In a viral Reddit post published on r/AmITheA**hole, Redditor u/walkthedamndog (otherwise referred to as the original poster, or OP) said two of his sons were dead-set on getting a dog, to make up for the pet he never had as a child, but lamented over his third son’s indifference toward adding an animal to their household.

Titled, “[Am I the a**hole] for making my son walk the dog?” the post has received more than 14,000 upvotes and 5,000 comments in the last day.

“When I was a kid I always wanted a dog but my parents said no,” OP began. “I never got the chance to get one during my twenties but recently my interest in owning one was sparked again.”

Continuing to explain that his wife was hesitant at first, OP assured that his sons “Alex” and “Jake” were thrilled to be getting a dog, but said his 11-year-old, “Dylan,” was the exact opposite.

OP also said the family got a dog, named Zeus, despite the opposition and detailed his surprise to discover that Dylan’s stance on the matter never changed.

“He said that if we did get a dog, he wasn’t going to be interacting with it or taking care of it,” OP wrote. “He hasn’t changed his mind yet. We’ve had Zeus for seven months now and Dylan has not warmed up to him in the slightest.

“Zeus loves Dylan, he follows him around whenever he sees him and jumps on him to get his attention and play but Dylan just isn’t receptive,” OP continued. “I told [him] last week that he would be in charge of walking the dog every day after school [but] Dylan straight up refused.

“I told him that if he didn’t start listening then I wouldn’t allow him to go to the comic book store anymore and he freaked and told my wife,” OP added. “I knew Dylan wouldn’t be playing with the dog but his intolerance of the dog is weird and I refuse to entertain it…my wife has been short with me ever since that conversation and [now] Dylan is cold with me as well.”

For many families, adding a dog into the mix can be an enriching and rewarding experience.

“Dogs are a great way for kids to learn about life, learn about something outside of themselves, [to] have compassion,” Justine Schuurmans, owner and founder of The Family Dog, told Newsweek.

But that’s not always the case.

Despite the benefits associated with pet ownership—companionship, boosted immunity, stress relief—not everyone is as welcoming of animals in the house, no matter how excited and affectionate other members of their family are.

In scenarios similar to the one described by OP, when a child is completely unreceptive to a dog or other pet, it is recommended that parents allow their children to make their own choices without any added pressure.

“The best way for relationships to develop is organically and naturally,” Schuurmans added. “Pushing a relationship that one party is not interested in, usually is never going to go well.”

The relationship between child and pet is a two-way street.

And when that relationship is over-encouraged, or pushed beyond its boundaries, there is great potential for adverse effects for both children and pets, including resentment and shared uneasiness.

“If a child doesn’t want to interact with a new dog, they should absolutely not be pushed,” Sarah-Anne Reed, consulting holistic dog trainer for Healthy Paws Pet Insurance, told Newsweek.

“A dog may sense a child’s nervousness and become anxious themselves,” Reed added.

Throughout the comment section of the viral Reddit post, many Redditors took a similar stance.

However, where both Schuurmans and Reed remained focused on the relationship between child and pet, a majority of commenters zeroed in on the relationship—or lack thereof—between child and parent.

“[You’re the a**hole],” Redditor u/CakeEatingRabbit wrote in the post’s top comment, which has received more than 46,000 upvotes. “You [have] 3 people who want a dog and could care [for] the dog, but your son who didn’t want the dog HAS TO even though you TOLD him he wouldn’t have to.”

Redditor u/Fruitfurnishing, whose comment has received more than 14,000 upvotes, echoed that sentiment.

“Let me get this straight,” they wrote. “He didn’t want a dog but you got one anyway and when he didn’t change his mind you punished him.

“Why not spend some time trying to learn about his interests instead of forcing yours on him?” they questioned. “Do you really think if you turn the dog into a punishment that will make him not resent the dog?”

In a separate comment, which has received more than 2,000 upvotes, Redditor u/Bulky_Mix3560 also warned OP that his behavior will surely harbor resentment now, and in the future, if unchanged.

“You are telling Dylan that you can’t be trusted,” they wrote. “He relented and agreed under the promise he would have no responsibility and you misled him and are now punishing him.

“This is gonna have repercussions beyond the dog if you don’t change course,” they added.

Newsweek reached out to u/walkthedamndog for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.