Dealing with HOA and my dog

[jkjsooner]

So I just moved into this little square of townhomes that has an HOA. I'm renting the place.

I just got our HOA rules that state, among other things, that children are not allowed to play in the common area and that dogs are not allowed to relieve themselves on the common area.

My first child is on his way so I'll deal with that one when it comes.

As for the dog, I recognize they don't want urine to kill the grass but the closest public space is more than two blocks away. You just can't force a dog that needs to pee to walk two blocks before relieving herself.

I think I'm just going to ignore the rule and let my dog pee under trees/bushes (on common ground not someone's yard) where there is mulch. They won't harm anything and f' them if they have a problem with it.

I think if we're careful not to kill the grass and we pick up poop I think we're fine. What do you think?

I hate militant HOA's.

Oh, and here's my conversation with a neighbor (probably HOA pres) two days ago. People here are just rude.

Her: Do you live here?
Me: Yes.
Her: Do you have a snow shovel. You need to shovel your sidewalk for the mailman.
Me: I do and I've already shoveled it.
Her: Ok, since you are able bodied you need to shovel it.
Me: (What I wanted to say.) Bi***, didn't you just hear me? I said I did it already. What kind of ho are you?

[Partial Qualifier]

Keep us up-to-date on the new housing search. :D

[Frozen Sooner]

So you moved to a place with a HOA covenant already in place stating you couldn't have your animal crap or **** on the common grounds, and that's somehow the HOA's fault?

[Penguin]

So you moved to a place with a HOA covenant already in place stating you couldn't have your animal crap or **** on the common grounds, and that's somehow the HOA's fault?


Um...that's exactly what he was saying. Geez, Froze, sometimes your reading comprehension is the pits.

[King Crimson]

there used to be a late night vietnamese noodle place i'd go to with girls called Viet-Hoa. it was good. i might have eaten dog there. whaddup vet?

[Frozen Sooner]

Um...that's exactly what he was saying. Geez, Froze, sometimes your reading comprehension is the pits.

All I know is he better get his butt out there and shovel the sidewalk.

[JohnnyMack]

Get rid of the dog. You'll be amazed how much more worthless they become once a kid arrives.

[SicEmBaylor]

****, our mailman sucks. You can be damned sure no contract on Earth could get me to shovel the sidewalk just for his fat useless ***.

[Frozen Sooner]

Get rid of the dog. You'll be amazed how much more worthless they become once a kid arrives.

I can't think of any purpose a dog serves that a kid won't.

Good for meeting women? Check
Can fetch the paper? Check
Poops all over the place? Check
Catches frisbees with their mouth? Check, if you throw 'em accurately enough.

[Frozen Sooner]

Plus, in a couple of years he can make the kid shovel the sidewalk and get the HOA off his *** about THAT, too.

[SicEmBaylor]

I can't think of any purpose a dog serves that a kid won't.

Good for meeting women? Check
Can fetch the paper? Check
Poops all over the place? Check
Catches frisbees with their mouth? Check, if you throw 'em accurately enough.

See. This is why you're a "thinking man's" man.

[King Crimson]

See. This is why you're a "thinking man's" man.

i think that's all BS.

underwater hockey is where it's at.

[Frozen Sooner]

Underwater hockey can fetch the paper?

[King Crimson]

if you have a dog that fetches the paper, i'll retract it.

sin,

the internet.

[Frozen Sooner]

Good point. A kid can surf the net and aggregate headlines for you. A dog cannot.

Also, a dog cannot serve as an organ farm when you get older. If I can just figure out how to parthenogenerate, I'll be set.

[jkjsooner]

So you moved to a place with a HOA covenant already in place stating you couldn't have your animal crap or **** on the common grounds, and that's somehow the HOA's fault?

Well this was an update for February so I'm pretty sure that the language on this issue changed.

As for crap, I clean it up so I don't see why that makes any difference at all.

[Frozen Sooner]

Hm. If this is a new rule, I can see why it might annoy you.

As for you cleaning up your dog's crap: it's amazing. I can never find anyone who admits that they don't pick up their dog's dook, so theoretically there should never be dog crap in our condo association's lawn. But there it is.

[colleyvillesooner]

Get rid of the dog. You'll be amazed how much more worthless they become once a kid arrives.

Yep. I gotta get a house ASAP so those guys can spend more time OUTSIDE.

[Pricetag]

Hm. If this is a new rule, I can see why it might annoy you.

As for you cleaning up your dog's crap: it's amazing. I can never find anyone who admits that they don't pick up their dog's dook, so theoretically there should never be dog crap in our condo association's lawn. But there it is.
I think that's actually polar bear ****.

[47straight]

HOA's are the suck. Unless there is a fine specified, I'd do your best to follow the spirit of the rules.

And take no lip, whatsoever, from some yainch HOA prez talking down to you like a 6 year old. In fact, next time you see her, I'd ask her a good 3 or 4 times "Did you shovel? You have to shovel, you know. I brought a copy of the rules, do you see where it says you have to shovel?"

One of my friends got a nasty note from his HOA stasi reminding him that he could not leave out his garbage for pickup the night before. Fortunately, the HOA stasi included a picture of the can and the house. He wrote back, pointing out that it was his neighbor's can, not him.

[olevetonahill]

I refuse to pick up My dogs **** . unless biznatcho poops in My floor :D

[jkjsooner]

Hm. If this is a new rule, I can see why it might annoy you.

As for you cleaning up your dog's crap: it's amazing. I can never find anyone who admits that they don't pick up their dog's dook, so theoretically there should never be dog crap in our condo association's lawn. But there it is.

Froze, I don't know what to say about that. Do I need to prove to you that I pick up my dog's poop? How can I respond to that?

In my old place we had a little area where dogs could run around off-leash. I've put up plenty of signs asking others to clean up their dog poop. I don't like it either but I damn sure don't just assume that someone who says he picks up poop doesn't actually do it.

[jkjsooner]

HOA's are the suck. Unless there is a fine specified, I'd do your best to follow the spirit of the rules.

And take no lip, whatsoever, from some yainch HOA prez talking down to you like a 6 year old. In fact, next time you see her, I'd ask her a good 3 or 4 times "Did you shovel? You have to shovel, you know. I brought a copy of the rules, do you see where it says you have to shovel?"

One of my friends got a nasty note from his HOA stasi reminding him that he could not leave out his garbage for pickup the night before. Fortunately, the HOA stasi included a picture of the can and the house. He wrote back, pointing out that it was his neighbor's can, not him.

Dang, man, I just took my trash out for tomorrow morning's pick up. Guess I'll get another note. ;-)

Oh, and as far as shovelling. I offered to help them shovel the elderly neighbor's place. She just kind of gave me a attitude and said they've already done it.

I think she's just a sad fugly middle aged lady.

[Okla-homey]

Does your rental agreement contain terms that require you to abide by the HOA rules? Cuz, if it don't...tell 'em to p_ss-off!

If those rules aren't incorporated in your lease/rental agreement, you aren't bound by them because you didn't covenant to be bound by them. Your landlord did.

Now, its a little more complicated than that, because some restrictions, called "equitable servitudes" in the legal biz, are said to "run with the land," and thus bind all occupants of said land. But, unless I'm missing something, letting your dog take a leak ain't one of 'em.

The sort of thing that does "run with the land" is stuff like the kind of shingles on your roof, choice of house color (paint), whether or not you can build a welding shop in the backyard, etc.

All that said, be cool about it. No sense p_ssing all your neighbors off. Just let Fido drain the main vein when the neighbor lady isn't in her front yard watching.

[Frozen Sooner]

Froze, I don't know what to say about that. Do I need to prove to you that I pick up my dog's poop? How can I respond to that?

In my old place we had a little area where dogs could run around off-leash. I've put up plenty of signs asking others to clean up their dog poop. I don't like it either but I damn sure don't just assume that someone who says he picks up poop doesn't actually do it.

Wasn't meaning to imply that you, personally, don't clean up your dog's poop-simply that some people who claim to pick up their dog's poop obviously don't.

The point was that dogs pooping on the common areas leads to dog poop being left in the common area. The person writing the HOA rules doesn't know you like I do. I'm sure you do a great job picking up the dog's poop.

[King Crimson]

somebody's pooch drooped a nice double turd in my front yard a couple weeks ago....the groundskeepers paid by my increasing rent don't seem to think it needs to be cleaned up. of course, the same grounds crew, took an ethical decision when power washing the windows on the building the other days when mine were open and went for it.....blasting water into my apartment and all over my baby love NAD amp and old school Boston Acoustic speakers. thanks, guys.

who says King Crimson is a friend of the working man, GRRRR.

[Penguin]

Do you know what I do when people complain about me?

Hint: it involves KY Jelly, a bucket of gasoline, and a hamburger.

[JohnnyMack]

Do you know what I do when people complain about me?

Hint: it involves KY Jelly, a bucket of gasoline, and a hamburger.

Stop it. You're making me hungry.

[jkjsooner]

Wasn't meaning to imply that you, personally, don't clean up your dog's poop-simply that some people who claim to pick up their dog's poop obviously don't.

The point was that dogs pooping on the common areas leads to dog poop being left in the common area. The person writing the HOA rules doesn't know you like I do. I'm sure you do a great job picking up the dog's poop.

Cool, I got a little too defensive there....