Update on my older post-
Things escalated with the upstairs tenants dog again.
I was sitting on my patio with my dog in my chair on my lap when their dog started barking/yelping upstairs to be let out. No one checked whether I was already outside before opening the door and letting the dog out unleashed and unattended.
The dog immediately came charging down and lunged at me and my dog on my porch. This is now the third incident.
At first I thought maybe the dog somehow got through the gate on its own, but after replaying everything and reviewing the video, it didn’t. The upstairs tenant opened the door/gate and let it out. It also took them a concerning amount of time to come downstairs afterward. Eventually the boyfriend came down and just said “sorry.”
At this point, I genuinely don’t feel safe using my own patio because they continue letting the dog outside despite knowing it has repeatedly behaved aggressively/reactively toward other dogs.
I ended up filing a report with animal control, and they already left a notice on the door.
My landlord told me they now “have to leash the dog,” but apparently they’ve already been walking it around the backyard on a leash at times anyway. The issue isn’t just whether there’s technically a leash attached. The bigger issue is that this dog is reactive and doesn’t seem to be handled responsibly in a shared space.
I somewhat feel guilty for reporting it, even though logically I know I shouldn’t. I also now have this sinking feeling they’re going to retaliate or make things more uncomfortable.
The same day, he took the shared hose and left it sprawled across my patio instead of putting it away, which may sound small, but in the context of everything else it starts feeling passive aggressive and territorial.
What also frustrates me is that my landlord basically told me evicting them would be a “gruesome process” and that it would be easier/better for ME to leave since I have a year lease and they signed 2 years.
And honestly, that really upset me.
I’m just so sad that people can’t simply be responsible dog owners because this entire situation has left me feeling anxious, scared, and constantly on edge in my own home. I truly tried to be patient and reasonable for months, but at this point I feel like I’m the one absorbing the consequences of other people’s behavior.
I know some people will probably think I’m overreacting, but I genuinely feel worn down by all of this.