To be annoyed with this request from my generous step-sis

[Overeasylikesunday]

My step-sister, who I'm very close with, asked me to watch her new puppy so she could go somewhere

I'm now up with the puppy in the early hours of the morning. Her outing was in no way required. It wasn't something urgent or unavoidable. It was quite a self-indulgent request on her part.

The 'catch' is that I'm recovering from a sports injury that left me hospitalised. Although I'm home and well on the road to recovery, it's causing me a ton of sleeping trouble so being up in the early hours dealing with the pup is rough.

I know without a shadow of a doubt she'd do the same for me though (I'd just never ask!!!) She does lots of me without being asked. We help each other out all the time. She's better at asking for favours than I am but she's also probably more helpful and thoughtful than I am. I'm not as proactively generous as she is but I also rarely ask her for anything.

I didn't agree to help her out to be a martyr. I agreed because she'd go to the ends of the earth for me, which made it really hard to say no.

I'm exhausted though. I work Sundays and I desperately need some sleep. When I agreed to help her out, I was starting to recover and I hadn't anticipated the sleeping trouble, but honestly I've got steam coming out of my ears with anger right now.

I'm trying to work out whether the right approach is just to smile and say 'no problem' or whether it's ok to be a bit irritated and to express this when I see her.

I never speak up for myself but I am really irritated. She knew I'd had a difficult time sleeping and been in pain and her plans could've easily been postponed until a later week so her selfishness is grating on me.

How many nights are you looking after the puppy?

You both sound lovely. Great update

The dark can make you mad, particularly when it’s on the back of everything else. I hope you have a better night and the pup will settle eventually 😉

Stick it on a towel in bed next to you. My bil’s puppy stayed with us for his first 2 weeks, invariably waking at 4am. I toileted him then shoved him between me and my dh til 6 when I got up for work.

* My step-sister, who I'm very close with*

You’re not

YABVU but you know this so don't upset her over this.

Puppies are like toddlers so I'm not sure what you were expecting.

Your problem is saying no to people but that's a learned skill. The next time you need to say no just remember that you are saying no to the request not the person.

@Afibtomyboy How the hell would you know? How rude!

Dogs are pack animals, like us humans. Put the pup in your room with you and it’ll sleep like a baby (Or puppy). If you’re not a dog lover then don’t agree to look after one in the first place.

Put it in a pet training crate, lined with newspaper. Put a blanket in there. Put the crate in the room farthest from yours and close the door. You will have to clear up the mess in the morning, but the pup won't come to any harm and will be completely safe. During the day, take the pup out on the hour to do its business. Best of luck.

You could have said no. It's for one night you'll survive and from what you've said she'll absolutely return the favour.

When I looked after a family members puppy I took it to bed with me. Now it's grown up it chooses to go sleep down by my feet and it usually comes in to snuggle next to me in the hours before wake up time. Puppies are babies and have just left their mum so you are being a mum substitute.