Before you make accusations, check your facts!

My neighbours have a dog, it is the only dog in our complex and we are the only house in the complex with children.  My children are not noisy or badly behaved.  The neighbour's dog is a breed which doesnt have very good eyesight and they leave him outside quite a lot of the time, especially during the day when they are working.  The dog because it cant see very well, barks at everything, every noise and lately it has been especially bad.  But what annoys me most is that even when they are home, and the dog is barking they do nothing. And they also let him poo anywhere and dont clean it up as is common in portugal.

Last week one night they were obviously out until the wee hours and the dog seemed to be barking for hours into the morning.  I was awake and couldnt sleep for his barking. 

A couple of days ago, one of the neighbours came home about 10.30pm and as usual the dog started barking, so the guy started banging on the neighbours fence and telling the dog to 'shut-up.  My neighbours flew out of the house and a five minute shouting match started.  But the best line was 'im in my house' - fair enough but does that mean the rest of us have to be disturbed.  Anyway it ended with both sides threatning to call the police etc.  Since then it has been better, but he still barks sometimes.

So anyway, my landlord calls me today and says he's had a complaint, immediately my mind starts going as to what anyone could be complaining about us.  And he asks if we have a dog in the house (when we moved in he told us he didnt want pets), the stupid neighbours think the barking dog is MINE!!!  So I tell him, its not us but the neighbours, but this neighbour who complained doesnt even want to be identified for reprecussions.   One of the neighbours knocked on my door the other night but I was bathing my girls so didnt go, but now I wonder if that's who it was. 

Im really annoyed, for two reasons, firstly if they had taken a moment to check things and walk past the back of our houses, they either would have seen the dog or if not the doghouse next door.  And secondly, Im almost sure they thought it was us because we are younger and have children, so just made the 'wrong' assumption. 

But please before you typecast me for being irresponsible for being younger and having children, check your facts!!