I (30f) have 4 dogs, but the one this story is about is a 4f rottie named Bella.
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.
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.
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. 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.
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?