Hi everyone,
Here is my problem: there is a neighbour in my building who never keeps his dog on a lead. She is a "handbag dog" – sorry for the term, but I don't know the breed. Just to give you an idea of her size, she weighs maybe 4.5 lbs at most (about the size and build of a Chihuahua), maybe a Miniature Pinscher. As for me, I have a Golden Retriever who is nearly 12 months old and weighs about 5 stone (around 70 lbs).
So, back to the issue: whether it's outside or in the communal areas, his dog is never on a lead, and my dog pulls like crazy because he wants to go and play.
The problem is that the dog just wanders off, runs everywhere, and winds up my dog who is actually on a lead.
When we run into each other in the communal areas, or just in passing – like this morning when he was coming in and I was going out – I was still half-asleep and didn't see them through the glass door. It was absolute chaos again. My dog was lunging to go and play with her, the other dog was darting all over the place, and I almost ended up on the floor and nearly let go of my dog.
I already politely told him a couple of months ago that it would be a good idea to put his dog on a lead, and he just replied, "No, otherwise she chokes herself on her collar." 🤪... I mean, there are other types of harnesses and things! I told him that, but he just turned a deaf ear and walked off...
Sometimes I'm coming out of the lift with my dog and the neighbour is at the postboxes (which are inside the building) with his dog off-lead, and then it's just total mayhem. I try to control my dog, but he can't control his at all, and it's just running around in circles in a tiny space.
When he goes out, the dog isn't even wearing a collar. The owner walks out with his hands in his pockets, not even carrying a lead just in case. There's no way of securing her at all. 🙅
I've already warned my landlord several times (well, my partner warned them). At 10:30 this morning, I'm going to the housing office to see the property manager who looks after my building to make a formal complaint. 😠
But what recourse do I have? I'm really fed up. I nearly fell, and I have back problems (severe lumbago following a fall, which had nothing to do with this, I should clarify – my ankle didn't like a hole in the grass!) with a twinging sciatic nerve. I've already had two rounds of anti-inflammatory jabs. If I fall again, it could leave me bedridden. One day something is going to happen: either I won't be able to hold my dog back (who is always on his lead), or I'll end up on the floor, or my dog will give the other one a swipe with his paw and hurt her. I know he'll be the one blamed, but who knows what the neighbour might say afterwards...
Thanks for any answers. Sorry for the long post and any typos there might be.
