What would you do?

Well - our lives are settling down - but still crazy as ever... Monday morning the daycare wouldn't let Max stay because his rash looked 'different.' So I had to find alternate daycare arrangements (thanks Shawna!) at the very last minute. That afternoon Max and I spent 3.5 hours at Kaiser Urgent just to get a note saying it was not contagious. It is just some sort of allergic reaction... (We have to go back at the end of the week for further analysis...)

OK - here is the big question of the day... A few weeks ago as Max and I were walking across the lawn to our apartment building my neighbor was playing with her dog. I don't know what kind of dog it is - but it is puppy - but a big puppy - not one of those tiny puppies... Anyway - usually - the dog is very nice a friendly - we had never had a problem with her before. This time though - the puppy got really excited and ran over to 'greet' Max - and ended up totally knocking Max flat on his back on the sidewalk and then jumped up on him and began licking his face. I know the dog was just trying to be friendly - but Max was terrorized. He was so upset! When it happened - I just scooped him up (he was screaming) and ran home. I had not seen that neighbor since then until tonight.

When we pulled up to the apartment parking lot tonight our neighbor was out there letting her dog run around the grassy area again. Max was a little nervous when he saw her dog - so I carried him. OK - here is the thing - there was a good solid minute or so from the time when she saw us get out of our car - to when we started walking acroess the lawn. PLENTY of time for her to grab hold of the 20 foot long rope she had laying all over the grass and make sure she had control of her pet. Instead - she just let her puppy run around. Well, as I began to walk across the grass - the puppy charged at me. The owner then tried to grab the rope - but her dog was running too fast. My foot started getting tied up in the rope - and the puppy charged straight into my legs. I was so startled that I actually screamed!

A few seconds later she had control of her dog. I decided that I needed to say something to her. I asked her if she could please try to have her dog on a leash when my son and I walked by. I didn't think I was asking too much. Afterall - isn't it the law or something? I don't know what the leash laws are for my area - but I don't think dogs are supposed to be allowed to run around knocking over little kids! She sat there for FOUR solid minutes making up excuses as to WHY she wanted to let her dog run around without a leash, and how she didn't know how else to teach her puppy to be good around kids, and how there wasn't anywhere else for her puppy to run around etc. I felt like saying "Puppy School?"

What should I do? I am almost to the point where I feel I need to complain to managment - or somebody else? Who? I am all for people having pets! But I don't want there pets to endanger my son! Max should not be afraid of being malled by big dogs while playing outside of his own home! WHAT SHOULD I DO?