Well, they have plenty of options on where to walk the dog.

There is a nature preserve just two minutes from the their house, easy access through public roads. It is a big, flat, and beautiful park with marked paths for humans and dogs. Why can’t their dog mark its territory there? The park is quite nature oriented. If the dog relieves itself couple of feet off the path, I don’t think the human would even need to pick up after the dog. Alternatively, the dog can mark their own front and back yard. Why the dog just “has to” mark MY front yard on a private road that leads to nowhere is beyond me. The owner certainly has many options. She picks the option that happens to be the most convenient for her but the least considerate for her neighbors. So, yes, the dog “has to” urinate somewhere. But no, the dog does not “have to” urinate on MY yard. 

That said, I don’t think any subtle hint would work with the family. So all I can do is a few little things here and there, and then I will come back here and vent some more...

Happy Holidays! :)