A man has been left outraged after being branded "lazy and unkind" because he didn't follow his neighbour's strict rules when dog sitting. He explained how his neighbour asked him to watched their two dogs while they went on a trip away, saying he'll compensate him for his time and effort.
However, the man never expected his life to be "overtaken" with dog sitting responsibilities - or to receive snotty text messages about his less than satisfactory service. He said: "My wife and I moved into our first home a year or two ago. Almost immediately, we met our next door neighbours Candace and Jackson. They are married with two children and they have two dogs.
"These past few days, Candace and Jackson have been on a trip with their two young kids. Before they left, they asked if we would be willing to watch their dogs, walk them, make sure they have food and water.
"This has happened before and they always offer a few bucks to do it, which I always politely decline, but Jackson tends to insist and just sends me [the money] so I accept it as to not be rude."
But five days into dog sitting and the man receives a snarky message from his neighbour Jackson, saying how he needs to put more effort into his dogs' care.
"I have a work meeting in the morning from 7 to 9am, so once it's over I go over to feed the dogs and make sure they've got water and have been let outside," he added.
"I get busy again, so go back to my house for a few hours to take care of some things. I'm doing some work when I receive the following text from Jackson.
"[It reads] 'Hey, for the future, three things: 1. The dogs are not to be left alone past 8 in the morning. 2. Please be sure to walk them at least around the block two to three times a day. 3. Make sure you're giving them water more frequently because last time their water was almost empty when we got home. Thanks.'
"He has an outside Ring security system so he can see when I come and go - hence the 8am thing."
He went on to explain how Jackson is only paying him $20 (£16) per week to look after his dogs, all while knowing he could have put them into a boarding kennels but didn't because of the cost.
The man said: "This guy is expecting me to put in hours of work, follow a strict schedule into his dogs each day for less than $20 for the whole week.
"I told him I would oblige for this last day until he arrives home but that I would never be watching his dogs or children (we often babysit) again, mostly because I find his behaviour rude.
"It's a principle of the matter being that he's rudely expecting too much without even the decency to tell me before the trip and the passive aggression.
"Well, he didn’t take very kindly to my saying that. He's complained to a lot of different neighbours saying he was 'compensating' me for this work and that I’m a lazy/unkind neighbour."
After sharing his outrage on Reddit, the man asked users whether he overreacted about the entire situation or should continue to stand his ground.
In response, one user said: "Even if you were fairly compensated (you were not), you are now no longer willing to do that job. Did they think you were somehow locked in for life? Your neighbours need to find and pay someone to do that if they want a professional job done."
Another user added: "The neighbour is ridiculous and needs to pay for an actual dog sitter for the sake of his dogs.."
A third user said: "If he had sent a nice text asking, because he cares about his dogs and was nervous, then sure that's fine.
"But the tone in which he asked was indeed passive aggressive, and not the best way to talk to someone who is already doing them a favour, and it sounds like he has done quite a few favours before for them.
"I would be irritated too if the way he put it was exactly how the neighbour texted them."
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