Iwalk my dog about five times a day because he’s a young, highly active German Shepherd and needs a lot of exercise.
My neighbor is probably in his late 60s. He has a wife and several daughters, though the daughters are older and have moved out. Over time, I’ve noticed behavior from him that has started to make me genuinely uncomfortable and scared for my safety.
He somehow always seems to time his drives around when I’m walking my dog. Whenever I’m out, he drives extremely slowly near me, pulls up beside me, takes off his glasses, smiles at me, and says nothing before driving away. I’ve directly asked him multiple times, “Do you need something?” and he never responds.
Recently, the behavior has escalated. He has started standing outside of his house when he knows I’m walking by just to stare at me. He has also begun walking alongside me without speaking. Whenever this happens, I again ask if he needs something or if he’s confused, but he just smiles and continues trying to walk next to me. Usually my dog becomes aggravated and protective, and then he leaves.
What also concerns me is that my friends have started noticing this behavior too when they walk with me, so I know I’m not imagining it. Honestly, I feel like if I didn’t have my large dog with me, he might try something.
I told my parents, but they think I’m overreacting. My partner thinks I should call the police, but I’m unsure because he technically hasn’t directly threatened or harmed me. Still, the repeated behavior and the escalation are making me feel unsafe.