Teen's Desire For A Dog Turns Into Responsibility Nightmare As Mom Sets Rules
A 28-year-old mom thought she was doing the responsible thing when she agreed to talk about getting her teen daughter a puppy, but the excitement lasted about as long as it took to hear the rules.
OP laid out the deal clearly: the daughter would handle taking the dog outside when she’s not at school, and she’d be doing real work, not just “wanting” a dog. Her daughter, understandably, wasn’t expecting that part, and suddenly OP was left defending why a high-maintenance Australian Shepherd isn’t a casual hobby.
What started as a simple puppy conversation turned into a full-on responsibility showdown, and now the whole household is stuck in the middle.
Before agreeing to get the dog, OP wants to ensure her daughter understands the commitment involved
OP's daughter will be responsible for taking the dog outside when she is not at school
She told the OP that she wasn’t expecting all these rules when she asked to get a dog
OP’s daughter asked for a puppy with big dreams, then immediately acted shocked when mom started listing chores like they were non-negotiable.</p>
OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the AH:
I told my daughter she will have to do some of the work if she wants a puppy and I may be the AH because while I am capable of doing all the work myself, I want to teach her.
We've gathered some of the most upvoted comments from other Redditors for you to read through below
Australian Shepherd are highly intelligent working dogs
The OP is being incredibly generous in this situation
The OP should simply answer no
That’s when the Australian Shepherd conversation got real, because commenters and OP both pointed out how smart and high-maintenance that breed is.</p>
It also echoes a father keeping a dog his daughter hates, and the fallout from it.
OP even floated the idea of training it “as she feels like it will work out better,” which made the argument less about the dog and more about who controls the plan.</p>
The OP left this somewhere in the comments...
I said “I will train it as I feel like it will workout better”. I think I’m going to see if she would either be willing to get a different breed, or wait a few years and do her research then think about the Australian shepherd.
A dog is a lot of work and commitment
It should be a no until she's more grown up
She needs to see what an aussie really is
That type of dog breed is very high maintenance
Now, with OP already running the household and caring for a 3-year-old, the debate shifts to whether the daughter is ready, or if someone is trying to dodge the work.</p>
However, her daughter's reaction shows her lack of knowledge to own a pet dog and the responsibilities that come with it.
OP already manages the household and caring for a 3-year-old, yet the boyfriend is being inconsiderate as he sidelined with OP’s daughter. As OP manages this situation, she'll likely learn more about her daughter's commitment if she truly wants the dog.
Nobody wants a puppy, they want the fun parts, and that’s exactly why this family dinner turned into a rules war.
Want to see extreme dog-ownership “proof”? Read how the mom tested her family for 60 days.
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