Don’t get us wrong, all dogs are great, but only perfect pooches make the grade as emotional support animals or service dogs. These specially trained and certified doggos work everywhere, from hospitals and schools to disaster sites and even workplaces.
One woman who rebranded her spaniel a “therapy dog” after seeing something on TikTok looked the other way whenever it misbehaved. Having had enough of this, her sister-in-law banned it from an upcoming family BBQ. That’s when all the drama started.
More info: Mumsnet
With their puppy dog eyes and goofy faces, pretty much all dogs are great, but only some can become certified service dogs
Image credits: Aleksandra Nowicka / Pexels (not the actual photo)
One woman who’s had it up to here with her sister-in-law’s so-called “therapy dog” said it wouldn't be welcome at an upcoming family BBQ
Image credits: Wavebreak Media / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Her sister-in-law didn’t take it well, and sent her a long message about how she was “disrespecting mental health” and making her feel excluded
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While her husband suggested she compromise, the woman refused to budge, so her sister-in-law said she wouldn’t be coming to the BBQ at all
Image credits: Ketut Subiyanto / Pexels (not the actual photo)
To keep things polite, the woman sent her entitled sister-in-law a text saying she was sorry she wouldn’t be able to make it, and left it at that
Image credits: AshNice
In an update to her original post, the woman thanked the online community for their support and said her sister-in-law was sulking, but at least the BBQ was safe
Family gatherings can already be a juggling act. Add toddlers, food, and one overly excitable spaniel into the mix, and things get tricky quickly. That’s exactly what happened when OP’s sister-in-law insisted on bringing her self-declared “therapy dog” to backyard BBQs, despite its frankly awful behavior.
OP explains that while she has no problem with dogs, this particular canine is not exactly the picture of calm. At a previous event, it had leapt onto the table, gobbled sausages from a serving platter, and chased kids around the yard. For an upcoming gathering, she just wanted some down-to-earth family time without worrying about the spaniel-shaped sausage thief.
When OP politely asked her sister-in-law not to bring the pup this time, especially with three toddlers running around, she didn’t take it well. By text, she accused OP of “disrespecting mental health” and claimed she felt excluded. To dial up the drama even more, she said that if the dog wasn’t welcome, neither was she.
OP’s husband thought it would be better to let it slide to avoid any drama, but OP was left wondering: was it really unfair to draw a line, or have dogs become mandatory plus-ones at every family event?
After sharing her dilemma with an online community, OP returned with an update. She’d simply texted her sister-in-law back, saying that it was too bad she couldn’t come to the upcoming BBQ but that they’d see her next time. The message got two blue ticks and no response, but OP’s not bothered; the BBQ is safe from the “sausage monster,” as netizens dubbed it.
Image credits: ivankyryk / Freepik (not the actual photo)
From what OP tells us, her sister-in-law is a bit of a drama queen, and an entitled one at that. If you’ve ever come across anyone who thinks the world owes them constant favors, you can probably relate. What makes some people expect special treatment, though? And is the pup in question even a “therapy” dog? We went looking for answers.
WebMD says entitlement mentality is defined as a sense of deservingness or being owed a favor when little or nothing has been done to deserve special treatment. It’s basically a “you owe me” attitude.
While it’s not exactly known how this mentality develops, experts understand that it’s a narcissistic personality trait that may arise due to social factors like the environment you grew up in, the way your parents treated you, whether adults solved your problems for you, or how you’re treated by authority figures.
As for OP’s sister-in-law’s claims that her pooch is a therapy dog, experts may disagree. The Therapy Dogs website says that while therapy dogs may come in all shapes and sizes, the most important characteristic is their temperament. A certified therapy dog must be friendly, patient, confident, gentle, and at ease in all situations. Sounds pretty far off from the hyperactive, sausage-stealing spaniel OP had to deal with.
What would you have done if you’d found yourself in OP’s shoes? Do you think she should’ve compromised once again, or was she right to put her foot down? Share your opinion in the comments!
In the comments, readers slammed the sister-in-law for her sense of entitlement but suggested that keeping the dog on a short leash might be a workaround in future
