Entitled Lady Assumes She Can Take “Therapy Dog” To Fam BBQ, Livid When SIL Gives Her Reality Check

Don’t get us wrong, all dogs are great, but only perfect pooches make the grade as emotional support animals or service dogs. These specially trained and certified doggos work everywhere, from hospitals and schools to disaster sites and even workplaces.

One woman who rebranded her spaniel a “therapy dog” after seeing something on TikTok looked the other way whenever it misbehaved. Having had enough of this, her sister-in-law banned it from an upcoming family BBQ. That’s when all the drama started.

More info: Mumsnet

With their puppy dog eyes and goofy faces, pretty much all dogs are great, but only some can become certified service dogs

Small therapy dog with red collar sitting among fall leaves outside, highlighting therapy dog challenges at family events.

Image credits: Aleksandra Nowicka / Pexels (not the actual photo)

One woman who’s had it up to here with her sister-in-law’s so-called “therapy dog” said it wouldn’t be welcome at an upcoming family BBQ

Text about SIL’s untrained therapy dog banned from family BBQ, causing a reality check on its acceptance.

Alt text: Clarification about a bouncy spaniel mistaken for a calm therapy dog causing issues at family events.

Text on a white background reads: We're hosting a family BBQ on Saturday, just something small in the garden with immediate family.

Text reading preferences about bringing a therapy dog to a family BBQ with toddlers and food safety concerns.

Text message showing someone upset, claiming disrespect of mental health and feeling excluded over therapy dog ban.

Alt text: Woman frustrated as her therapy dog gets banned from family barbecue, facing a reality check about pet acceptance.

Family enjoying a summer BBQ outdoors with grilled food, highlighting therapy dog restrictions at family gatherings.

Image credits: Wavebreak Media / Freepik (not the actual photo)

Her sister-in-law didn’t take it well, and sent her a long message about how she was “disrespecting mental health” and making her feel excluded

Text about a therapy dog at a family BBQ that jumped on the table and ate sausages from the platter.

Text showing a woman’s therapy dog misbehaving at a family BBQ, leading to its ban from the event.

Text about therapy dog causing tension at family BBQ, highlighting challenges of hosting someone's pet politely.

Text on a white background reading It’s not a public event, it’s just our back garden and a few burgers, related to therapy dog welcome limits.

Text discussing concerns about therapy dog safety around toddlers and food at a family barbecue event.

Text asking if dogs are welcome everywhere now with no questions asked, highlighting therapy dog controversy at family BBQ.

Image credits: AshNice

Small dog at family BBQ trying to take sausages, therapy dog banned after unwelcome behavior.

Image generated by Bored Panda using ChatGPT

While her husband suggested she compromise, the woman refused to budge, so her sister-in-law said she wouldn’t be coming to the BBQ at all

Text update about a therapy dog being banned from a family event, highlighting mixed feelings and reassurance.

Text message apologizing for not attending, with mention of hoping to catch up soon, shown on a plain background.

Text message discussing someone reading a message without responding, relating to a therapy dog banned from family event.

Text describing someone calling a dog a therapy dog after seeing TikTok, now bringing the dog everywhere in public.

Text excerpt about a therapy dog causing disruptions by barking, jumping, and begging for food in public places.

Woman holding smartphone, looking away thoughtfully, illustrating therapy dog banned from family BBQ reality check.

Image credits: Ketut Subiyanto / Pexels (not the actual photo)

To keep things polite, the woman sent her entitled sister-in-law a text saying she was sorry she wouldn’t be able to make it, and left it at that

Text on a white background stating a humorous complaint about a therapy dog urinating on a hallway rug and an excuse given for the behavior.

Text excerpt discussing concerns about a therapy dog being overstimulated and lacking boundaries in social settings.

Text discussing therapy dog acceptance and the reality check when banned from a family BBQ event.

Text about toddlers, open food, and paddling pool, highlighting concerns about therapy dog safety at family BBQ.

Text message about a therapy dog causing trouble by eating food and the decision to stop compromising.

Text post discussing therapy dog ban and family BBQ reaction, highlighting therapy dog not welcome everywhere.

Image credits: AshNice

In an update to her original post, the woman thanked the online community for their support and said her sister-in-law was sulking, but at least the BBQ was safe

Family gatherings can already be a juggling act. Add toddlers, food, and one overly excitable spaniel into the mix, and things get tricky quickly. That’s exactly what happened when OP’s sister-in-law insisted on bringing her self-declared “therapy dog” to backyard BBQs, despite its frankly awful behavior.

OP explains that while she has no problem with dogs, this particular canine is not exactly the picture of calm. At a previous event, it had leapt onto the table, gobbled sausages from a serving platter, and chased kids around the yard. For an upcoming gathering, she just wanted some down-to-earth family time without worrying about the spaniel-shaped sausage thief.

When OP politely asked her sister-in-law not to bring the pup this time, especially with three toddlers running around, she didn’t take it well. By text, she accused OP of “disrespecting mental health” and claimed she felt excluded. To dial up the drama even more, she said that if the dog wasn’t welcome, neither was she.

OP’s husband thought it would be better to let it slide to avoid any drama, but OP was left wondering: was it really unfair to draw a line, or have dogs become mandatory plus-ones at every family event?

After sharing her dilemma with an online community, OP returned with an update. She’d simply texted her sister-in-law back, saying that it was too bad she couldn’t come to the upcoming BBQ but that they’d see her next time. The message got two blue ticks and no response, but OP’s not bothered; the BBQ is safe from the “sausage monster,” as netizens dubbed it.

Young woman smiling while holding her therapy dog outdoors with green trees in the background on a sunny day

Image credits: ivankyryk / Freepik (not the actual photo)

From what OP tells us, her sister-in-law is a bit of a drama queen, and an entitled one at that. If you’ve ever come across anyone who thinks the world owes them constant favors, you can probably relate. What makes some people expect special treatment, though? And is the pup in question even a “therapy” dog? We went looking for answers. 

WebMD says entitlement mentality is defined as a sense of deservingness or being owed a favor when little or nothing has been done to deserve special treatment. It’s basically a “you owe me” attitude. 

While it’s not exactly known how this mentality develops, experts understand that it’s a narcissistic personality trait that may arise due to social factors like the environment you grew up in, the way your parents treated you, whether adults solved your problems for you, or how you’re treated by authority figures.

As for OP’s sister-in-law’s claims that her pooch is a therapy dog, experts may disagree. The Therapy Dogs website says that while therapy dogs may come in all shapes and sizes, the most important characteristic is their temperament. A certified therapy dog must be friendly, patient, confident, gentle, and at ease in all situations. Sounds pretty far off from the hyperactive, sausage-stealing spaniel OP had to deal with.

What would you have done if you’d found yourself in OP’s shoes? Do you think she should’ve compromised once again, or was she right to put her foot down? Share your opinion in the comments! 

In the comments, readers slammed the sister-in-law for her sense of entitlement but suggested that keeping the dog on a short leash might be a workaround in future

Text post discussing therapy dog behavior at family BBQ, highlighting conflict over dog training and anxiety management.

Woman with therapy dog at family BBQ getting banned, facing reality check about pet’s welcome status.

Text post discussing therapy dog rules at family BBQ and addressing stress and boundaries with the dog present.

Person discussing compromise with therapy dog on a short lead or kept in garage during family BBQ.

User discussing therapy dog rules and family BBQ ban, highlighting conflict over pet inclusion and boundaries.

Comment on therapy dog behavior suggesting compromise with dog on a lead at family BBQ where it was banned.

Comment discussing the importance of training therapy dogs properly for them to be welcome in social settings.

Text post screenshot discussing a woman’s unruly therapy dog causing upset and being banned from a family BBQ.

Screenshot of a text comment discussing the challenges faced by a SIL with her therapy dog at a family event.

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