AITA for house sitting/ watching my families dog?

A young man agreed months ago to house-sit and care for the family dogs during his parents’ 9-day vacation, but his live-in girlfriend has been breaking down nightly, crying hysterically and begging him to return home. Unable to sleep alone or function without him, she rejects offers to join him, leaving him torn between family commitment and her distress.

This situation spotlights codependency, separation anxiety, and relationship boundaries. What makes the story more complicated is the pre-planned obligation clashing with intense emotional demands that escalate daily.

‘AITA for house sitting/ watching my families dog?’

The family vacation and dog-sitting arrangement were planned well in advance.

His girlfriend has struggled severely with the temporary separation.

He remains committed but worries about worsening nights ahead.

This house-sitting dilemma exposes serious red flags in a relationship marked by extreme emotional dependency. The girlfriend’s reactions—prolonged crying, inability to perform basic tasks, and rejection of solutions—go beyond missing a partner, suggesting manipulation or untreated anxiety. What makes the story more complicated is the poster’s prior commitment to family, known for months, yet facing escalating guilt-inducing pleas that frame his responsibility as abandonment. Offering her to join him was a reasonable compromise, declined without effort on her part.

Some might see her distress as genuine vulnerability needing immediate support, prioritizing the relationship over plans. However, the broader social perspective views this as unhealthy codependency: adults must manage short separations, and weaponizing tears to control a partner’s obligations erodes trust and autonomy.

Ultimately, fulfilling promises builds reliability, while enabling extreme dependence delays necessary help—like therapy—for sustainable relating, preventing resentment in the long term.

Here’s what Redditors had to say:

Many users declared the poster not at fault, highlighting manipulative and unhealthy behavior from the girlfriend.

Several emphasized the need for professional intervention and questioned relationship sustainability.

A couple suggested practical solutions or acknowledged possible anxiety while maintaining support.

The social network unanimously agreed the poster is not at fault for honoring his commitment, viewing the girlfriend’s extreme reactions as manipulative, codependent, or signaling deeper issues needing professional help. While short absences are normal, her refusal of compromises raised concerns about long-term compatibility.

Have you experienced intense separation anxiety in relationships? How do you balance family obligations with partner needs? Share your thoughts or similar stories below!