My elder sister has a small white dog. You see those little dogs that don’t perform any dog duties but instead eat, bark with little voices, and sleep? Yeah, that one. It was her ex who bought it for her on her birthday. That relationship didn’t last, but the dog is still alive and living with my sister. She buys it expensive food and treats it like royalty.

Nowadays, my sister travels a lot for work, and when she’s traveling, she brings the dog to me to keep until she returns. She even had to take me through an orientation program to understand the needs of the dog before she started leaving it with me. The problem is, this dog is spending more time with me these days than it spends with her. She’s always on the move.

I feel restricted and feel like I’m at a party I have no business attending. This dog is a whole job. It shits in places angels sit to guard me. It pees in my shoes and sometimes eats my slippers. I hate that I have to babysit a dog I didn’t buy. I don’t even like dogs. So I told her, respectfully and calmly, “Why don’t you sell the dog, looking at how life has become busy for you?”

She asked, “Are you busy too?”

Yeah, I have my own life to live, and that’s a lot of busyness, but she thinks the fact that I’m stationed at home means I’m not busy.

I told her I hate the work the dog gives and I’m tired of smelling poo and pee. She has done a lot for me, and she thinks this is the time for me to reciprocate—to also take care of what’s hers. I don’t understand her sentiments about this dog, so when she told me she was bringing the dog the other time, I told her I wouldn’t be home. I later came home and saw the kids of my neighbors playing with the dog. She had come to leave the dog there.

I Left Him Because He Didn’t Help In The Kitchen

It looks like I can’t run away, so I intend to go out with the dog and leave it somewhere so it can get lost. I learned it’s a dog people love. Wherever it ends up, it will be loved better than with me. I’m tired of having doggie problems with my sister. She will be angry and maybe say things I don’t want to hear, but I will go through that only once. That’s better than living with an unruly dog.

We are only two girls, and she’s all I have, but the dog in the equation makes life harder. Am I being petty?

—Ellen

This story you just read was sent to us by someone just like you. We know you have a story too. Email it to us at [email protected]. You can also drop your number and we will call you so you tell us your story.

******