For some (okay, most) households, Thanksgiving brings about a flurry of emotion and chaos. Sometimes, that chaos revolves around a seemingly innocent question: “Can I bring my dog?”
Bringing a dog to Thanksgiving sounds like it should be innocent enough. Would you believe us if we told you that this ask has caused rifts in otherwise tight-knit families? It’s so common, in fact, that there are loads of Reddit “AITA?” posts dedicated to this very thing.
Maybe this isn’t news to you and you’ve had your fair share of family dog drama, or maybe you’re in a dog squabble of your own and need to gain some new perspective. Or maybe, like us, you just love the drama. Whatever the case may be, we’ve disected some of the best “AITA?” posts about bringing a dog to Thanksgiving. We’re not partial to dog parents, either — some of these posts were written by hesitant hosts. Enjoy.
‘AITA for not boarding my dog for Thanksgiving?’
Link to Reddit thread here.
The problem: OP has a 2-year-old Doberman Pinscher who they have raised from puppyhood. Their family thought the dog would be aggressive due to the breed, but (surprise) he’s a big baby. They are hosting Thanksgiving at a cabin left to them by their late grandfather. Their aunt and uncle will be staying but don’t want the dog in the house. OP doesn’t want to board their Doberman due to both cost and the fact that they don’t want their dog living in a boarding facility for a week. The OP’s aunt, uncle, parents, and siblings all believe the dog should be boarded and that OP is putting their pup before family.
DogTime’s verdict: If family is coming over to your home for Thanksgiving, they should expect for your pets to be there. There’s no world where a visitor should get to say what happens to your dog. With that said, if you’re hosting Thanksgiving with a territorial dog, you might need to prepare your dog for the big day.
‘AITA for cancelling Thanksgiving over my parents’ dog?’
Link to Reddit thread here.
The problem: OP’s parents have an untrained, high-energy dog whom their child is allergic to. The dog also has been physically rough with the child. After this incident, their parents have boarded the dog when visiting. Unfortunately, the pup has since been diagnosed with a medical condition, so the parents were planning to leave the dog with a caretaker instead of boarding him during their absence. A couple of weeks before Thanksgiving, the dog had a health-related episode, which prompted OP’s mom to ask if the dog could just come with them. Because of the issues OP has with the dog, they told their mom she couldn’t bring him, causing Thanksgiving to be cancelled altogether.
DogTime’s verdict: We sympathize with the dog’s illness. Still, a dog endangering a child is a big no-no. Staying home is the best thing OP’s parents could do for both their dog and their grandchild.
‘AITA for prioritizing my dog over my family Thanksgiving?’
Link to Reddit thread here.
The problem: OP has had their dog for ten years. She rescued him from a dogfighting ring, and they are inseparable. Sadly, her pup was diagnosed with lymphoma and is undergoing chemotherapy. Because of this, her parents lifted their strict “no dogs” rule so she could bring her dog to Thanksgiving. Out of respect for their home, OP prepaid for grooming appointments so her dog was as clean as possible when he visited. Two days before OP and her pup would be arriving, her parents informed her that her dog would be staying in the unfinished basement for the duration of their stay. Not comfortable with this, OP decided not to go.
DogTime’s verdict: When you’re going to stay in someone else’s home, their rules are their rules. Lifting a “no dogs” rule for a sick dog is a very kind thing to do. With that said, informing OP that he would be banished to the basement for the holiday with just two days notice isn’t a cool move.
‘AITA for not letting my cousin bring her dog to Thanksgiving dinner?’
Link to Reddit thread here.
The problem: OP’s cousin has an untrained 90-pound dog who is not good with kids. She insists on bringing the dog to OP’s house for Thanksgiving, otherwise she will not be in attendance.
DogTime’s verdict: An untrained 90-pound dog who isn’t good with kids is a recipe for a Thanksgiving trip to either the emergency vet, the human hospital, or both. If your dog isn’t friendly with others and doesn’t understand commands, do not bring them to someone else’s home. There really isn’t any wiggle room on this.
