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Living with a roommate always comes with some level of compromise, but there’s a difference between compromise and absorbing a responsibility you never really signed up for.

One college student agreed to share an apartment with a dog only after being reassured he was calm, elderly, and low-maintenance, a description that turned out to be nothing like the barking, territorial reality she actually lived with.

Despite trying to build a relationship with him early on, she eventually retreated to her own room just to get any peace, especially once his barking made even phone calls impossible.

When her roommate asked her to start actively watching him during work and class hours, she declined, reasonably pointing out he was never supposed to be her responsibility in the first place.

That’s when their roommate relationship starting falling apart.

Keep reading for the full story.

AITA for wanting absolutely nothing to do with my roommates dog?

My roommate and I are full-time college students. We knew each other through a campus organization, and I originally planned to get a studio until she suggested getting a two-bedroom together to save money.

It quickly became clear the two weren’t on the same page about having pets.

We discussed living together for 3–4 weeks before our first apartment tour. Right before the tour, she asked about the pet policy.

I asked why, and she said, “Because I’m bringing my dog.” This was the first I’d heard of it. I told her I didn’t want to live with pets, but she insisted he was old, quiet, and would leave me alone.

So she decided to set strong boundaries, but it soon set in she had made a big mistake by ever agreeing to it.

I eventually agreed as long as he didn’t become my responsibility.

She brought him shortly after moving in. He barked at me the first time, which I brushed off, but he still barks almost every time I come home, sometimes for five minutes or until I leave the room.

This behavior really never went away.

He’s territorial over her and will growl/bark if they’re on the couch and I walk through the living room. He does this to my guests too, so we usually go straight to my bedroom. She says he never behaved this way at home.

My roommate has a heavy class schedule and a job, while I have a lighter schedule and am home more. She initially kept him in her bedroom while gone, but he barked nonstop for hours. It’s loud enough that I can hear him outside our apartment near neighbors’ doors. She started letting him free-roam, which only somewhat helped.

Soon her roomie asked a favor of her, and she started putting her foot down.

Two days ago, I came home for 10 minutes between classes to eat. She asked me to watch him so he wouldn’t bark. I agreed but told her I was leaving soon.

Later, she asked if I could sit with/watch him whenever she’s gone so he won’t bark.

I politely said no. I told her I want to use my time at home however I want, he isn’t my dog, and I don’t want responsibility for him. She seemed frustrated, walked away, and we haven’t spoken since.

She clarifies her stance.

I later texted that if I happen to be cooking or in the living room, I’ll keep an eye on him, but I’m not arranging my day around watching him. She didn’t respond.

I tried interacting with him for over a week, but now I mostly ignore/avoid him.

Yesterday I tried taking a phone call in my bedroom while he was loose and she was gone, but I had to go outside because my friend couldn’t hear me over his barking.

The dog has lots of other annoying habits too.

When he isn’t barking, he follows me, begs for food, whines, and gets on the couch. I’m not a pet person and enjoy having my own space, so I spend most of my time in my bedroom when he’s loose.

Now she’s starting to feel like her friend led her on in a way and she doesn’t know what to do next.

I feel resentful because I agreed to this based on being told he was an old, quiet dog who would lie around and leave me alone, and that hasn’t been my experience. My mom says I lack empathy for ignoring him, while my friend says he isn’t my responsibility.

I like my roommate and don’t want conflict, but I want nothing to do with her dog.

AITA?

This whole thing was a big bait and switch.

What did Reddit have to say?

Getting a pet is something you talk about in advance, not bring up at the last possible second.

In all likelihood, this roommate knew what she was doing wasn’t right.

Getting a pet isn’t a responsibility anyone should take lightly.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a man who stops helping his neighbors out with his snowplow after they complain about his farm.

Her roomie deserves to be confronted about this.

She agreed to live with a chill old dog who’d basically ignore her, not sign up for unofficial dog-sitting duty every time her roommate has class.

Holding the line here isn’t cold, it’s literally just sticking to what was actually agreed on before move-in.

Getting the silent treatment for saying “hey this wasn’t the deal” is a weird response when the dog situation clearly changed way more than she did.

Offering to keep half an eye on him when she’s already in the room is honestly more than fair, considering none of this was supposed to be her job in the first place.

Wanting quiet time in your own apartment isn’t a personality flaw, it’s just normal.