Neighbors refuse to leave woman's property after marching in uninvited to "just play with [her] puppies", get chased out by one of her Rottweilers, then throw a fit, saying they feel unsafe: 'It's already difficult living next to these people'

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  • 01

    "[Am I wrong for] not recalling my dog when she chased my neighbors off of my property?"

    "I'm a single female living alone... and they came onto my property"
  • 02
    I (30f) have 4 dogs, but the one this story is about is a 4f rottie named Bella.
  • 03
    A few months ago new renters moved next door, and things have been unpleasant to say the least. The neighbors are always screaming and fighting late into the night and the men in the home have a habit of always trying to talk to, or just watch, me when I'm outside. This is not done in a friendly way, and it has made me feel very uncomfortable. I'm a single female living alone, and our police force isn't the best so I just keep my head down hoping they'll move out soon.
  • 04
    The other night, around 11pm, I was outside with my dogs in the backyard. My neighbors have a chain fence, but I have no fence along my property except for the part that separates their property from mine. One of my dogs is on leash, but the other three are completely trained off leash and do not leave the yard. I know some people may not agree with that, but I live in the countryside, and also my dogs have NEVER run off.
  • 05
    One of the women who lives next door, for some reason, decided to enter my yard because she wanted to "just play with my puppies". Bella growled and walked closer to me and I asked the woman to please leave but she just kept telling me it was fine and ignored what I was saying.
  • 06
    One of the men decided to join her and they came more onto my property, which then led to Bella barking and after a few moments of them continuing she chased after them. She stopped running the second she hit the property line and went inside with me immediately after.
  • 07
    Now these neighbors keep making comments about not feeling safe with their kids, and how I should have called my dog back because they weren't a threat. I don't feel like I did anything wrong but I also don't want the area to think that my dogs are dangerous, especially with the stigma against rotties. I also don't want to stir up unnecessary drama when it's already difficult living next to these people. AITA?
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  • 09
    RaineMist ΝΤΑ Your neighbor came into your property without permission and thought she could just pet your dogs. Bella had every right to chase someone who wasn't invited off. If you're worried about your neighbors, get cameras and place them in the front and backyard.
  • 10
    Throwaway9871125 OP Cameras are in the plan, but I'm paycheck to paycheck right now unfortunately
  • 11
    Dramatic_Attempt4318 Okay on paper, you are NTA. But you own a breed that has a "scary dog" reputation and there's going to be bias against it, and I think you are doing her a disservice with how you are approaching this. Good fences make great neighbors and I think you need to fence (or plant dense shrubbery) on your property line immediately to prevent them from accessing your yard at will.
  • 12
    You can be in the legal right and the moral right, but it's still wrong if your dog loses. Due to AITA guidelines I think I'm prohibited from discussing several potential outcomes I can think of (that absolutely have happened before). Even if your dog isn't in the wrong, one "we felt threatened" to justify extreme defensive action will, perhaps if you sue them, prove them "in the wrong" but what is a lawsuit win if you no longer have your dog?
  • 13
    You can say "she would never hurt someone" but someone "defending themselves" against a "vicious dog attacking" them says "well it's not my dog / don't know that it wouldn't actually attack me, it was chasing me and the owner didn't stop it from happening" and suddenly they can present, at surface level investigation, a reasonable justification for use of force in defense of themselves regardless of the fact that they were on your property without invitation in the first place.
  • 14
    I think you need to investigate your options for making it clear that you will consider any crossing into your yard as trespassing (post appropriate signage, maybe discuss with police, or you could check out a legal subreddit for recommendations), get a physical barrier to deter them, and go from there. You're not wrong for not recalling your dog, but you're risking putting her in a situation where even though "you're in the right", she very well could possibly suffer for it.
  • 15
    Throwaway9871125 OP I appreciate the advice. I flat out don't have the resources to put up any type of barrier or fencing. The cops wouldn't do anything until somthing were to happen, and by then I really feel like it would be to late. I'll definitely start leashing the dogs, but I'm not certain how to keep the, from entering the yard again when I only have one of the dogs out as a sign can't enforce much. But I may also be thinking of the worst case scenario when it's never going to happen. Tha
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  • 17
    Witchinll NTA. They crossed into your property AND ignored your warning to not. Bella protected you, too bad for them. As far as cameras- I saw you say paycheck to paycheck. If you have a webcam-set that up if possible at any windoe facing out that lets you see their fence to your yard. You can even use a tablet and a freeware: OBS. (Do not use streamlabs- they aren't actually partnered unlike they told everyone. Its a mess.)
  • 18
    If you can set a tablet or webcam with a laptop/tablet, you can have a makeshift until able go buy better. Something is better than nothing. I also second the other commentor who said check your yard. We had kids get busted messing with my rottie who just barked, never charged them or our line, stayed closer to the house by his tie and they threw chocolate over the fence. Took me them doing it once before their grandmother took care of their actions.
  • 19
    Throwaway9871125 OP Oh wow! I'm sorry that happened to you and I hope your baby is okay!
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  • 21
    StAlvis ΝΤΑ Your neighbors need to stay in their own yard.
  • 22
    Throwaway9871125 OP That was my thought process when it was happening, but I know that things can be different depending on the breed of the dog. I know for a fact she wouldn't have hurt them unless they had tried to hurt me, but I didn't know if that mattered or not.

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