Dad gives wife and kids 'mean' ultimatum, 'take care of your dog or rehome it.'
When this man gives his wife and kids an ultimatum, he asks Reddit:
'AITA for telling my wife and kids to either take care of their dog or rehome it?'
Three years ago my wife and kids wore me down and I agreed to let them get a dog. I am not a dog person. They seem like very fine people but they are just not for me.
The deal was that I wouldn't have to walk it or clean up after it and that they would take care of it.
It went fine for about a year and a half. But once the damn thing was out of its puppy phase they lost most interest.
So for about two years now I have been walking it because it needs exercise. I have to buy it food because my wife forgets. I have to walk around the back yard before I mow to make sure I'm not going to run over it's turds.
I'm done. I came home yesterday and it had chewed up a pair of my shoes.
I waited until dinner and then I laid down the law. Thay poor thing is going stir crazy. It is used to getting their attention and stuff all the time because of COVID. Now that they can do other stuff they are ignoring it. It isn't fair to the dog and it isn't fair to me.
I said that if they didn't have time to walk it they could play with it in the back yard. But that if I found any turds back there that I was hiring a service to keep the yard clean but the money was coming out of their allowances or the house budget.
I said I wasn't buying any more food. If there was no food and the dog wasn't fed I would be hiring someone to watch the dog and once again they would be paying for it.
They got upset with me because the dog likes me and it's obviously my dog. Of course the thing likes me, I take care of it, which I don't want to do.
So I brought out our agreement which I made them all sign. Not my responsibility. I said they had three choices. Take care of the dog, rehome the dog, or pay someone else to take care of the dog.
They all think I'm being too harsh but I don't think so. I didn't want it on the first place. I've already checked with a friend of mine. She likes dogs and has agreed to take it if my family cannot follow through.
My wife says that I'm being an asshole with this ultimatum. I think it's fair. AITA?
greekamericandog writes:
NTA. This is exactly why I never got a dog. I knew that if I did, no matter the promises, it would end up being my dog. Why? Because I'm the one in the family that takes care of whatever isn't handled by others.
Every parent who is not a dog person should read this post to understand why they should never let themselves be worn down.
You were absolutely right in what you did. You didn't give an ultimatum. You confronted them with the responsibility they promised to have. These are the consequences of their actions.
chelldees writes:
NTA. My dad is prime example. He didn’t want a dog. My sister came home with a chihuahua.
She left and then moved back in and at some point mentioned taking the dog if she ever got her own place. He looked at her like she had three heads. That’s his dog now lol.
brookebaraoff writes:
NTA. My roomates wanted a dog. I said no. My roommates begged and promised to clean. I said no.
My roommate moved out and got a dog. Within 1 month I stopped going over to her new place because the dog kept pooing inside.
Like I’d be talking to her and it would haunch in the living room and she wouldn’t bat an eye. She was a damn smoker and she didn’t take it out with her!