Pets can feel more like family than literal humans sometimes, especially when we share our homes with them. For many dog owners, their furry companions aren't "just pets." They're something akin to children in the way that their owner's life can revolve around making sure their pup is included. But what happens when these feelings collide with other peoples' boundaries?
I know a pet parent or two that refuse to go anywhere that their dog can't go to as well. So, if we want to have a girl's night, we have to make sure the restaurant or cafe is dog-friendly or at their place. It's always a compromise, though. If they had it their perfect way, I know they'd prefer that every hang were at a dog park.
This is the type of dog owner our narrator is dealing with. This man planned a special weekend getaway with the whole family to celebrate his parents' 50th wedding anniversary. Everything was set, except for one glaring point: his brother wanted to bring his beloved Labrador along. The country house he had booked had a strict no-pets rule, his youngest child was afraid of dogs, and the chef they hired request a pet-free space. When he told his brother his lab couldn't come, things spiraled quickly with his brother arguing that the dog was like "his daughter." Attempts at compromise were made, but deflected, and now this pet parent is threatening to skip the trip entirely.