I live in an apartment building, 4 stories tall with 2 apartments on each floor. Most of them are empty, but one of the people above us has some sort of a pit mix.
We moved in here over the summer, and I met the pit once by myself in passing, seemed like a sweet dog. A few weeks later, I was taking Cassie out (my 22 month old GSD) and she was coming up the stairs with her bitch. I pulled Cassie over to the side so they could pass by, but the owner stopped and told me she (the dog) was very friendly and maybe she'd be friends with Cassie, she didn't get along with the dog that lived in the stairwell before (and had just moved out). This set warning bells off in my head and I decided to end the introduction. I'm not sure who started it, I think it was the pit, since Cassie doesn't start fights, she knows better, but won't back down if challenged. Luckily we both had the dogs under control and neither one even got close to biting the other, just barking and snarling from a distance.

Now, I have nothing against pits, I almost adopted one once, but he attacked my newfie when i brought her to meet him at the shelter. But this dog is just nasty to other dogs. My husband was taking my newfie out and she was going out the door at the same time he was going in, they suprised each other, and she tried to eat poor Annabel, who just stared at her like "are you stupid???" we watched 2 lab puppies for about a week each and similar things happened, if she got anywhere near these dogs she'd go off.

My problem is this...I just got a new pup a few weeks ago. I was hoping to avoid her for as long as I could but tonight we were both entering the stairwell at the same time. I stayed back and let her go first, and she said what a cute pup she was, and that her dog was great with puppies, and was going to let them meet. No way was I going to let this happen, I could tell already she wanted to eat my pup, she looked like a high drive dog seeing a cat for the first time.
I told her no, that my pup didn't have all her puppy shots (which is true) and couldn't be around other dogs yet. She told me her dog had all her shots already, it was fine, and I told her no again, it wasn't good for her yet. I had to tell her this about 4 times before she finally took the hint and went inside.

It's hard because I have to avoid her, it's like every time I want to take one of my girls out, I hear her dog click clacking down the stairs (her nails are way too long) with a stop at my door to sorta snatch under it because she knows my dogs are in here. It's a huge inconvenience, but I know I am going to run into her again at some point. So what should I tell her? I don't want to be rude, but there is no way I'm letting that dog anywhere near my pup. Is there any tactful way of getting my point across or am I going to have to be rude?

Your dog is allergic to short haired dogs <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> . It is best to keep the pit as far away as possible to keep your girl from sneezing and coughing all day.

Sometimes you just can't reason with people. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Sounds like you are using tact already, but if she catches you on a bad day and you lose it and say a few stern things....oh well!!
Not like you haven't been trying to be nice all this time! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Rude, if you consider it rude telling a person the truth.


You simply say you don't want any of your animals to socialize with her dog. . .not at all. You don't have to say it in a nasty way, you can be as nice as a spring day. Just make sure she understands your point and that there isn't any room for discussion.


BTW, you are a GSD breeder?

No, not a breeder yet, but hope to in the future...trying to get some really nice dogs, which I think I have, and eventually breed them. don't worry, i am not going to turn into some awful BYB, if that's why you're wondering. it's just been a lifelong dream of mine, ever since I can remember my life revolved around dogs. I am learning all I can beforehand, and I have the support of some really great people. I think I am better off than a lot of people who decide to start breeding, plus I have a couple of really nice dogs.

Hi Meghan, Does your apartment management allow Pit Bulls? I ask because mine did not. Nor did they allow unsupervised dogs roaming the halls. Perhaps she told them her dog is just a mix. This lady is an accident waiting to happen. She is behaving irresponsibly. If you are feeling uncomfortable in your own home because of her, tell the manager to assist in correcting this. You are in the right. It is owners like her that cause apartments to not allow dogs. I like pits. I played with one yesterday at our club. He was wonderful. His owner also has a GSD and they are good together. Still pups. While they were both off lead, another member did not notice and brought out his 6 year old patrol dog on lead. The pit pup and GSD pup pack mate charged them.
The Patrol dog had to bite to defend. Fortunatly it ended quickly, no real harm done. Your neighbor needs a reality check and a correction collar, for her I mean. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Unfortunately, this is government housing, my husband is in the army and we're living in germany, so there is really no "apt manager" or anything like that...there is a building supervisor but they don't do much. The limit for housing is two animals, but we have four, two cats and a dog (shh don't tell!), and as long as the dogs aren't disturbing people they aren't going to say anything. Plus, it's only for a few more months till we can come home. I think the only way that they'd take action is if this dog attacked and seriously injured someone's dog. The dog isn't off leash or anything like that, but did I mention she walks it on a flexi leash???

This place is hell for dogs...no one knows what they're doing. They had a "Pet Fest" about a month ago, almost everyone showed up with their dogs on flexi leashes, and everyone let their dogs go up to all the other dogs to "meet." There was a little black ugly thing there, and any dog that went up to it would get growled and snapped at, but the owner didn't try to keep the other dogs away, actually it was the other way around. There was also a westie there that was obviously terrified, the owner held him on her lap tried to keep the other dogs away and still they came, the owners were oblivious, till the dog snarled.

Needless to say, we didn't stay very long!

Anyway, I hate having to be so paranoid but I don't really have a choice. And I am willing to be as rude as I have to be, I don't like it but that nasty dog is not getting within 10 feet of my lil baby!