I are completely different, with the exception of some resemblance, we are as different as night and day. I really do hope this goes away for you, but hang in there, and as my mom says kill them with kindness.
Cheers Quad