A woman claimed in her viral TikTok that was viewed more than two million times that her neighbor poured chili powder along their shared fence line as a means to keep the TikToker's dogs away.
According to Hill's Pet Nutrition, spicy foods may cause stomach problems for dogs, like pain, diarrhea and gas. Dogs can also experience excessive thirst and may vomit.
The company cautions against dogs eating "human foods" as it can lead to problems down the road.
"When pet parents start feeding their dog people food, they are often creating an imbalance with their dog's digestive system and overall wellness," Hill's Pet Nutrition's website stated.
And, it may establish a habit of the dog trying to eat any type of food that a pet owner has without knowing the difference between what food is safe and what is deadly.
In Shaian's video, posted to her account, @smolgoatt, an image of orange powder is seen on the ground along the fence.
@smolgoatt The girls got chicken and rice to help calm their tummies and are doing good so far! #greenscreen #karen #adoptdontshop #badneighbors #puppies
♬ Oh No - Kreepa
"So I get home, I let my girls out, I notice immediately that they start eating whatever this is on my fence line," she said.
When Shaian called her housing office to inquire about any work done on the property, she was told that there was nothing done. She asked her neighbor if she knew what it was, to which her neighbor said that she poured the chili powder on the ground.
"I asked, 'Why'd you do that? They've been eating it,' and she said 'Oh I didn't know that they would eat it. I just saw it online and I thought it'd be a good idea since they're always barking at us and harassing my dog and peeing on the fence line,'" the TikToker recalled the conversation going.
Shaian said she got her two dogs when they were about four months old, and they are now seven months old. She said while the dogs need more training, they are not aggressive.
"Their tummies are probably not going to be happy with all of the chili powder they ate," she said.
That night, Shaian told Newsweek that her dogs were "chugging water."
They had upset tummies and were crying from it," she said. "They ended up getting diarrhea and then they were OK after that."
Shaian said she was grateful that was the extent of what her dogs dealt with. She told Newsweek there was a major storm that took place that night, and a tornado touched down not far from her.
"I wouldn't have been able to take them to the vet if they got worse because everyone was in lockdown," she said.
The TikToker said she understood her neighbor's frustration with her dogs barking but did not hear from her neighbor that it was a problem. She said she cleaned up most of the powder and was told by the veterinarian to monitor them.
The comments were split over the dispute between the two neighbors.
"She tried to poison your [dogs]. Press charges," a commenter wrote.
Another asked what the TikToker's neighbor expected from seven-month-old puppies with about three months of training.
"They are dogs they bark it's natural to them," wrote a viewer.
Though most TikTik viewers wrote that Shaian's neighbor should not have poured the chili powder on the ground, some felt it was the TikToker's responsibility to ensure her dogs do not bark at night.
"I in no way condone the chili powder BUT no one should have to tell you that dogs barking [is] annoying or causing sleep deprivation," a viewer commented. "It's common sense."
A commenter wrote that while they understood that dogs bark, the TikToker should not have allowed them to continue barking while expecting neighbors to "deal."
In several follow-up videos, the TikToker showed a map of her neighborhood and where other dogs lived in the area. She explained that when she lets them out, all the dogs bark at one another.
"I just see it as them talking and playing, and obviously I see that it's bothering my neighbor now, so I'm working with them to stop barking during the day, really just altogether, as much as I don't think they shouldn't be allowed to bark at all," she said.
Shaian also explained that she lets them out for five minutes at about three o'clock in the morning because she works night shifts and the other dogs in the neighborhood tend to bark when they see them.
While she is inside, she said she cannot hear the dogs barking.
She said she called her housing office about the situation, but nothing came from the call. The TikToker noted she did not want to get the police involved but welcomed any advice from commenters on how she can move forward with her neighbor. Training, Shaian said, is going smoothly and her dogs are learning to bark less when outside.
Shaian told Newsweek she has not spoken with her neighbor since the incident and is still upset about what happened.
"I believe if there's an issue she should come to me first instead of taking it out on my puppies," she said. "The issues at hand could have been fixed months ago if she talked to me first."
