Good on you MzTee for trying to address this issue rather than just ignoring it. If it was me and I believed someone was singling out my dog I would do this. Get the EC to write to this owner and say that in order to take this matter further it would be necessary for him to take down the times and dates of any disturbances. In the meantime, I would “enroll” my dog in a doggy day care centre, a place where you would be able to prove the attendance of your dog. Sure it would cost you some money but depends on how much you really want to (a) keep your dog and (b) prove that this is you and your dog being singled out. I would also take my dog out every weekend for a few weeks.
Then, if any complaints come in about your dog barking during this time (and you would be home at night to know if your dog barks, but so would just about everyone in your building) then you can say well he wasn’t there so it has to be someone else. I am not saying that your dog doesn’t bark ever – dogs bark that’s a fact – but this would prove that sometimes it may not actually be your dog. Your dog may be more “visible” to your neighbour so he may think it is only your dog.
And as to those comments that keeping animals in apartments is cruel and to “go buy a house” that is just ridiculous. With the cost of real estate in this country, especially in capital cities, owing the 3 bed with picket fence and large backyard is not possible for the majority. And the percentage of high and medium density living will only grow in the future. In New York, the fact that an apartment complex is animal friendly and near dog parks in a huge selling point.
As someone who has grown up in a family household of animals of every description I can honestly say that our family cats that were kept inside (to protect them and the wildlife) and all lived long and extremely healthly lives – one to 21 years of age and all of them 16 years and over with barely a vet bill. The life of an outside cat – even one that is only outside during the day – is about 8 – 10 years. Dogs do need walkiing every day, but also need something to keep them “interested” so they don’t get bored such as toys – and that applies to dogs in apartments or in backyards. Many breeds are very suitable to apartment living. Even some larger breeds no not need more than a daily walk. It is the “working” breeds that need large yards.
It would be a very sad world indeed if in the future we were all living in large complexes surrounded by many people who would not stop to say hello, then entering an empty apartment day after day forever because we aren’t able to have a house.