AITAH for Kicking My Best Friend Out After She Brought Her Dog Without Asking?

It was supposed to be a relaxing weekend. I had just moved into my new apartment, a space I carefully curated for peace, comfort, and—most importantly—my own rules. So when my best friend of 10 years showed up for a weekend stay… with her large dog in tow (uninvited), things took a turn.

I told her she couldn’t stay—with the dog—and it turned into a full-blown argument. She left angry, and now I’m left wondering:

Am I the asshole?

The Setup: New Apartment, New Rules

After years of roommates, noise, and lack of personal space, I finally signed the lease on my very own apartment. No shared fridge. No mysterious dishes in the sink. No pets. Not because I don’t like them—I just like them in other people’s homes.

The building has a strict no-pet policy, and I’m allergic to most dogs. Nothing extreme, but enough that I get itchy and congested if I’m around fur for too long. I made that clear to friends before moving in.

So when my best friend “Emily” texted saying she wanted to come visit for a weekend getaway, I said sure—looking forward to catching up like old times.

She did not mention the dog.

The Unexpected Guest: “He’s Basically My Baby”

Friday evening rolls around. I hear a knock on my door. I open it and there’s Emily, all smiles… with a German Shepherd at her side.

She walked in like nothing was wrong. “Don’t worry, he’s totally trained,” she said, as the dog sniffed everything in sight. My couch, my rug, my pillows—fur was flying.

I froze. I asked her why she brought the dog, knowing both my allergy and the apartment rules.

Her response? “You didn’t say I couldn’t.”

Drawing the Line: The Conversation No One Wants to Have

I tried to be polite at first. I told her it wasn’t about the dog—it was about the surprise. About the allergy. About the lease I had signed that explicitly banned pets. If my landlord found out, I could face fines or even eviction.

Emily didn’t take it well. She rolled her eyes, said I was being dramatic, that “he’s cleaner than most people” and “it’s just for two nights.”

I asked her to stay somewhere else if she needed to keep the dog with her.

That’s when things got ugly.

The Fallout: Best Friend or Bad Guest?

She accused me of being heartless. That I didn’t respect her lifestyle or her bond with her dog. She said I “chose a building over a friendship” and that I was being selfish.

She packed her stuff, stormed out, and hasn’t spoken to me since.

Now I’m wondering if I handled it poorly. Could I have made an exception for one night? Did I overreact?

Reddit Would Have a Field Day

Though I didn’t post this to Reddit myself, I’ve read enough Am I the Asshole threads to imagine how this would go.

Why I Might Be the Villain:

• I didn’t explicitly say “don’t bring your dog.”

• I could’ve let it go for one night.

• Maybe I put rules above relationships.

Why I’m (Probably) Not the Villain:

• Allergies aren’t optional.

• Lease agreements are legally binding.

• Guests should ask before bringing pets, especially to a pet-free home.

Let’s face it: showing up with a 70-pound dog to someone’s apartment—unannounced—is a huge overstep. It’s like bringing a plus-one to a wedding you weren’t given a plus-one for. It’s inconsiderate at best, manipulative at worst.

Boundaries vs. Friendship

This wasn’t about the dog. It was about being blindsided. About someone assuming their needs mattered more than my comfort or my situation.

The truth is, real friendships respect boundaries. If your friend values their pet, great—but that doesn’t give them a free pass to ignore your space, your health, or your lease.

If the roles were reversed, I wouldn’t dream of showing up at her house with a peanut butter sandwich if she had a nut allergy.

What I Learned

Friendship isn’t just about years spent or memories made. It’s also about respect—especially when life changes. I moved into a new chapter, and I expected the people closest to me to respect that.

Maybe Emily and I needed this boundary to show us where we really stand.

And maybe that’s okay.