Redditor bisagi83 and his wife want a puppy for their daughter, however they’re not quite ready to make that commitment.
However, momma knows best, right?
Well, that’s what the Original Poster’s (OP’s) mom thought.
Grandma took matters into her own hands and bought a puppy for her granddaughter’s birthday.
The OP and his wife were not happy with her decision, driving the OP to subReddit “Am I the A**hole?” (AITA).
He asked:
“AITA for telling my mother she can keep the puppy she bought for my daughter”
He went on to explain:
“I [40-year-old Male] and my wife [39-year-old Female] had been considering buying a dog for our daughter.”
“We already have a dog that is elderly, and we wanted to get a puppy so it could also learn from the older dog. We both decided that right now is not a good time since we live in a very tiny place.”
“Yesterday, my mother [67-year-old Female] bought our daughter an 8-week-old blue nose pit. She claimed our daughter named it Athena and everything.”
“She also told my wife that she could train it. My wife and I were pissed. I told my mother she had no right to buy a dog for our daughter without consulting us.”
“I told her she can keep the dog at her house, train it herself, and that if my daughter had really chosen the name, she would’ve most likely done Sky or Everest…”
“…since she is huge into Paw Patrol and not Athena since she’s never heard that name before.”
“My mother called me an a**hole for the way I talked to her and that the dog was bought as a gift for her granddaughter.”
“So AITA for my reaction?”
Redditors weighed in by declaring:
- NTA – Not The A**hole
- YTA – You’re The A**hole
- NAH – No A**holes Here
- ESH – Everyone Sucks Here
Redditors decided:
“NTA a pet is not something you gift to anyone (except parents to children). If you bring a pet into your home, you have to make that decision.”
“Your mother overstepped it by involving your daughter in this” – Ok_Nectarine7476
“Nta, I work in rescues, and THIS IS WHY PETS ARENT PRESENTS.”
“have her return or rehome now while it’s a baby still” – Fluffy-Shelter-1258
“NTA Pets make lousy gifts. ‘Surprising’ someone and gifting them a pet is beyond inconsiderate.” – Heloise_Morris
“NTA”
“Living animals are not gifts. As a rescuer, this really pisses me off. Your mother was out of line, and now there’s an unwanted puppy to deal with.”
“Tell your mother to keep it or rehome it responsibly. And explain to your daughter why this isn’t her dog.” – tatersprout
“NTA. I don’t think a Pitbull is a good idea.”
“You need to be d*mn sure your insurance will cover any incidents related to a Pit Bull, and you need to find out if they are even legal to have where you live.”
“I’m sure there are nice Pit Bulls, and I’m fairly certain a beloved family dog we had had some Pit Bull in them, but you need to be careful.” – [deleted]
“NTA”
“Your mother overstepped boundaries by buying a dog without consulting you, especially considering your living situation.” – onemoreday0
“NTA and also agree with comments that a pet is not a gift.”
“No one is pointing out that your mom was going to gift a blue-nosed pit?? That could be a dangerous choice WTH.” – Yo_mama_999
“Pitbulls are not a good idea for children or any family. They’re aggressive and are responsible for the majority of dog-related bites and deaths.”
“That aside, regardless of breed, she shouldn’t have brought home any animal for your daughter. NTA” – misologous
“PETS ARE NOT PRESENTS. Aggghhhh. Ask any vet or rescue what happens in January and February. Your mother, and people like her, cause that hell.”
“NTA.” – lmholot1981
“NTA but your mom sure is. This is why shelters are full of dog – pits especially.” – Pragmatic_Hedonist
“Definitely NTA, as many others have said, Pets are not gifts. They are responsibilities that you need to be able to choose to undertake.”
“Your mom, however huge AH. I’d be telling my mother that she bought herself a pet that she can keep at her house.” – Pineapple_Peach_375
”NTA. Pits are generally a bad choice for homes with small children and other pets. I’d be concerned for your child and your elderly dog.”
“Be cautious with any interactions with them and the pit!” – Tiny_Breadfruit_4256
“Your mom is a total AH. A dog is just as much time and energy as a child, especially in the early days. She ignored you and your wife and that’s wrong.”
“You are the ones who know how much time and energy you have to dedicate to training a new puppy. It’s just wrong.” – Soft_Explorer9300
“NTA another thing to consider if you’re renting this new dog is probably on the forbidden list.”
“You also have to take out more insurance which since your renting won’t include the dog, which is why you’ll need more insurance.” – Mykona-1967
“NTA. Animal shelter volunteers: this is how a lot of pets end up in shelters. I witnessed a bonded pair of kittens be surrendered.”
“The mom’s idiot brother brought the kittens for the mom’s daughter. Lo and behold, mom is allergic to said kittens.”
“I’m not looking forward to our kennels being filled again with pets who were given as gifts.” – PinkHairAnalyst
“Does your mother want your kid to die or be permanently disfigured? Stay the f*ck away from her pit bull. Did she buy it in a Walmart parking lot? Ffs.” – Similar-Copy7895
“PETS ARE NOT GIFTS. I work in rescue, and Christmas is the f*cking worst. When people come in saying they are adopting as a gift to someone else, I refuse them every single time.”
“It’s highly irresponsible and shows a complete lack of respect for life, saying an animal can be a present.”
“NTA but when you do get your daughter a dog for the future, do NOT get it as a gift. They rely on us for everything.”
“It’s a responsibility and an opportunity to teach respect for life and compassion.” – Teitunge
“NTA”
“A puppy isn’t an item you can put in a cupboard once you’re bored with it. It is a living creature which needs attention and care all along its life…”
“…(average 12-14 years for this specific race looked it up))”
“That’s something only the parents of your family can decide upon.”
“Also, even if you wanted a dog right now, it is up to YOU to decide which race and even which puppy’s character is the best fit for your family.”
“Your mom is WAY out of line.”
“Also, I had to look up the race and found out it’s a pitbull.”
“FYI, since 1993, it’s forbidden in the Netherlands to own or breed pit bulls due to numerous horrendous biting incidents in the past.”
“For me, it’s an additional NTA having a mom who’d gift one to a young child..” – DoIwantToKnow6417
“Totally NOT TA. Do you own your own home? If so, and if you want the risk of a pit bull, then do what you want, but I guarantee you that if you’re renting, your LL will NOT want that pit bull there.”
“Tell Grandma that no one gets a kid a dog without clearing it with the parents. The last thing your elderly dog needs is a puppy to make his last days miserable.”
“And YOU are the ones who need to train a puppy – they don’t ‘learn’ from the old dog.”
“Wait til old dog dies, wait til kid is a bit older, and then get a nice dog who is not a dangerous, prohibited breed dog, especially if you’re renting.” – snowplowmom
“NTA. Obviously, the mother should not have just bought a pet for the grandchild. And not just any pet, but a big dog and even worse a fighting dog breed. Total AH behavior.”
“Even a pet rat or mouse which are much smaller and have a shorter lifespan should not been bought against the parents’ will.” – opelan
“NTA.”
“Not just a dog, but a dog that requires a ton of training because it has the ability to seriously hurt someone, even just by accident.”
“Plus she almost definitely bought it from some backyard breeder because that’s the only person who gives a damn about ‘blue nose’.”
“Absolutely ridiculous.” – GaimanitePkat
“NTA. Never buy pets as gifts! Buying a pit bull for a gift is an awful gift! Not everyone is a fan of pit bulls, but more importantly, you didn’t want any dog/puppy right now.”
“Your mom bought herself a dog. She should never have gotten the dog and it’s more concerning that there seems to be some lying going on too about the name.”
“Stand your ground and do not allow the dog to enter your home, or she’ll leave it there.” – noccie
“A pit?”
“Judge Judy’s prejudice against pits has become my prejudice too”
“That’s not a suitable first dog for a child”
“NTA” – Peskypoints
Puppies don’t stay puppies forever. They grow into big dogs with big requirements.
This parent seems to know what they’re capable of caring for, better than their mother that is.