'It’s disgusting and I shouldn’t have to deal with it': Woman reprimands neighbor for not picking up after his dog on her lawn, neighbors say she's overreacting

Author image for Baiz Hoen
Baiz Hoen
Jan 11, 2025 9:00 PM EST

Growing up in suburbia has its many perks. There are usually kids your own age to romp around with, plenty of space to run rampant and terrorize your neighborhood, and usually, your neighbors are friendly enough that it feels like a real community. Even if there's one neighbor who is famously tough to deal with, it gives the whole neighborhood something to rally around. But there are rules to follow when you sign yourself up for suburban life. Respect your shared spaces, pick up after your pets, and do whatever else your Home Owner's Association requires of you. 

When a new neighbor comes to town that doesn't respect the balance, the entire neighborhood ecosystem is put in jeopardy. People create factions, lines get blurry, and soon, it's hard to determine what's right from wrong, especially in suburbia when there's nothing better to do than to be all up in your neighborhood's business. OP is seeking advice for her own neighborhood predicament when her new neighbor refuses to pick up after his dog after the dog does its business on her lawn every day. Is OP right to speak up about it? Or is this something that comes with being neighborly? Read for yourself to decide.

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  • 01
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  • 02
    AITAH for Getting into a Huge Argument with My Neighbor Over His Dog Using My Lawn as a Toilet? So, I (34F) have been living in my house for about four years now. It's a quiet suburban neighborhood with well-kept yards, kids riding bikes, and the occasional block party. Honestly, it's been great...until my neighbor "John" (40sM) and his dog "Buddy" moved in last year.
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  • 03
    Now, don't get me wrong I love dogs. I have a dog myself, a sweet golden retriever named Daisy. But John's dog, Buddy, has become the bane of my existance because John refuses to pick up after him. Every morning, like clockwork, John takes Buddy on a walk, and every morning, Buddy makes a pit stop right on my front lawn to do his buisness. And guess what? John just leaves it there, acting like it's some kind of natural fertelizer or something.
    via Hungry-Neck5751
  • 04
    At first, I tried to be polite. I waved at him one day and said, "Hey John, would you mind picking up after Buddy when he goes on my lawn? I'd really appreciate it." He gave me this half-hearted smile and said something like, "Oh, yeah, sure." But nothing changed.
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  • 05
    So I escalted a bit. I put up a little sign on my lawn that said, "Please clean up after your dog!" You'd think that'd be enough, right? Nope. Buddy's "gifts" kept appearing every morning.
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  • 06
    Finaly, I'd had enough. A few days ago, I saw John out with Buddy, and I marched outside. I'll admit, I was already pretty heated. I told him in no uncertain terms that he needed to stop letting Buddy use my lawn as a bathroom and that if he couldn't clean up after his dog, he shouldn't own one.
    via Hungry-Neck5751
  • 07
    John got defensive. He said something about how "everyone's grass is the same" and "it's not a big deal," and then he accused me of being a bad neighbor for making a fuss over "a little dog ." I fired back, saying that it was about basic respect, and if he wanted Buddy to in someone's yard, he should let him do it in his own. Things got pretty loud, and I'm sure a few other neighbors heard us. John stormed off, dragging Buddy along, and now he's been giving me the cold shoulder.
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  • 08
    To make things worse, I've started to hear whispers from other neighbors about how I "overreacted" and should've just let it go. One neighbor even sugested that it's not worth ruining the peace over something so small.
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  • 09
    But I don't think it's small! It's disgusting, it's ride, and I shouldn't have to deal with it. Still, now I'm wondering if I'm the AH for how I handled it. Should I have just kept quiet or tried another approach? So, Reddit, AITAH?
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  • 10

    Pretty much all the Redditors were on OP's side

    NTA! John is the real AH he should clean up after his dog!
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  • 11
    NTA. Like, who thinks it's okay to let their dog on someone else's lawn and not clean it up? It's disrespectful and gross. You asked nicely, put up a sign, and tried to handle it. If he can't respect your space, that's on him.
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  • 12
    NTA, girl, that's disgusting! It's not like you're asking for the world, just basic respect. Your neighbor is wild for acting like it's no big deal. You were totally in the right. They can keep their dog to themselves.
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  • 13
    NTA. F John, f and f Buddy those neighbours. Tell John they're volunteering their yards as tribute to Buddy's arsefruit. Also, look into your local by- laws and see if he can be cited for this disgusting behaviour.
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  • 14
    NTA! Seems like John thinks his dog's is magical lawn enhancer or something. You've got every right to a -free yard. Politeness didn't work, signs didn't work, so yeah, raising your voice is the next logical step. People who say you're ruining the peace probably haven't stepped in unexpected "lawn enhancer" on their way to work. Stick to your guns. Nobody should have to tiptoe through the tulips and the... you know.
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  • 15

    A lot of Redditors had some real neighborly advice

    Maybe you should walk your dog, let her on the lawns of those neighbours who think you're overreacting and see how long they last with you not picking it up.
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  • 16
    NTA. Time to return his dog's to John's porch and next to the driver's door of his car.
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  • 17
    Pick it up with a shovel and fling it against his house. Tell the neighbors that if they think you're overreacting, to invite dog over and crop in their yard for a while. F his dog and f your neighbors. NTA.
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  • 18
    Who are these neighbors that think John is being reasonable? You live around some real losers. I'd start bagging the sh and leaving it on his door step.
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  • 19
    MY mom ran into this problem, when she saw the guy a dog doing the business, she immediately ran out ther with a plastic bag and gave it to him. She stayed out to watch him pick it up. I love dogs but if someone. allows their dog to do their business on another person lawn, THEY are the bad neighbor. You had every right to say something.
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  • 20
    NTA! I would have done the same thing. John is the AH. I would fling it in his yard, every time.
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  • 21

    Was this from experience, or...

    Several options. You can put ghost pepper and original moth balls at the edge of your lawn. Dog will avoid like the plague. Or - the nuclear option you see dog do his - thing, pick it up with shovel and toss on bad neighbors driveway (I did that once). Ghost peppering would be my choice (cayenne also works).
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  • 22
    NTA! I do not have a dog but my neighbor does. The dog visits us sometimes and of course sometimes poops in the yard. You know what his owners do? They get a shovel and clean it up almost immediately. Your neighbor is doing it deliberately because he doesn't want to clean up his yard. He's a d_ _ k.
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  • 23
    NTA. We have a guy who constantly let his untrained golden off leash to "be friendly" with neighbors dogs (dog only looked friendly to idiot owners who don't know dog body language. He was actually very antagonistic and had no recall) I caught one lady shouting "I TOLD YOU TO STOP LETTING HIM RUN UP TO MY DOG!"
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  • 24
    So I ran outside so we could both tear him a new one. That there's a leash law, his dog is not under his control even if there wasn't, that the dog needs actual training, that it will only be his fault when the dog gets ran over (he'd lung at moving vehicles to try to attack tires) etc.
    via Hungry-Neck5751
  • 25
    Dude finally MOST shaped up. I'm sure the family hates me, but the dog is healthier for it.
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  • 26
    Throw that sh against his house and tell him everyone's house is the same. Also fling your dog's sh there.
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  • 27
    NTA, Put up a chain link fence with two giant signs saying no trespassing and clean up your dog's
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  • 28
    I would throw every dog turn into John's yard, right next to his sidewalk--right in front of him while he watches. After all, one patch of grass is the same as any other.
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  • 29
    I think you deserve a medal for bravery. Most people would just let the slide, but you stood up for your lawn like it was the Alamo. Next time, maybe just get a sign that says No Zone in neon lights might catch. his attention.
    via Hungry-Neck5751

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dogs neighbors AITAH neighborhood neighborhood-drama reddit thread Bad Neighbor Reddit
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