Indifferent neighbors’ dogs make first-time homeowners' lives miserable: ‘I don’t want to make enemies of my neighbors or feel like the Karen’

Author image for Etai Eshet
Etai Eshet • Editor
Jan 31, 2025 7:00 PM EST

Nothing beats the joys of suburban life. Where else can one experience the sublime privilege of paying a mortgage just to become an unpaid zookeeper, conflict mediator, and amateur OSHA inspector? Neighbors – those delightful humans who gift us with their domestic symphonies of screaming matches at 2 AM, avant-garde landscaping built from tires stacked like modern art, and innovative security forces manned by unleashed canines with Napoleon complexes.

Homeownership comes with an unexpected education in neighborly diplomacy but these new homeowners got involuntary training in the Canine Peacekeeping Corp. as their morning now started with a soundtrack of high-decibel yapping, with the dogs rehearsing a heavy metal cover of Who Let the Dogs Out?. The sidewalk becomes a daily ordeal. Is that growl a warning? A greeting? A critique of their choice of compost? 

Enter the Chihuahua Cartel. The neighbors' two pint-sized ambassadors operate like furry anarchists, treating property lines as abstract art and flower beds as their personal demolition derby. These tiny, trembling despots – weighing less than a laptop but armed with the audacity of war criminals have turned an entire block into their personal fiefdom.

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  • 01

    "Try not to be the Karen, but my neighbors free-range chihuahuas are biting people"

    "we can't have our friends and visitors getting bit"
    via Capuski

  • Our happy couple, fresh off of closing on their first house, armed with excitement and optimism, discovered their backyard borders the Chihuahua-controlled state. They were forced to navigate this demilitarized zone and initially played nice and overlooked the backyard break-ins and trash-porting operations. But have had enough.

  • 02
    We recently bought our first home and into a new neighborhood and have tried hard to be friendly and have a positive relationship with all of our neighbors-- many of whom are long time renters in generally lower-income neighborhood.
    via BraveLittleEcho
  • 03
    Cheezburger Image 10461839360
    via Bigandt_Photography

  • The neighbor’s response? A masterclass in the performative effort: slapdash barricades that collapse faster than New Year’s resolutions, and professional staredowns when her “babies” face consequences. 

  • 04
    We've had all kinds of neighbor issues that we can live with (domestic disputes in the street, inconsiderate parking, piles of trash/dumping) and we're trying to roll with it. We're the newcomers. But, my next door
    via BraveLittleEcho
  • 05
    neighbor has two vocal and ornery little chihuahuas and one great big bu y breed mix that she lets out her front yard. This would be fine, but the chihuahuas can walk right through the slats in her fence and into the street. They're
    via BraveLittleEcho
  • 06
    constantly running around our block and barking/terrorizing people. It's gotten to the point where people wont walk their dogs down our street because the chihuahuas will surround and attack them.
    via BraveLittleEcho
  • 07
    I've generally tried to tolerate the chihuahuas, despite the fact that they carry trash into our driveway, occasionally get into our backyard, bark at us constantly,
    via BraveLittleEcho
  • 08
    etc., but in November they bit a friend of mine who was over visiting as she was getting into her car. It wasn't a bad bite, but was pretty upsetting for her.
    via BraveLittleEcho
  • 09
    Last month, I adopted a dog (18 month old lab/border collie mix) who is sweet, but very nervous with other dogs because of time in the shelter. Every time I try to walk her, the first and last 5
    via BraveLittleEcho
  • 10
    minutes as we are near my house are just actively trying to keep the chihuahuas from attacking us. They surround us and bark and snarl and nip her. She's terrified and comes sort of unhinged/over threshold, thrashing and trying to
    via BraveLittleEcho
  • 11
    Cheezburger Image 10461839616
    via photographereddie
  • 12
    get away. Twice, I've gotten to the point of kicking them pretty forcefully (I am NOT an animal kicker and before this had never kicked an animal in my life!) to keep them from biting my dog.
    via BraveLittleEcho
  • 13
    Today I had a contractor out to look at our rain gutters and he called me in a panic from the front yard asking to be let in. I came out in time to watch one of them get a steel-toe boot to the
    via BraveLittleEcho
  • 14
    side after biting him and he was clearly flustered. I said (probably louder than I needed to), "The little monsters need to be kicked. I've kicked them, too. I wish they weren't in our yard all the time
    via BraveLittleEcho
  • 15
    biting people." My neighbor must have seen/heard came out of her house and called them inside, then just sat on her stoop and mean-mugged us until he left.
    via BraveLittleEcho
  • 16
    I'm really not sure what to do. I dont want to make enemies of my neighbors or feel like the "Karen" by calling animal control on them. But, we also can't have
    via BraveLittleEcho
  • 17
    our friends and visitors getting bit and can't let our dog get attacked daily. The neighbors clearly know this is an issue (people literally scream at these
    via BraveLittleEcho
  • 18
    dogs in the streets daily). They've made some half-assed attempts at keeping them in (put up cardboard or old shelves, etc. around their fence), but, nothing ever works for more than day or two...
    via BraveLittleEcho
  • 19
    hadriangates Time to call it in with video. Also get pepper spray and spray the little effers. They need some negative reinforcement and soon!!!
    via hadriangates
  • 20
    Raerae1360 OK that's the funniest term I've heard in a long time "free range chihuahuas"! | feel your pain. My neighbor's dog's, chihuahua mixes, never stop barking. It's rare that I can work in my backyard without being yelled at by all three little stinkers.
    via Raerae1360
  • 21
    WeNeedAnApocalypse Get them free roaming and terrorizing on camera. Report every single bite, nip and attack. If nothing gets done, I'd get a couple traps like they use for TNR and bring them to a shelter a few counties over.
    via WeNeedAnApocalypse
  • 22
    makeitfunky1 You're not a Karen if people's dogs are free roaming and biting people. Why would that even be a consideration? Unleashed dogs biting strangers=bad. It's never been ok. Not a Karen.
    via makeitfunky1
  • 23
    WA_State_Buckeye I used to "herd" my neighbor's chihuahua home because he was always out. But the one time he went after my husband, who was working under his pickup and unable to really defend himself, I chased the damned barking rodent home with a big stick! The neighbor got yelly with me, and I yelled back if it is barking at me and mine in my own yard, and attacking, next time it won't be just a stick! Never saw the dog out again.
    via WA_State_Buckeye
  • 24
    prozackat83 Report the bites, get medical attention, report to authorities and dogs get put down... also after every bite go after her insurance in small claims
    via prozackat83
  • 25
    1095966 You're not a Karen for calling animal control over uncontrollable animals! Biting people? There should be h I to be paid by these dog owners. Go sic Animal Control on these irresponsible pet owners.
    via 1095966
  • 26
    Acorn TopHat I had a neighbor move in with chihuahua/somethingugly mix that would chase me home if I walked past her house. One time I rolled my ankle so bad I had to crawl up to my house.
    via AcornTopHat

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neighbors neighborhood neighborhood-drama bad neighbors petty revenge terrible neighbors pay back noise noisy loud payback parking entitled people apartment
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