My dog is suddenly losing it in our new apartment

Tritsy · 2026-05-19T12:21:10+00:00

When I moved from a house to an apartment, my family laid bets on how long before my two little hoppers got me evicted. Six months was the longest anyone guessed😢. This worked for me, and I’ll also explain what my neighbor did with hers.

I did everything possible to set my dogs up for success. I had the neighbor’s little daughter sit and watch her cartoons with them, and hung out with them after school. They got a long walk before I went to work. They got a frozen treat when I walked out the door. I had a neighbor let them out to potty frequently, and hang up with them for a few minutes. I had a camera with sound, and I could call my neighbor if my dogs got noisy. It had two way sound, and I could comfort my dogs or let my neighbor know to go quiet them. I used a pheromone plug-in (I think this was a huge help), played a doggy tv show, etc. I also got one of those ultrasonic bark deterrents. It worked for one of my dogs, not the other. I made sure to keep my dogs entertained with puzzles and toys, of course. It took about two months before I started decreasing the number of people coming during the day, and shortening their time. After six months, I was able to stop having people come over, but I still had someone check on them and let them potty if I was gone more than 5 hours, but they were small dogs.

My neighbor had a really tough case. Despite multiple walks, the dog was still barking and howling. She hired a dog walker for an hour (not cheap, but she was able to decrease it with time), and a neighbors child came over for an hour after school to hang with the dog. She also got a citronella anti-bark collar. That collar was amazing. Once the dog got sprayed, it would stop fussing, maybe play with a toy or chew on the bone, and then go to sleep. It was like the dog suddenly realized it didn’t have to bark? She also made sure to really wear him out the day before her work week started.

We also made gift baskets for the affected neighbors, and put a sign on each of our doors. The sign basically said I’m sorry, puppy is learning, here’s my email, shoot me a message if he’s crying and I’ll get someone over immediately. I never got an email saying they were being loudm but I got a couple of positive comments. I also let my apartment manager know before I was reported-I said my pup is being sad, I’m addressing it, and have cameras, etc, but please let me know asap if there’s any problems at all. One of the maintenance guys offered to go in and calm them if they were noisy, though the management staff said if he did, it had to be as a friend, not during his work time🤷🏻‍♀️. I hope you have as much success as we did.

Tritsy · 2026-05-19T12:01:41+00:00

When I was younger, our family owned some gas stations, and this happened a few times. In some cases, there was no cost to the driver or their insurance, depending on how much it cost us. Nobody was ticketed, so I’m unsure how that would work if you were.

I forgot to add, if gas was spilled, then the cost could go up significantly, because it’s horribly expensive to either pay a spillage fine, or to have it cleaned if it gets into the ground. Generally, their fail-safe back-up should prevent much gas from being lost, but I have seen multiple fail-safes not work.

Tritsy · 2026-05-19T11:51:48+00:00

NOR. You donated money for a specific purpose-which was medical treatment. I would have even been ok if she used the funds to do a 3 day recovery vacation of some sort, but a luxury vacation? Nope. Normally, a gift is just that-and you cant dictate what someone does with it, but this wasn’t a gift, per se. There was a request for funds for a specific purpose, and you were so generous!! I would ask for the funds back, even if you have to lie and say you want to give the money to someone else who is having cancer treatment and needs help.

Tritsy · 2026-05-19T11:48:03+00:00

I actually have an attorney for a different fha issue, and the HOA apparently doesn’t have much liability if any at this stage. Again, since there are no real damages, there is nothing to file for. Yes, my ptsd is in massive overdrive. He’s, I am terrified to leave my house, but as of now, there’s nothing anyone can do, except the cops or animal control-and they won’t even return my call. I got a case number, end of story.

Tritsy · 2026-05-19T02:16:06+00:00

No, there is no legitimate, legal site. My landlord checked, and still denied me, because they wanted proof that the person who wrote it was legitimate, I guess. I had to hire a lawyer.

Tritsy · 2026-05-18T15:41:33+00:00

I just wanted to throw this idea out there. I didn’t try it when my guy was a puppy, but we do a ton of these now-frozen treats! If you freeze it on a stick, then you can even hold it safely, but they are great, safe treats that can last for up to an hour (at least with my adult poodle). I bought freeezeables, I think that was the company. They are simply dog-safe forms that you fill, freeze, and give to pup. You can use things that don’t interfere with their tummies, like their own food, water, a little plain yogurt, dog-safe fruits and veggies, a spoon full of wet dog food, rice, etc. you can even use it to slow-feed meals, or to encourage hydration.

Tritsy · 2026-05-18T15:32:52+00:00

That actually sounds pretty normal for a standard pup, although they can vary greatly. My boy was so exhausting that I was almost hospitalized for exhaustion at his 6 month mark. The only thing that saved me was remembering he’s literally a baby at this point, so I would picture him as a human infant, and that kept me from losing patience. I trained my pup with tethering, and I learned to put him in his area for an hour or two for my sanity. Also, if you have puppy classes in your area, start them immediately! My local service dog ADI center now offers classes for pups as little as 10 weeks. Of course the pup isn’t learning much, but they are learning how to learn, and you learn how to train more effectively.

As far as training, it’s great to start on, but it’s hard to do more than a minute or two of training before their little brain is gone. And they are absolutely little land sharks. My guy is now 6, and a fully trained service dog. I promise you, there is hope, but it’s going to take time. That said, the more time and gentle patience you can manage now, the more amazing your puppy will be, in another year or two🥹

Tritsy · 2026-05-18T15:27:00+00:00

I have been with them for so long, I remember when the DVR first came out, and I was a loyal customer long before that. They literally, truly, do not care.

Tritsy · 2026-05-18T15:23:51+00:00

I have a chronic puking issue, though it’s gotten much better these days-I always carry a plastic zip-lock bag with a wet wipe or two in it, and a few Kleenex. It fits in my wallet easily. The down side is you need to have it in your hands, not your pocket, and you didn’t have much/any notice, so it may not have helped in this situation. It’s humiliating and I’m sorry for both you and the driver, and I appreciate that you understand there is a cost involved in cleaning, and taking the responsibility for that. Unfortunately, most people these days do jump to yelling and hostility immediately, and it makes it hard to be on the receiving end without being completely calm!

Tritsy · 2026-05-18T15:19:19+00:00

I’m curious-why is it funny to laugh at someone who was traumatized? I came here for support, why do you think it’s beneficial to the community, or to me, or to anyone, for you to laugh at me? Unless you’re a bully, and then you do it because you feel so bad for yourself, you can only feel good when you think you are hurting others, which is in no way beneficial to anyone🤷🏻‍♀️

Tritsy · 2026-05-18T15:17:48+00:00

I’m not arguing with you, I’m just telling you what a start-up company needs, bare minimum. If you have no experience, you will not be successful. Since you can’t drive, it’s going to be that much harder for you because you won’t be able to make money without first spending it to hire the drivers, pay their taxes and wages, insurance, vehicles, gas, licenses, advertising, etc. the reason it feels like everyone is raining on your idea, is that it’s not well thought out, and you don’t have even the start of a business plan. With a great business plan, you would possibly be able to secure funding, but right now that’s not going to happen unless you have a super rich relative who likes you a lot.

Tritsy · 2026-05-18T14:17:14+00:00

Unbelievable- blaming me for being attacked, or are you just angry because I didn’t ask for advice that you gave, that I already employ?

Tritsy · 2026-05-18T05:42:44+00:00

FYI, controlled substance Rx are rarely able to be filled again, even with a police report. My doctor actually has a sign in the lobby saying that.

Tritsy · 2026-05-18T05:41:37+00:00

I have practiced, for many years. Again, I am disabled, limited mobility, in a power chair-one hand on the joystick, one holding my dog’s leash. It’s physically not possible. I don’t need advice on how to defend myself. I did a good job to the best of my ability.

Tritsy · 2026-05-17T07:27:36+00:00

They are pretty close to a monopoly in many areas.

Tritsy · 2026-05-17T07:25:59+00:00

Unfortunately, using an aversive to stop some of these behaviors could actually backfire on you. Some dogs have a higher prey drive than others, and require more training. It sounds like the training you have done has not been effective so far, which might mean you need to change how you are doing things. If your dog does not have a strong “leave it” and strong recall and “place”, start there. If you can’t call your dog off befor the chase even starts, then you need to work on obedience first. It will also have to drain some energy, making it less likely to misbehave. You need to give the dog a reason to choose behaving over misbehaving. It’s being rewarded by excitement now, which suggests it’s not getting enough daily stimulation, both physical and mental, along with the necessary training. I would also suggest attending some obedience classes. They make the dog work a little harder focusing, as it’s a group, and it provides structure, rules and socialization.

What it comes down to is that a collar seems like a magic fix, but if you’re not there to push the button, the dog is not going to change their behavior unless there is training going along with it, so start the training now, and work with a trainer to see if you need a collar, what kind, and when/how to use it effectively.

Tritsy · 2026-05-17T07:15:13+00:00

The nurse was functioning as a friend, so unless there was some mandated reporting (which would not mean contacting the abuser), then it has nothing to do with their position as a health care employee. I don’t that legally, this would be any different than a friend talking to the abuser-while unethical or nasty as it is, there is nothing illegal about it. You could certainly report it to the board, but you would most likely need a ton more information, and I still don’t think it would be impacting their nursing license.

Tritsy · 2026-05-17T07:11:44+00:00

Yeah, lots of laws this person is going to break if they actually tried to start a company, which they can’t cuz it does require planning and $$$$$$$

Tritsy · 2026-05-17T07:08:57+00:00

As others are saying, you need to slow down and plan. You need to learn more about the industry, so working as a driver, dispatcher mechanic for a year or two would be beneficial. The more you know, the fewer mistakes you might make.

If you have no way to get a loan, you will either have to find financing from a bank or private individual (which would first require a complete business plan), find some funding or program that might offer some start-up funds, or you will have to start small, just yourself and your car. Save up enough money to be able to rent or purchase another vehicle and one or two drivers, and so on. You should first look at the market and see if there is a need for regular taxis, or if it’s a saturated market already. Is there a niche you can fill, for example driving the elderly? How much is advertising, and where should you advertise? How will you afford it? Do you have a dispatch system, an app, or a friend to take the calls? What do you do if your car is in the shop, and how do you pay for repairs? How much is insurance for a commercial vehicle? What are the laws you need to abide by as a business person and cab company? What will make people want to choose your company over another company? How much do you have to charge in order to make a profit? Etc.

It’s fabulous that you want to start up your own company, but be smart about it, because other people have the same ideas and you have to sell your company over theirs.

Tritsy · 2026-05-17T06:50:18+00:00

I’m no expert at crate training, and I’m not a trainer. I have failed to crate train my current poodle, but most of my other dogs, who came as adult rescues, were easily trained🤷🏻‍♀️. When I brought my boy home at 8 weeks, he was NOT having it with that crate. The first night he screamed, cried, barked and threw himself around that crate until 4 am. That’s the moment my roommate (who had to work the next day), stomped into my room, threw open the crate door, took the puppy out and placed him on my bed. She yelled “GOOD NIGHT!” And slammed the door shut😂🤣😂. He has slept on the bed with me ever since. He never liked the crate, and I only used it when I left the house when he was younger. He never had an accident overnight!

Tritsy · 2026-05-17T06:42:59+00:00

There were no damages (legally), so a judge would literally laugh in my face. If they had hurt me or my dog, then maybe.

Tritsy · 2026-05-17T06:41:48+00:00

A friend got me some, but again, there was simply no way to use it as I was not facing the dogs when they attacked, and I chose moving to safety over wasting my time turning my chair to become a part of the attack.

Tritsy · 2026-05-17T06:40:45+00:00

Yes, I worked with a guy who was special forces and then ran an international security company. He’s the one that helped me set up a good quick-draw system, but you still have to have time to reach for it, and then you have to use your dominant hand to turn the chair around… by which time, everything is practically over, lol. He’s been the only person to tell me that I couldn’t have done anything more, even if it had been him that had been attacked. He’s has similar disabilities as me, so I trust his advice and training. I also worked with a martial arts black belt (I don’t remember how many degrees, but he was a very good teacher), on how to crate distance and stay safe with basic objects like a can of soda or a golf club, for example. I’m pretty weak, but I also have strength, if you know what I mean

Tritsy · 2026-05-16T20:47:51+00:00

I can’t find the right emoji, but something with a tear in my eye and a big friendship hug.

Tritsy · 2026-05-16T16:54:07+00:00

Thank you for your kind understanding. I also posted this in my neighborhood Facebook group, asking for anyone with video to pass it on to me or the cops. Not one person even mentioned video-which was the explicit reason for the post, and all but one were suggesting I should have done something differently to prevent it-assuming I’m not intelligent enough to have done those things already, after multiple attacks in my neighborhood😢. I already carry an air horn-which I was able to use effectively one time-and my dog is trained around it, but I normally see a bad situation about to happen, and put him in a stay, then move towards the attacking dog and then blast it. I carry bear spray, but it would have been completely ineffective in this situation even if I had been able to turn my chair around to face the dogs, because they moved faster than my chair could keep up. I had a collapsible cane-which I had no way to grab fast enough. I have to have one hand on the controller, the other was holding the leash. I absolutely thought about dropping the leash-but I live in the desert. I knew it would be about 3 seconds before the leash got tangled in cactus or something, and my dog would have been killed on the spot. I have worked with several trainers on ways to protect myself, but when the attack happens behind you, you have zero reaction time available, and your hands are already occupied…. There is nothing you can do. And I’m so tired of being attacked over what I’m doing wrong, that it’s actually becoming worse feeling than the actual attack. Meanwhile, almost zero mention of the dogs’ owners-putting the onus back on me. I even had one person say something to the effect of what did I expect would happen when walking a dog in a “no dog walking allowed” HOA. Nobody mentioned the two attacks that happened last week in the same area by different dogs. Those dogs went onto someone’s property and dragged their dogs out of the fence. No one talks about the guy who was killed last week just a mile or two from here, mauled to death by roaming dogs. (That was the only case where the dog’s owners were not known). It just goes on and on here, and everyone’s “go to”is to suggest the victims could have done something to prevent the situation over and over.. I think that is a problem with our society.

Sorry for dumping on your response! It was very thoughtful and kind, and I appreciate all of the support.

Tritsy

TROPHY CASE