For context: I have two rescues. One German shepherd blue heeler mix and one husky red heeler mix.
My husky I’ve had since she was 6 weeks old as she was rescued out of a garbage bag in Texas. Shes the most social, outgoing sweetheart of a dog I’ve ever owned.
My shepherd I’ve had for a few months now, and he was heavily abused before the shelter. I’ve worked SO hard to get him to where he is now. People= eyes on me and you get a treat. We’re still working on the dog reactivity.
Another issue for another day is my landlord is taking our construction project OUTSIDE as a free for all to come inside the house without asking. The first time she came over we gave permission as we had a large leak in the ceiling. She then was trying to get us to allow her to “have a relationship with the dogs”. I shut this down.
The next time she came around, I let them meet her (they met when we started the lease, but the dogs wanted nothing to do with her), and the first thing she does is stick her hands in my shepherds face and will not stop. So I called him over to me and told him his command to stay next to my side. She didn’t understand why I did this.
She then tries again to say she’s great with our dogs and she wants them to know her so she can come in if she needs to if we are not home. Again, there should be 0 reason for this as I work 10 minutes away from the house as does my husband.
Alas. This morning at 7am while I’m on my way to college she states it’s very urgent she goes into the house to check on the new leak (which I told her had stopped due to the snow being done melting). I said absolutely not, the dogs are in the living room and I don’t know how they’d react to someone walking into the house without us home. She then says that she’s going to take her chances and go in anyways. So I said I’m turning around.
She comes in. And talks about the contractor. Doesn’t even look at the leak. Then leaves. Which proves my theory that she keeps doing this because she wants to snoop in my house and potentially see how far she can get with the dogs.
My husband doesn’t want me to send her a message stating entry without 24 hr notice + our consent is both illegal and against our contract. He wants to keep the peace. I want to keep our dogs safe and my home free from being walked in like it’s a museum. This has sprung arguments over the last two weeks so.. AITA??
She’s weaponizing your dogs to bypass boundaries hard NTA
NTA. Not only is it illegal but it puts your dogs lives at risk, because things can so easily go south if they (rightfully) bite or attack her and then your poor dogs could suffer the consequences.
Also anyone who puts their hands in a dogs face is *not* “good with dogs”, anyone with a shred of sense who isn’t a child should ask the owners permission and approach properly.
It is annoying to have to put your foot down and I definitely understand trying to keep peace with a LL. But its necessary imo. Maybe you can find a way to try and do it politely as possible while keeping peace with LL?
NTA. You don’t owe anyone a relationship with your freaking dogs. I feel like she’s TRYING to get the dogs to react to her. I don’t trust her for nothing.
She wants to be legally bitten soo bad..
Send the notice. She’s the one breaking the “peace” by being nosy and invasive. NTA
You’re totally in the right when it comes to having these boundaries which are good for your dogs and your landlord and your privacy.
However, I think your husband is being smart when he says it may be better to keep the peace.
INFO: My question for you, how long is your lease and do you want to renew your lease? Im going to make an assumption your lease has less than 12 months to run and you want to renew it, in that world, while everything you said is correct and right, your landlord may be upset and insulted and not want to renew your lease, which means even if you’re right, you end up losing in the long term. I feel your husband is recognizing that and you aren’t.
How long will the construction be going on for? If this is just another week, it may be better to live with it than confront the issue, if this is months, I’d begin to err more towards confronting the matter.
NAH other than the landlord.
look, you’re obviously in the morally correct position in wanting to draw and enforce this boundary. however, i also don’t blame your husband for wanting to “keep the peace.” there is a LOT your landlord can do to make you extremely miserable within the bounds of the law and your lease if she decides to be a petty, shitty person once you decide to stand up for yourself and yours dogs, which it seems like she might be capable of.
ETA: not to mention that if things really do go sour with this landlord, i assume finding housing with two large rescue dogs is difficult and expensive. unfortunately, your current landlord may have real leverage over you that is worth keeping the peace over.
No decent Landlord will enter without gaining permission or a 24 hr notice to enter. While you pay rent the home is yours. ITS AGAINST THE LAW. Period. I would carry pet insurance just incase there is an incident though.
NTA. Please send the message. It doesn’t have to be rude but it needs to be addressed
This is very concerning that she isn’t following landlord/renter laws and is entering the premises without 24 hours notice. She definitely just wants to snoop around. I would let her know that she needs to follow the rules and get cameras and document all communication. The second one of the dogs bites her she is going to sue.
NTA: You need to notify her in writing that your dogs are not stranger friendly and she should not enter your apartment without appropriate notice. Other people have said that she’s trying to get bit And well I don’t think that’s true but if she were she’d be doing basically what she’s doing now.
Could you perhaps emphasize to her that one of the dogs was previously mistreated and while he may seem friendly from a distance, he is unpredictable and she is not helping his recovery with her behavior.
NTA. You’re protecting your dogs and your home. Landlords don’t get free access without permission, and your boundaries are reasonable. Your safety and your pets’ safety come first.
NTA I understand you husband’s POV, but…You have a right to privacy which the landlady is violating. I would send a firm, polite email (you want documentation). State that your dogs are in the house and protective of their space, you are unsure how they would react to her letting herself in when you are not present. Therefore, for her safety and the safety of your pets and your home, you must insist that she abide by the lease terms regarding inspections/ visits and advance written notice. Remind her that you and your husband are only 10 minutes away, in a true emergency she can wait a few minutes until one of you comes home. State that on Nov x, she called after you left home stating she had an urgent need to enter the house, and when you asked her not to she insisted she would “take her chances” with your dogs. That when you got to the house to let her in, there was in fact no emergency, she just wanted to chat about repair work being done outside the house. Remind her again that you must kindly insist that she abide by the lease terms for everyone’s safety, and that she not falsely claim an “urgent” need to justify entering your home when you are not present. You appreciate her understanding and cooperation, you know she loves your dogs and wants what is best for everyone.
I think you know now why the house was vacant. You may need to start planning your next move. And maybe get some cameras, at least at all the doors.
Take a picture of the part of your lease that states the notice she has to give before entering and send it to her. You shouldn’t have to say anything other than we need to abide by the lease.
YNTA for wanting to protect your fur babies.