My rule of thumb when someone (private person obviously, not a cop or something) tells me I have to do something or that I cannot do something is to make 100% sure I am in the right. Meaning, read the city code or read the homeowner's association rules or whatever. Just make sure that there is nothing in my actions they can fault me on legally/technically.

Then, if the person seems like they are not a threat (not crazy or likely to haul off and hit me or retaliate), then I will firmly but politely tell them that I am doing nothing wrong and will continue. I ask if there is a specific problem they are concerned about (for example, your lady worrying maybe her dogs will get hurt...even though they shouldn't be loose). If there are leash laws, you could remind her that she should be following them for the safety of her dogs and of course, her own legal liability if her dogs should injure someone.... (if she replies that they are "harmless" you can highlight that they could trip an elderly person or something similar)

If they are just being jerks about something, I would continue what I was doing. In your case, that would be walking on the roads by her house.

Now, if you are letting your dogs onto what is "her" property (not sure how your HOA/townhome bylaws read on the area around the units), then you'll have to keep them on the road.

 

If someone told me not to walk my dog near their house, I would make it a point to walk past their house more often.
As long as your not on her property she can STFU and mind her own business.

 

I can't imagine anyone can tell you that you can't walk there. We walk down a dead end road where a lady resides who's a hoarder. Of animals. Anyway, she hates it when we walk by her house, if she's home, she yells out the window saying it's private property. Sorry, the street isn't hers and we continue to walk by. She continues to yell.

 

Of course she doesn't want you walking your dog on her end of the complex, because it's way easier for HER if you don't.

 

Thanks for your responses, and I'm so glad you all agree with me This is obviously an increadibly intelligent and humorous group (I so want to tell this be-yatch to STFU)! I guess I should ask, is "be-yatch" offensive on a dog forum?

Anyway, thanks for listening and making me feel like I'm not the bad guy.

Hi Marie,

Thanks again for your response. Quick question, is Katie a sheltie? I have a mix who looks really similar. Her ears flop down, though and she doesn't have the feathery fur on her face. I've never seen another dog that looks so much like my Scout, so I just thought I'd ask.

Best,
Jen

 

I would continue to walk. As long as you are not IN her yard you are fine. I feel ya on the no sidewalks. We don't have them (I wrote a letter to the city) but our neighbors don't seem to mind the dogs walking on the edge of their grass. Most our neighbors rent and do nothing with their yards anyhow. And they all seem shocked when I pick up poo.

 

And they all seem shocked when I pick up poo.

First time I visited my parents in Zebulon NC I brough Jubel down and met some of the neighbors with dogs while out walking. I had my poo bags and went to go pick up the poop and was TOLD not to do that. "We don't do that down here." This is a very nice custom built home neighborhood. In this case he'd pooped on the edge of a lot that hadn't been purchased/built on yet but seems they don't pick up the poo even when the dogs poop on the edge of someones lawn. I still picked it up and continue to do so when we visit though.

As for the OP, unless you are somehow on her property you aren't doing anything wrong. I'd just ignore her and keep doing your thing. My brother walks Jubel through another neighborhood sometimes and he told me someone asked him not to walk that way because their passing got their dog barking its head off. Being that they are walking on the street and just calmly walking by with no barking or reacting from Jubel it's the homeowners issue not ours.

 

I don't get the no poo pick up thing. I was gardening and a dog pooped in my front yard (outside our fence) and his owner went to walk away WITH ME STANDING 2 FEET FROM HIM. I handed him the extra garbage bag I had and said "I'm sure you just forgot this. I hate when I do that". He wasn't happy but I just smiled and stood there till he picked it up.

 

I'm wondering, why does she have a dog running loose if its charging at others in a threatening manner? This is her problem, not yours.

 

Thanks again for the responses. Y'all aren't going to believe this. I'm not sure I even do.

So, I took everyone's advice and walked my usual routes today. I have three dogs but have to walk them individually. They each have there favorite routes, two of which take me in front of crazy lady's house and off into the woods behind the complex. There are a couple of overgrown paths, and sometimes I'll encounter small dog poo in the path. (Did I mention that NO ONE picks up after their dogs?) Anyway, it's realtively infrequent, and I just kick it out of the way.

I make it past Crazy's without incident and get to the head of the first trail. There's a pile smack at the entrance and dead in the middle. I thought nothing of it and went on my way. I returned with dog #2 (no pun) and there's another pile in the same position on the second trail. Unusual, but it really didn't register with me. As we continue on our walk we encounter yet a third pile of s%$# right on top of a stepping stone!!!

Now, I'm not a paranoid person. I wouldn't even have considered that these landmines were strategically placed had I not been warned when I moved in about this particular neighbor. Apparently, she has a "bad side," and if you're on it, she can be vengeful.

So now, I fear I have a lunatic who wouldn't ordinarily even consider picking up a dump not only picking them up but replacing them maliciously.

I fear I might be losing my mind....

 

So now, I fear I have a lunatic who wouldn't ordinarily even consider picking up a dump not only picking them up but replacing them maliciously.

I fear I might be losing my mind....

Oh dear, but at the same time...LOL.

 

Geez! How do you retaliate against that?! That would just make me want to find a clever passive aggressive way to get her back. Maybe get some kids to re-collect the poop and distribute in a bag on fire?

 

You have to be careful with nutty people like that.. I'm saying this seriously because some people like that will escalate the situation. So you need to keep an eye out for that sort of thing. Personally, this is why I live out in the sticks where if I see a face it's a trespasser.

 

Wow, she really showed you, huh? LOL.

 

What a loony! If it was her, wouldn't it be something if you could catch her in the act?
I'm thinking well disguised motion detector cameras....

 

Trail cams (like for hunting)((the kind you just strap to a tree)) can be very sneaky and take pictures when motion is detected... *is feeling rather...evil...*

 

UPDATE: Since yesterday afternoon the trails have been poo free. I did encounter one steaming pile, but it seemed to be naturally occurring. I'm just worried that she's trying to think of a way to escalate the battle. She didn't yell at me yesterday, but did come to the door one time when I walked by. She stood at the glass storm door, glared at me for a few uncomfortable seconds and then slammed the front door. Oooooooh!