AIBU to ask my housemate keep her dog in her room

[Whateverletmepost]

My housemate has just moved into a shared house of four, with her two year old untrained dog. The dog, in two days, has raided all the bins in the house, stolen a housemates dinner (not left out, jumped up on him and snatched it) ripped open and eaten half of my dogs bag of dry food, bullied my dog constantly, and bitten me twice. I have tried to be patient but after being bitten on the hand today, and almost bitten on the face, all because I was holding a stick away from him that my dog had brought to me, I have had enough. My other house mate has also expressed they share my feelings and asked me to speak to her. She shows no control over the dog, or willingness to discipline him. I can't see any other way forward but to insist that he is directly supervised by her, at all times, or kept in her room with the door shut. This seems dramatic but I don't know what else to do. It is not our job to train the dog, and I don't think its fair on myself or my housemates to have to always keep our doors shut, our trash in our cupboards etc. The dog has zero respect or fear, and will do what it wants regardless of being yelled at, I have had to physically drag it out of my room while it was bullying my dog by its scruff, while it tried to bite me.

[Hellywelly10]

Did the landlady know she had a dog when she moved in? I think its the landladys responsibilty to discuss this TODAY.

[OliviaStabler]

You need to sit down with the landlady and tell them about the dogs behaviour especially the biting and insist that the other housemate be made to move out. You might remind the landlady that a dog who is untrained is highly likely to damage the flat by scratching, chewing etc which will cost her money.

[AvocadosBeforeMortgages]

I once moved into a house share with a dog that was similarly untrained, although most of the dog's problems were found outside the house. I have to say that the novelty of coming home to find the contents of the kitchen bin spread over the floor does wear off very quickly.

You've got a few options, probably to be used in combination with each other.

• speak to the landlady and ask that she is evicted. However, bear in mind that this could take a long time and will involve a court process unless the landlady is a live in land Lady (in which case your flatmate is an excluded occupier not a tenant). Also bear in mind that if you are on a joint tenancy with this girl you will be evicted at the same time (though the LL may choose to give you a new tenancy)
  
• speak to the girl and demand she moves out, bearing in mind that legally she can just refuse and regardless this will take time because finding a dog friendly property is a pain
  
• start working with the dog yourself - to me, this sounds like a dog that's underexercised as much as it is undertrained. How much exercise is the dog getting? Could you walk it at the same time as your dog? Or demand flatmate gets a dog walker?
  
• engage in some environmental management. Keep your dog's food away - in a cupboard or in your own room. Put weights in the bottom of the kitchen bin. Use of baby gates to keep the dog out of the kitchen when you are cooking.
  
• demand the dog is taken to good quality training classes - run by an APDT trainer or Dogs Trust Dog School.
  

Were the bites serious bites (with intention) or was it just that the dog was jumping up at the toy and put his mouth around your body without applying significant pressure?

FWIW when I found myself in a houseshare with an untrained underexercised dog and a flatmate that wasn't particularly engaged, I ended up doing some environmental management, some training and a lot of walking. DDog is now a pleasure to live with, but he lives with me and not my old flatmate

[AvocadosBeforeMortgages]

Just reread my post and realised it could be ambiguous - the dog was there before me and belonged to my flatmate, before eventually passing into my ownership!

[PitchBlackNight]

Do you have proof of the bite, a photo or did someone see it?

[Apehouse]

A bit strange to let a second dog move into a household where there was already a resident dog

[Maelstrop]

You were foolish to let her move in before trialling the dog with yours. Has she had the dog long? It sounds as though she should re-home it if she isn’t training it. You are within your rights to ask the landlady to get rid of a dog that’s bitten you.

[trojanpony]

Yanbu!

I’d be very firm. she and the dog need to go.
She needs to rent a one bed or studio pronto.

[QueenArseClangers]

Erm, dog bite = police report.

Can’t believe some posters are suggesting pussyfooting around asking her to take the dog to obedience classes etc.

This dog is dangerous and isn’t going to get any better soon and the OP shouldn’t have to put up with it any longer.

I say this as dog owner and lover. Report the dog and make sure you receive any medical treatment you need.

[YeTalkShiteHen]

She’s not fit to own a dog, I’d call the RSPCA.

[Sunnybeachbabe]

No you can't keep a dog in one room, that's cruel. Also it will make the behaviours worse. However, I can sympathise as this sounds extremely difficult to live with. I think I'd be suggesting that either she moves out with the dog or she finds more suitable owners for the dog. Ones that have the time and ability to train it properly.

[CocoaGin70]

You're amazingly tolerant OP to be bitten and not report it. My dog was very badly attacked earlier this year, my hand got bitten trying to separate them and the owner was charged under the dangerous dog act. You're doing your housemate no favours whatsoever by ignoring this; and if you have any evidence of puncture marks/photos, you should report it to the Police. It's also very unfair on your dog - if it's a biter, your dog may be the next target. And as someone who saw this first hand and is still traumatised by it, you really don't want that to happen. An uncontrolled dog is a dangerous one.

[ForalltheSaints]

You should both speak to the person with the dog, together. Have to think it is one for the RSPCA too.

[Metoodear]

Dogs have no place in a house share a cat would be acceptable if eveyone agreed they take literally no looking after bar food and a open window

[KTheGrey]

Another vote for reporting the dog bite. Your flatmate sounds like an irresponsible dog owner, and the dog should be entitled to a better owner / trainer than that. I'd go to the RSPCA.

Check your tenancy agreement: I'd be surprised if there is nothing in there about your right to quiet enjoyment of the property. Then - house meeting and landlady. Either the dog should be rehomed somewhere more appropriate or they should both be.

[KurriKurri]

She needs to move. It's not fair on her dog to keep it in one room (and it would almost certainly make it's behaviour worse) does she exercise it properly ?
But it has bitten you and bullies your dog. I wouldn't be able to rest easy knowing my dog was sharing space with a dog that is aggressive towards it. What if it seriously hurt your dog ? - it's too awful to think about.
She's lied if she said her dog is well behaved, so on those grounds she should leave, or find a more suitable home for her dog at least.

[Fallofrain]

Id argue that if the dog bite stays unreported etc that im really not sure what the people expect the rspca to do!
Having an unruly dog doesnt mean they can take it from you. They are really about basic needs being met eg food water. This wouldnt fall into their remit

[FromNowOn]

If a dog had bitten me I would be reporting it to the police or the rspca. She is not looking after this dog appropriately or being a responsible dog owner. You need to do something about it.

[Whateverletmepost]

Thanks everyone for the advice

To answer some questions, it wasn't my decision to let the dog move in - the landlady was happy for her to have a well behaved dog. Her dog did meet my dog and although it played roughly she assured me it would settle down. I didn't want to raise issued as conflict stresses me out.

The bites did not break the skin, they left red teeth marks which have turned into bruises.

The dog is a large terrier type mix. He scares me, frankly. I had to kick out at him yesterday after he bit my hand, and he didn't even flinch. That worried me.

She took the dog out early today and has been in her room with him since. I'm wondering if she's read my post haha, or knows somethings up.

Like I said, I hate conflict with a passion, I will try and gently speak to her today, and ask her what her intentions are with the dog, and how she plans to manage his behaviour. Obviously I don't want him here, and I'm hoping I can get her to come to that conclusion herself rather than forcing it on her. Last resort will be the landlady and police. As someone said, even if she takes him to training classes, we will have to cope with him during that training, and I think if my housemate gets bitten he will raise hell far more than I have. My dog is in my room, and much more relaxed from having not interacted with her dog this morning. He was initially excited when her dog was around, but now when he hear's him in the hallway, he doesn't leave his bed. I think that says something.

I'll update on what happens. Thanks for all the responses, they've helped a lot.

[bridgetreilly]

Who cares about looking like the bad cop? You need to speak to the landlady now about the situation as it is now, because it cannot continue. Either the dog is rehomed, or the housemate is as well.

[Whateverletmepost]

bridgetreilly I do, because if she rehomes the dog but doesn't move out, I have to live with her for another 12 months (tenancy contract) and living with someone who doesn't like you is not fun. Particularly if she happens to get the other tenants on side.

[Whateverletmepost]

Maelstrop the dog was a rescue, although she got it young I believe. Initially it was adopted by her whole house, but then she took it over. The dog has lived with various people since then, as she couldn't keep him at uni, although she has always technically owned it. Not the best of circumstances for consistent training.

[Saffy60]

I am a landlord and a life long dog owner/trainer.

Speak to the landlord and voice your concerns, ask if either the landlord will sort it or meet with you all and sort it together.

Either they need to go, or a good training regime needs to start straight away. This will be pointless if the dog owner isn't tough enough/alpha enough to carry it out.

Have a think.

[Maelstrop]

Get photos of the bite marks.

[Whateverletmepost]

Saffy60 I had a slight heart attack when I read what you'd written as "I am THE landlord"

I think the idea of her arranging a meeting between us is a good idea, thanks

Maelstrop I have photos, thanks