Issues with Neighbors

Ladygray · ‎06-18-2017

I want to begin by stating that I'm a dog lover. I love all animals. I grew up with collies all my young life. I don't have a dog right now because my landlord doesn't allow them.

My next door neighbor (who moved in last year) have 2 dogs, a small one and a German Shepherd. I've been very welcoming to these neighbors, I introduced myself when they moved in and left a holiday card on their door in December.

At first a few things started to bug me. They have yet to trim any trees in their yard since moving in. The house was sold for over $550,000 so it's not like they cannot afford to keep up the yard. The lovely lady who used to live there kept the yard so nice.

Now, one of their trees is growing over the wall onto my yard. At this time, a year later, it's almost to the ground. I've left it there as evidence should I need it. They have a rose bush that is covering the kitchen window. It's really pretty funny, they can't see out of their window and they hire a guy to blow out the yard but never trim a tree.

Ok, so now I'm dealing with their German Shepherd, whose name I don't know because these neighbors never talk to me or have made an effort to get to know me (I've rented in the complex for over 20 years), so the dogs don't know me at all. My collies knew our neighbors and if someone they didn't recognize was at my house, they would bark.

Now the Shepherd scares me to death by barking at me when I'm in my yard. The privacy of my own yard. He growls and shows his teeth and barks non-stop. The weird thing is, these residents never walk their dogs. They let them roam the yard and they poop in their yard. They never take them on walks. It's beyond bizarre. So, it seems their dogs have no experience around others so they bark at anyone.

It's becoming so annoying that I can't even be outside with the non-stop growling and barking. When it happens, the man just rushes them inside, but never apologizes or says a word. I'm a renter, so complaining about homeowners is not easy in my complex. Even with seniority of living here, I don't rate. I'm just a renter.

Today I screamed really loud when the dog barked at me at 5:30 am when I went on my walk. I was not expecting it. The owner was out there with them and looked surprised that I screamed. I'm just so sick of having neighbors like this and the irony is owners always complain about renters. The fact that the dogs poop in the yard is gross to me... just beyond normal.

Effie54 · ‎09-08-2010

Sometimes it just best to move. We had unbearable neighbors with loud dogs, and we could only take so much before our sleep and health suffered. We moved, never looked back. Fast forward 15 years, they still live there, we don't. I feel for you.

Kitlynn · ‎03-09-2010

Since you are a renter complain to your landlord about the situation and let them handle it. They should be standing up for what is right.

scatcat · ‎03-15-2010

IMO you should accept the fact that you are not going to be friends with your neighbors. I'm not sure why it bugs you that their rose bush grows over their window or their dogs poop in their yard. Where are they supposed to poop?

You did say the owner rushes the dog inside when it barks at you. Sounds accommodating. You didn't say whether there is a fence separating your homes.

Like the other poster said, maybe it's time to move

fluffysmom · ‎03-09-2010

We have lived in this house for 30 years. The house behind us has had 6 different sets of owners who have had barking dogs. We have always had well behaved Old English Sheep Dogs. Most recently the barking dogs were joined by chickens and wait for it......a sheep riight by our property line.Long story short we reported them to the City. They were warned with no follow up 3 times. We continued calling the City and finally they were forced to move for not responding.They had built a chicken house plus a sheep shed. I know it sounds like Green Acres.My husband came down the steet and saw a flat bed truck with 2 wobbly animal sheds and dangling fences weaving down the road. It was spectacular. It's a nice neighborhood and now I don't hesitate to report barking dogs with tall grass a dog poop. It can drive you nuts.

Ladygray · ‎06-18-2017

@Effie54 wrote:
Sometimes it just best to move. We had unbearable neighbors with loud dogs, and we could only take so much before our sleep and health suffered. We moved, never looked back. Fast forward 15 years, they still live there, we don't. I feel for you.

With rents the way they are, I cannot afford to move. I've lived in the same place for 20 years because they never increase my rent because I'm an excellent renter.

Ladygray · ‎06-18-2017

@scatcat wrote:
IMO you should accept the fact that you are not going to be friends with your neighbors. I'm not sure why it bugs you that their rose bush grows over their window or their dogs poop in their yard. Where are they supposed to poop?

You did say the owner rushes the dog inside when it barks at you. Sounds accommodating. You didn't say whether there is a fence separating your homes.

Like the other poster said, maybe it's time to move

Can't afford to move. Have you seen the price of rents lately?

And... they poop in the yard and I smell it. I didn't say their rose bush "Bugs" me but it shows the unkept nature of their yard. I'm sure you wouldn't like to smell dog poop all day. They are supposed to poop on their walks like other dogs with normal owners

SilleeMee · ‎05-22-2016

Around here when a neighbor's tree or shrub grows over a property line then it can be trimmed off at the property line. I did that with a neighbor's tree limbs which were blocking the walkway to my backyard. Perfectly legal to do that.

bikerbabe · ‎03-09-2010

I trim the neighbor’s tree when it hangs over my yard too much.

Around here, it’s normal for dogs to poop in the backyard. Most don’t take their dogs for walks. The yards are generally fairly large. I prefer it that way, otherwise I’d have dogs going on my front lawn.

SilleeMee · ‎05-22-2016

If there is so much poop in their yard that you can smell it from your house then that could be considered animal neglect and it might be grounds for reporting animal abuse.