'We don't want a dog': Aunt buys nieces puppy as a surprise present without asking their parents, dad loses it

Brad Dickson • Managing Editor

Jul 24, 2023 6:00 PM EDT

In my completely unbiased opinion, dogs might be one of the greatest creatures on this earth. Though, it remains a fact that they're a lot of work—work that is worth it if you have the patience, time, and money… and are willing to make the sacrifices necessary to ensure that they have a good quality of life and that you're being a responsible owner.

If you think bringing a dog into your life doesn't require a huge change in lifestyle and responsibility—then I really worry about your poor dog and the people affected by your irresponsible ownership. For, when you take a neglected dog out into public spaces, it becomes a burden on everyone else.

Giving someone the gift of this immense responsibility without first making darn well sure they want it is—well—insane. Heck, giving someone a plant as a gift can even be too much responsibility for some people, let alone giving them what is essentially the 'lite' version of parenthood. There will be bills to pay, food to be purchased, training to be done, and 5 AM potty breaks to be overseen—you can't just give everyone all of that as a surprise present. It's basically making a split-second decision for someone and going, "Here you go! Enjoy the next 8-12 years of your life!"

So, when this husband, father, and brother shared his experience on an online community, it was easy to see why readers resoundingly took his side. His sister, a "dog mom," brought her nieces home from an outing, bringing with them a furry guest—to the parent's horror. There had been no conversations and no warning about the surprise gift, which led to the parents deciding to take the puppy to the pound.

Read on for the husband's account of events and the verdicts that readers posted in the comments. Next, see this friend who wanted to stay with a family while he was down on his luck but demanded that the family get rid of their dog first.