Dear readers, gather around, for I have unearthed a Reddit tale so juicy, so fraught with domestic drama, that it demands our undivided attention. Today, we’re sinking our teeth into a story that’s as spicy as a freshly ground jalapeño bowl. Yes, this is a real Reddit story from a real person, and trust me, you’re going to want to stick around for Roger’s Hot Take at the end.
Imagine, if you will, a household recently blessed with the arrival of a tiny human, a newborn baby girl, born just days ago to a couple who also happen to be devout dog parents. Their furry child, Oliver, a dachshund with the tenacity of a lion and the unfortunate luck of an umbrella opened indoors, finds himself in a dire predicament. A routine vet visit turns haywire when he’s attacked by a canine Goliath, launching his owner’s, post-birth, into an emotional maelstrom.
As the dust settles, Oliver comes home, wearing the battle scars of his encounter, setting the stage for the great debate: To host, or not to host visitors? This, my friends, is where the drama thickens, where the gravy of familial discontent starts to simmer. The parents, in a bid to nurse both their newborn and their wounded dachshund back to health, choose to prioritize peace, quiet, and recovery over a revolving door of relatives eager to coo over the latest family addition.
Cue the outrage, the gasps of indignation from the extended family web. Accusations fly like arrows at a medieval siege, branding our protagonist the villain of the piece for choosing her dog’s wellbeing over familial bonds. ‘A bad mom,’ they cry, as if the love one holds for their pet could ever eclipse the love for one’s own flesh and blood.
Let’s pause here, shall we? Take a deep breath. Inhale the absurdity, exhale the sanity. Because, dearest readers, it’s time for Roger’s Hot Take: Prioritizing an injured pet over a battalion of visitors in the fragile post-birth period doesn’t make you a bad parent; it makes you a responsible one.
Family, in all its traditional glory, often forgets that the nuclear unit—be it human or hound—needs time, space, and tranquility to bond, heal, and adapt. This isn’t about picking favorites; it’s about providing care where it’s most needed, and sometimes that means putting your dog, your first baby, on the front burner while keeping the in-laws simmering on the back.
To the couple at the heart of this saga, I say this: hold your ground. Your newborn won’t remember Aunt Edna’s missed visit, but Oliver? He’ll forever remember the peace and quiet that aided his recovery. And to the family members up in arms, remember that patience is not just a virtue but a form of love.
In the grand scale of life’s dilemmas, this tale is a reminder that fur babies and human babies need not compete for affection or attention. In the tapestry of our lives, there’s room enough for all. So to those embroiled in similar battles, know this—when you choose empathy over entitlement, nobody loses. Except, perhaps, for Aunt Edna.
This has been Roger, delivering yet another scorching Hot Take. Till next time, keep your tails wagging and your babies giggling.
Original story
My husband and I just welcomed our first child 4 days ago on Sunday 5/19. She arrived just short of 38 weeks and I had no signs of impending labor just days before so her arrival surprised us a bit but we’re both happy and healthy. My husband and I also have a 5 year old dachshund, Oliver who we are completely obsessed with. Oliver gets regular allergy shots and had an appointment on Monday which I had planned to take him to but obviously that changed when the baby arrived. I want to keep him on his medication schedule and knew things would be chaotic with a newborn at home so I asked my parents (we live in a 2 family home with them) to bring him for his appointment. While in the waiting room of the vet’s office, he was attacked by a much larger dog and sustained serious injuries. He was rushed into surgery immediately. The entire thing was so traumatic- finding out he was injured while I was away in the hospital was one of the worst moments of my life. I made my husband go and be there at the vet’s office while I waited anxiously in the hospital. Luckily he pulled through and is recovering as well as possible but he has a long road to recovery.
I was discharged the next day and he was able to come home yesterday. Having a baby in the house is a huge adjustment for us all, including Oliver, though he has been shocking us with how well he’s doing especially while in the midst of a recovery. It has been really hard for my husband and I to make sure everyone’s needs are met but we’re managing with some help from my parents. Things are going as well as can be expected after a stressful week. However, one thing that’s causing a lot of stress is visitors. My hospital still had strict visiting rules after Covid so all the relatives who couldn’t visit want to visit at home. However, Oliver gets extremely excited to see anyone who comes over and we have been instructed to keep him quiet and calm right now so that he can heal. Additionally, we are exhausted from taking care of both. When our daughter is napping we spend all our time with him as he recovers. We decided that right now is not the time to have visitors. But we’ve gotten some nasty replies from family saying we’re prioritizing a dog over our daughter’s relationship with her family (she’s a newborn, she doesn’t know any different and these aren’t immediate family members) and that they can’t believe we’d put a dog over them. They tell me I’ll be a bad mom for prioritizing Oliver and that breaks my heart because I love my baby so much but I also love Oliver to death too. My in laws live out of state and will meet baby in July so the people being pushed off aren’t grandparents, they’re my husband’s siblings and aunts and uncles on both sides. If it weren’t for Oliver’s injuries, we probably would allow select visitors with certain precautions but he is our first baby and we want to make this time as stress free for him. AITA for putting visitors on the back burner during this time?