Man Asks If He'll Be Wrong For Asking His SIL To Keep Her Rescue Dog Away From Him And His Family

"I know I will be met with anger and baseless accusations/emotional blackmail"

Maryjane

• Published in Animal Stories
• April 1, 2023

Any rescue dog, whether it was abandoned, neglected, unable to be cared for by its family, or, worst-case scenario, the victim of abuse, has undoubtedly gone through their share of hardships. Dogs who have spent any amount of time in a shelter are frequently more likely to experience certain problems, such as anxiety disorders, destructive behavior, and other outward signs of dread or distress.

While most of these behaviors can be changed with the right information, love, patience, and time and with the help of a trained professional, the majority of dogs require some time to adjust to everything. This includes you, as after moving into their forever home, they may be traumatized and stressed out to some extent.

The original poster of today's story experienced such a dog. His sister-in-law got a rescue dog, and we're talking about a highly anxious Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

The OP was nervous about it being anywhere near his young children. There were a couple of incidents that made the OP raise the concern that they don't want the dog in the house and/or around the children.

His concerns were met with a torrent of abuse and emotional blackmail about not being able to see our children if the dog couldn't be there. The OP still wants to tell them not to bring the dog to his house, but we are confused about it.

So now, the OP is asking the AITA subreddit community...

The OP were told that they were incredibly mean for forcing them between leaving the dog at home and spending time with their children

The dog went crazy at the OP when he entered the room and he had to shut the door on it

The OP's SIL goes off the handle about it, especially in front of his kids

Compared to dogs who have lived with their families since they were puppies, rescue dogs experience separation anxiety much more often. Their degree of distress can vary from mild to severe, and it can show up in a number of different behaviors.

Dogs who were not raised by a family from a young age may have some doggie baggage, but that does not mean they are defective. Simply giving them more attention and affection will help them get over their trauma and/or confusion, but it seems as if the OP's SIL is not even making any effort to help her rescue dog.

Here are some of the top comments from other redditors in response to the OP's story.

It is your house and it is your rules, OP

They are the ones in charge of managing their dog's stress

Your SIL is irresponsible and dangerous

It is either your SIL's fragile ego or your children

You do not go over if their dog is out and about

She won't see how her dangerous her dog is

The dog has clearly shown aggression signs

Tell your wife she can visit on her own

For the dog's own safety and that of the OP's kids, it must be kept away. Additionally, it appears that this dog already experiences stress and anxiety in daily life, and the SIL needs to take it to a behaviorist and trainer.

Redditors believe that there is nothing the OP can do if his SIL decides not to, as the dog is her duty. He was declared not the AH in the story.

Maryjane