The frustration is real… family drama!

[Baldylovingbeard]

On a lovely dog walk over the weekend, and my darling brother starts chucking a stick for our pup…. this is how the conversation went.

‘Hey bro can you not chuck sticks, I just don’t want to encourage the pup to chase sticks’

‘stop being the fun police…..’

’ok I’ll send you the vet bill when a stick gets stuck in her throat’

AIBU?????

I just feel like people don’t respect other people’s wishes. But why!?

Did your brother stop throwing sticks? If so, this isn't drama, he didn't know what your wishes were until you told him.

His reaction was a bit childish, but he didn't know the reason why he shouldn't throw a stick at that point. I didn't know dogs shouldn't chase sticks. I thought that was a normal thing to do tbh, never having had a dog and having seen dogs chase sticks hundreds of times.

I don’t think I could get worked up about this. But then I have a lab who loves chasing sticks, balls and anything else you throw for her

Why would bits of stick get stuck in your puppies throat?

Where’s the drama?

Have I missed loads of stories of dogs dying from chasing sticks?

Do people really say hey bro

Drama!?!? This isnt drama.....unless I'm missing something. A difference of opinion maybe.....your brother thinks dogs chase sticks and you don't.
Just walk the dog on your own if you want to avoid conflict. Or next time be clear you dont want sticks thrown to the dog.

Pushing back once is not failing to respect your wishes. You need to significantly raise your personal bar for "drama".

I thought it was well known that you shouldn't throw sticks for dogs. I've heard some awful horror stories- and I don't have a dog!

https://www.bluecross.org.uk/advice/dog/dogs-and-sticks

OP isn't wrong that sticks are dangerous for dogs, but judging from the poll and responses, not many people are aware of the dangers.

OP isn't being unreasonable for the stance they're taking. OP is being unreasonable for making a big deal out of their brother initially disagreeing. If the brother subsequently complied, this was a total non-issue.

Yes, dogs do get sticks lodged in their mouths and throats which is very painful and distressing for the dog. Vets bills are horrendously high so I certainly wouldn’t be happy if somebody was throwing sticks for my dog to chase. OP you are right to have a go at your brother. I hope he took note.

Our big dog is always sick if he has a stick because being a retriever, once he has it, he eats it. But the OP’s point is not about sticks per se, it’s about her brother not respecting her wishes. I’d find this annoying too.

Many years ago my dog was badly injured when a stick DH threw for him lodged in the ground and he ran into it damaging his throat and voicebox. A neighbour's dog died a few months later when the same thing happened.

I think he was quite rude, it sounds like a reasonable request, and a normal response is 'yes sure'...instead he challenged your decision and effectively called you boring. Which isn't nice.

But you didn't say 'Please don't throw sticks because, as dog owners and vets will tell you, they can break in the dog's mouth and get stuck in their throat.' If he carried on throwing sticks after that, you could put the pup on the lead and ask him to walk home another way. No drama.
As to why he doesn't respect your wishes without knowing your reasoning ,it's probably because he is your brother and you have that dynamic set up a long time ago???

Such drama.
I’m surprised you could sleep at night.

Is this really all you have going on in your life OP?

A complete non event

As a dc our ddog had surgery for a stick down the throat /out the neck. Fucking grim.
Plenty of better toys for your ddog.

Yeah. My family can teach you.

Classic sibling type exchange in my family, and far from meeting the threshold for drama. Your brother responded to you in childhood brother mode, with an insult after you told him off. I don't think these type of common in families moments necessarily indicate people in general don't respect each others boundaries. More that siblings are a bit rude to each other at times. Old habits.

I had absolutely no idea!

Because they splinter. Lots of cases of dogs getting sticks stuck in their mouths, piecing their throats etc

Yes. Not always dying but can cause serious injuries.

Or they trip and fall on them, spearing themselves