Woman Changes Her Mind About Giving A Puppy To Nephew When He Tries To Steal It, Asks If It’s Wrong
I think most of you will agree that most people are not patient. For example, when we find some piece of clothing online that we really like, we want to buy it right now and have it right now. We don’t like waiting, especially when we’re waiting for something that we know we’re sure to get soon. However, sometimes it’s unavoidable and trying to take something before you can have it – well, that’s a bad idea.
Kids may not know it that well, but this 10-year-old kid will remember it for sure after deciding to steal a puppy in a plastic bag because he wanted it now.
More info: Reddit
Looks like some people still don’t understand that dogs are not toys
Image credits: Steve Sewell (not the actual photo)
This woman shares that she promised her nephew that he could have one of her dog’s puppies when they are ready
Image credits: Esra Cann (not the actual photo)
He came over to see them and not long after, the woman heard the momma dog barking, which alerted her to go and check what was going on
Image credits: Helena Lopes (not the actual photo)
To her surprise, she found him in the corner with his hands behind his back holding the puppy in a plastic bag because he wanted to have it now
Image credits: u/Key_Barracuda_5919
Over a couple of days, she decided that she doesn’t want to give her nephew one of the puppies after what he did, despite his mom’s attempts to change her mind
Recently, one Reddit user shared her story online, asking community members if she was being a jerk for not wanting to give her nephew a puppy and breaking a promise after he attempted to steal one from her. The post caught a lot of attention and collected almost 9K upvotes and 3.5K comments.
The original poster (OP) shares that her dog, a golden lab, had puppies and she promised her nephew that when they were ready, he could take one of them. One day he came with his mom to visit OP and see the puppies. However, while the women were catching up, OP suddenly heard her dog barking. Immediately, she went over to check and found her nephew standing in the corner with his hands behind his back.
It turns out he had decided to take a puppy and put it in a plastic bag, because he wanted to take one home now. After the incident, OP decided that she didn’t trust her nephew to have a puppy and informed her sister about this. Well, she got mad, as nothing had happened to the puppy and it would break his heart; however, the woman explained that it’s her final decision.
Community members came to the decision that the woman was not in the wrong in this situation and that a 10-year-old should already know better. “The kid is 10, he knows full well he shouldn’t be doing that. And them sending videos of him crying and calling her names tells me all I need to know about that family,” one user wrote. “You’re not obligated to place a puppy into a home where they might not be looked after. I can understand a 10yo making a mistake, but your sister’s attitude that he had nothing to apologize for is more concerning,” another added.
Image credits: Tima Miroshnichenko (not the actual photo)
So we know that we can’t take puppies from their moms right away, no matter how much we want to, but do you know how long puppies should actually stay with their moms and why?
According to Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, while the ideal age for a puppy to go to a new home can vary depending on the situation, most vets and breeders believe that 8 weeks of age is a reasonable minimum.
The reasons for exactly this age are that the puppy can now eat solid food on its own eight weeks after birth, has profited from mingling with other members of the litter and watching mom, and is in a good position to form a bond with new owners. Breeders may also decide to hold onto their puppies for a period of 10 or 12 weeks.
Also, Preventive Vet notes that their growth and development are greatly aided by these first two months of their life. Puppies pick up important behavioral and social skills from their mother and littermates at this time. By their interactions with their siblings, they pick up social skills like bite restraint, communication, and proper play.
Thus, a puppy that leaves its mother and litter too soon runs the risk of exhibiting certain behavioral problems, like improper biting and nipping, a lack of awareness of canine body language signs, fear, distress or worry upon separation, or aggression toward other dogs.
And what do you guys think about this story? Was the woman being too harsh with her decision or did she actually do the right thing by refusing to let her nephew adopt a puppy? Share your thoughts below!
Redditors assured the woman that she made the right decision
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I'd be more inclined to spay and neuter the sister and her little bastard.
I was thinking about putting them on the first human mission to Mars but I like your suggestion better.
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Goodness. If my child had done that I would have told them that perhaps they were not responsible enough for a puppy and that they could wait until they could demonstrate more responsibility. I would also be absolutely ropeable at receiving abusive text messages from a child and/or my sister and would not tolerate this behavour at all. NTA.
100% this. If stealing isn’t a good enough reason to say he’s not responsible enough then how about the plastic bag? At 10 he should have enough understanding that a puppy can suffocate in a plastic bag and die. I’m not sure if the boy was careless, irresponsible, mean, or entitled but I would not trust him with a puppy’s life.
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Spay and neuter your pets, everyone XD It sounds like OP is a “backyard breeder” - no shade on OP for it or for what happened with their nephew, but - spay and neuter your pets! There are plenty of doggos and cattos that need homes out there already! And at 10 years old, nephew is PLENTY old enough to know better. That kid is already an animal abuser, for all he may say he loves dogs and wants one. The fact that he could put a puppy into a plastic bag to hide it - after being told it needed to stay longer with its mother - tells me he wouldn’t hesitate to hit or hurt that puppy once it’s his and it (for example) bites him during teething.
her dog had puppies, how does it sound like a backyard breeder? no context at all.
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Disgusting behavior from the family just reinforcing his behavior. He needs to learn his actions have consequences, but instead is being taught entitlement. Sounds like one of those moms who get upset when their kid get arrested for stealing because "how else is he supposed to have nice things?" She'll probably just go out and get him a puppy somewhere else.
That kid sounds like a typical brat who would probably end up neglecting the puppy anyway. And the mama is too clueless to pick up the slack. Just horrible. I would never entrust the care of a puppy to someone like that.
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Putting the puppy in a plastic bag is dangerous, but only half the problem. It's careless and stupid at best, but could be ignorance rather than cruelty, which could be educated. What wasn't due to ignorance was him trying to steal the puppy, despite being told it isn't old enough to leave it's mother. That sort of entitlement and unconcern for the animal's welfare makes him unfit to have a pet at this stage of his development. NTA, except for not spaying your dog. Your sister is the a*****e, for letting her son steal, abuse animals, send abusive communications, and attempt emotional blackmail and gaslighting. If the boy's father is any better, have a conversation with him, and see if he can step up and teach his son to be a decent human being. This kid is an abuser in the making.
This child lacks the maturity to have a pet. I’m surprised he is ten, this is the behavior of an unsupervised five year old. Generally, when an immature child has a pet, the parents help them - supervising them closely, feeding, cleaning up, teaching them how to interact with the pet etc. it doesn’t look like your sister can trusted to do that.
A 10 year old who puts a puppy in a plastic bag, and then throws a tantrum when he suffers the consequences? Not only should that kid not get a puppy, they and their parents should see a professional to diagnose why a 10 year old is behaving like a toddler. That is NOT normal behavior for a 10 year old. A kid that age is in 5th grade, not in daycare.
Is this 10??? year old special needs? when I was 10 i was training and breading dogs in 4H
Wow... so... what I see is... there is a child who is highly likely to accidentally kill the dog because it hasn't learned basic sh** like "this is a living, breathing, being and you can't just toss it in a plastic bag or toy bin"... and a 'mom of the year' who would likely be too irresponsible to raise the dog instead (as she hasn't seemed to teach jacksh** to her kid) AND feels it's appropriate to reward bad behaviour. Uhh.. no, definitely NTA...
Do not give that child a puppy! That poor puppy will be abused I’m certain of it! The kids sounds spoiled so the second the dog doesn’t react the way the kid wants the dog will get abused over and over. The kid put the pup into a bag, like wtf? I don’t see how his mom didn’t freak out and idk parent him!? The kid sounds like a nightmare and I’d not want him anywhere near anything I own. And he insulted you for saying no? Wow. He might actually be possessed by Satan
Looks like some people stopped bothering to teach their kids the law of consequence. Every action has consequence, and it shouldn't change because the child is upset. The mom should have treated this as a valuable life lesson for the kid instead of enabling him. NTA of course.
What kind of ghetto a** mom would brush off their kid doing this. It is disgusting.
I would have 1. disowned the nephew (maybe the sister as well), 2. learned to spell: too, break instead of to and brake... etc, 3. learned that there's no need for the apostrophe in "calling me names". also your sister filmed her son calling you names and sent you the video? definitely disown the sister too.
Memo to Dion's mom - If you want your kid to have a puppy that bad, go to a pet store and buy one with your own money. They won't be able to know how unfit your home is for a pet.
And since pet stores generally sell puppy-mill puppies, they won't care anyway.
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NTA. Dion is an entitled brat with no boundaries, and his mother encourages his behavior. OP was right in revoking her promise. I'm surprised that Dove didn't try to take him down for kidnapping one of her offspring; dogs are usually quite protective of their litter. OP should stand her ground. As an added bonus, don't allow Dion and his mother under her roof until all of the puppies have been homed. They are not to be trusted after this incident.
That was just one of many of her atrocious misspellings.
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WHEN I FIND THEM THEIR GOING OFF THE TORCH OF THE STATUE OF LIBERTY!
Ten years old (4th grade) is too old for tantrums. Is he on the spectrum? He's STEALING and putting a baby dog in a PLASTIC BAG. Something is wrong in that household unless the child has a disability. I wish there were a way to ensure that a family that disordered could be banned from owning any companion animal ever.
Put your foot down. It's a pity you can't with the brat below it, because that is what it deserves. In a plastic bag? And your sister truly expects you to trust that brat enough to have it care for a sentient being? No. If that was my sister, it would be more than halfway of cutting her and the brat out completely. I wouldn't even allow the brat to come in again, unless it has its hands cuffed and is on a leash, constantly watched, to make sure it doesn't affect any feeling animals again with its entitlement, stupidity, selfishness. Some people are just so dead inside that they can't comprehend that being stuffed into a plastic bag, by a huge, insensitive POS, is cruelty already. I guess it doesn't have much thought, feeling or capacity thereof and, therefore, should NEVER be in charge of anything that feels anything. I wouldn't trust it to even just catch and throw out a spider, because the spider might be exposed to cruelty like pulling off legs and such. Anyway - NTA*1000!
10 years old and acting like a baby? We were riding bikes miles away from home and paying for candy at a store with actual money at 10. This kid is either special needs and the mom coddles him or he’s not and the coddling is still happening. I’m feeling like a bunch is missing from the two sisters’ and their family dynamic in this story
10y old and that stupid? Clearly nobody in that household has ever had a mammal, not a good future for a puppy... that creature would develop badly, weird the OP didn't see that.
Children want puppies but don't understand that they won't be puppies very long. After the dog is grown, most kids ignore them.
I'd be more inclined to spay and neuter the sister and her little bastard.
I was thinking about putting them on the first human mission to Mars but I like your suggestion better.
Load More Replies... Goodness. If my child had done that I would have told them that perhaps they were not responsible enough for a puppy and that they could wait until they could demonstrate more responsibility. I would also be absolutely ropeable at receiving abusive text messages from a child and/or my sister and would not tolerate this behavour at all. NTA.
100% this. If stealing isn’t a good enough reason to say he’s not responsible enough then how about the plastic bag? At 10 he should have enough understanding that a puppy can suffocate in a plastic bag and die. I’m not sure if the boy was careless, irresponsible, mean, or entitled but I would not trust him with a puppy’s life.
Load More Replies... Spay and neuter your pets, everyone XD It sounds like OP is a “backyard breeder” - no shade on OP for it or for what happened with their nephew, but - spay and neuter your pets! There are plenty of doggos and cattos that need homes out there already! And at 10 years old, nephew is PLENTY old enough to know better. That kid is already an animal abuser, for all he may say he loves dogs and wants one. The fact that he could put a puppy into a plastic bag to hide it - after being told it needed to stay longer with its mother - tells me he wouldn’t hesitate to hit or hurt that puppy once it’s his and it (for example) bites him during teething.
her dog had puppies, how does it sound like a backyard breeder? no context at all.
Load More Replies... Disgusting behavior from the family just reinforcing his behavior. He needs to learn his actions have consequences, but instead is being taught entitlement. Sounds like one of those moms who get upset when their kid get arrested for stealing because "how else is he supposed to have nice things?" She'll probably just go out and get him a puppy somewhere else.
That kid sounds like a typical brat who would probably end up neglecting the puppy anyway. And the mama is too clueless to pick up the slack. Just horrible. I would never entrust the care of a puppy to someone like that.
Load More Replies... Putting the puppy in a plastic bag is dangerous, but only half the problem. It's careless and stupid at best, but could be ignorance rather than cruelty, which could be educated. What wasn't due to ignorance was him trying to steal the puppy, despite being told it isn't old enough to leave it's mother. That sort of entitlement and unconcern for the animal's welfare makes him unfit to have a pet at this stage of his development. NTA, except for not spaying your dog. Your sister is the a*****e, for letting her son steal, abuse animals, send abusive communications, and attempt emotional blackmail and gaslighting. If the boy's father is any better, have a conversation with him, and see if he can step up and teach his son to be a decent human being. This kid is an abuser in the making.
This child lacks the maturity to have a pet. I’m surprised he is ten, this is the behavior of an unsupervised five year old. Generally, when an immature child has a pet, the parents help them - supervising them closely, feeding, cleaning up, teaching them how to interact with the pet etc. it doesn’t look like your sister can trusted to do that.
A 10 year old who puts a puppy in a plastic bag, and then throws a tantrum when he suffers the consequences? Not only should that kid not get a puppy, they and their parents should see a professional to diagnose why a 10 year old is behaving like a toddler. That is NOT normal behavior for a 10 year old. A kid that age is in 5th grade, not in daycare.
Is this 10??? year old special needs? when I was 10 i was training and breading dogs in 4H
Wow... so... what I see is... there is a child who is highly likely to accidentally kill the dog because it hasn't learned basic sh** like "this is a living, breathing, being and you can't just toss it in a plastic bag or toy bin"... and a 'mom of the year' who would likely be too irresponsible to raise the dog instead (as she hasn't seemed to teach jacksh** to her kid) AND feels it's appropriate to reward bad behaviour. Uhh.. no, definitely NTA...
Do not give that child a puppy! That poor puppy will be abused I’m certain of it! The kids sounds spoiled so the second the dog doesn’t react the way the kid wants the dog will get abused over and over. The kid put the pup into a bag, like wtf? I don’t see how his mom didn’t freak out and idk parent him!? The kid sounds like a nightmare and I’d not want him anywhere near anything I own. And he insulted you for saying no? Wow. He might actually be possessed by Satan
Looks like some people stopped bothering to teach their kids the law of consequence. Every action has consequence, and it shouldn't change because the child is upset. The mom should have treated this as a valuable life lesson for the kid instead of enabling him. NTA of course.
What kind of ghetto a** mom would brush off their kid doing this. It is disgusting.
I would have 1. disowned the nephew (maybe the sister as well), 2. learned to spell: too, break instead of to and brake... etc, 3. learned that there's no need for the apostrophe in "calling me names". also your sister filmed her son calling you names and sent you the video? definitely disown the sister too.
Memo to Dion's mom - If you want your kid to have a puppy that bad, go to a pet store and buy one with your own money. They won't be able to know how unfit your home is for a pet.
And since pet stores generally sell puppy-mill puppies, they won't care anyway.
Load More Replies... NTA. Dion is an entitled brat with no boundaries, and his mother encourages his behavior. OP was right in revoking her promise. I'm surprised that Dove didn't try to take him down for kidnapping one of her offspring; dogs are usually quite protective of their litter. OP should stand her ground. As an added bonus, don't allow Dion and his mother under her roof until all of the puppies have been homed. They are not to be trusted after this incident.
That was just one of many of her atrocious misspellings.
Load More Replies... WHEN I FIND THEM THEIR GOING OFF THE TORCH OF THE STATUE OF LIBERTY!
Ten years old (4th grade) is too old for tantrums. Is he on the spectrum? He's STEALING and putting a baby dog in a PLASTIC BAG. Something is wrong in that household unless the child has a disability. I wish there were a way to ensure that a family that disordered could be banned from owning any companion animal ever.
Put your foot down. It's a pity you can't with the brat below it, because that is what it deserves. In a plastic bag? And your sister truly expects you to trust that brat enough to have it care for a sentient being? No. If that was my sister, it would be more than halfway of cutting her and the brat out completely. I wouldn't even allow the brat to come in again, unless it has its hands cuffed and is on a leash, constantly watched, to make sure it doesn't affect any feeling animals again with its entitlement, stupidity, selfishness. Some people are just so dead inside that they can't comprehend that being stuffed into a plastic bag, by a huge, insensitive POS, is cruelty already. I guess it doesn't have much thought, feeling or capacity thereof and, therefore, should NEVER be in charge of anything that feels anything. I wouldn't trust it to even just catch and throw out a spider, because the spider might be exposed to cruelty like pulling off legs and such. Anyway - NTA*1000!
10 years old and acting like a baby? We were riding bikes miles away from home and paying for candy at a store with actual money at 10. This kid is either special needs and the mom coddles him or he’s not and the coddling is still happening. I’m feeling like a bunch is missing from the two sisters’ and their family dynamic in this story
10y old and that stupid? Clearly nobody in that household has ever had a mammal, not a good future for a puppy... that creature would develop badly, weird the OP didn't see that.
Children want puppies but don't understand that they won't be puppies very long. After the dog is grown, most kids ignore them.
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