This Redditor Agreed To Dog-Sit For A Month—Then Their Friend Kept Extending Her European Vacation
One Redditor thought they were doing a simple favor for a friend heading off on a European holiday. Instead, the dog-sitting gig turned into a six-week commitment that’s now causing serious tension.
The OP explained that their friend asked them to look after her Belgian Malinois while she traveled. Anyone familiar with the breed knows they’re high-energy and demanding, and the Redditor said the dog requires bite training, long walks, special meals, and constant supervision.
Originally, the arrangement was only meant to last about a month. But near the end of the trip, the friend met a guy she really liked and decided to extend her vacation.
First it was an extra ten days, which the OP happily agreed to. Then it became another week, and while the Redditor admitted it was starting to feel like a burden, they still agreed after their friend begged.
The final straw came when she asked to extend the trip again—this time by five days for a boat cruise the new guy offered to pay for. That’s when the OP said they felt taken advantage of.
They warned their friend that if she didn’t return soon, they’d place the dog in a kennel at her expense. The friend wasn’t pleased and accused the OP of not being supportive.
Now, after nearly six weeks of caring for a very demanding dog, the Redditor is wondering if setting boundaries makes them the bad guy.
The OP warned their friend that if she didn’t return soon, they’d place the dog in a kennel at her expense.
Here's the original post by Reddit user u/FierceandSoft.
So one of my closest friends left for Europe a month ago and I agreed to look after her dog when gone. It's a Belgium Malinois and a lot of work to take care of.
It needs bite training, walks, specific food I have to prepare and occasionally bites/mouths furniture and other stuff around the house. While on holiday, she has met a guy that she is obsessed in (I am really happy for her truthfully) but she has extended the holiday 2x so far. First for 10 days then another week.
At the first extension I was more than happy to look after the dog a little longer as she met the guy near the end of her trip and I wanted to give her the chance to build a connection with him. The second time I told her that "her dog isn't my responsibility and that it's becoming a drain having to revolve my life around it" but after she begged me I agreed that one more week is fine.
However, yesterday she said that he was going to pay for them to go on a boat cruise before she leaves extending her trip an additional 5 days. At this point, I said that "I felt I was been taking advantage of, and that if she didn't come home, that I would take it to a dog keep at her expense."
At this point she lost it and said that a "good friend would be happy she was getting an all expense cruise paid for and that she wouldn't have a problem doing this for me". At this I was pretty shook, I have been taking care of her dog for nearly 6 weeks now, and really am happy for her. IDK am I the Asshole here?
Let's see how the Reddit community reacted.
This is insane!
She's not a real friend.
She's taking advantage of you.
She should be paying you.
She's not capable of being a friend.
That poor dog.
She clearly doesn't care about her dog.
NTA.
What about her family?
This is quite worrying.
This seems fishy.
This isn't your responsibility!
Now the Redditor is left wondering whether setting boundaries makes them a bad friend. But after six weeks of caring for a high-energy dog, plenty of commenters think it’s fair to say the favor has officially gone above and beyond.
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