Cynophobia, the extreme fear of dogs, could make one suffer much whenever they see or hear of dogs. This disorder not only causes severe anxiety and strange behaviors, but it also has an adverse impact on people around the individual with the phobia.
Source: stock.adobe.com
A woman with the Reddit account named u/sharkdodododododo turned to the subreddit AmItheAsshole for advice about the dilemma she had to face. The poster had a blended family and lived with her two kids, her husband, and their child. Her husband had a 15-year-old daughter, who came to stay with them this summer. The teenager was a wonderful person, except that she had an extreme fear of dogs due to a tragic memory from her childhood.
Source: r/AmItheAsshole
Unfortunately, the woman raised a 6-year-old golden retriever called Auggie. She and her kids adored the dog and saw him as a family member. The Redditor was concerned about her stepdaughter’s issue, but her husband ensured everything would be alright.
Source: r/AmItheAsshole
The situation turned out much worse than they could imagine. The teen was terrified when she saw dog hairs in the house, and then she cleaned all her stuff to get rid of them.
Source: r/AmItheAsshole
Although the couple tried to keep Auggie from the daughter, the problem kept snowballing.
Source: r/AmItheAsshole
Since everything was out of control, the couple decided to hire an Airbnb for the teenager and visited her frequently. 
Source: r/AmItheAsshole
However, this temporary but expensive solution could not continue for three more summers when the stepdaughter learned at high school. The husband thought rehoming the dog was the best choice since he could not stand seeing his daughter be forced to leave her home due to a pet.
Source: r/AmItheAsshole
In contrast, the poster insisted on keeping her dog for the sake of Auggie and her children. She did not think she should sacrifice her lovely dog due to “a part-time child”. The couple ended up having continual rows and quarrels, and the husband and the daughter’s relative blamed the Redditor for her favoritism toward her pet.
Source: r/AmItheAsshole
The story has evoked a fierce debate in the comment section. On the one hand, many rallied behind the Redditor. They believed the best decision was to help the child kill her phobia so that she could live with the dog in harmony. 
Source: forcryingoutmeow
Source: JuliaX1984
Source: mysteresc
Source: crazycatlady45325
On the other hand, some netizens slammed the poster for her statement about “a part-time child”. Undoubtedly, she did not respect her husband’s child, and she apparently held bias against her stepdaughter.
Source: RedditDK2
Source: taylferr
Source: fatsoq8
Source: Blandann1215
Source: scarlett-carson
Some even criticized the girl’s father as he decided to marry a woman with a dog, impervious to his child’s phobia.
Source: ughwhyusernames
Source: TwinGemini_1908
In the update, the issue seemed to get worse when the daughter needed new accommodation immediately due to the collapse of her mother’s household. That ruined the poster’s plan to find therapy for her stepdaughter as a long-term solution.
Source: r/AmItheAsshole
The Redditor was at an impasse now as her family could not live separately for a long time because of financial constraints and the problems emerging from changing their house. 
Source: r/AmItheAsshole
What do you think about the woman and her husband in the story? Do you have any advice or suggestions for the couple to handle the situation? Do you know anyone with cynophobia? Please share your views with us in the comment below!