I knew living with my mother-in-law for a month would be tough, but I didn’t expect her dog, Max, to be the biggest challenge. Max was a neurotic little mixed-breed who growled at everything and acted like he was protecting the house. Linda insisted he was her emotional support dog, though he clearly wasn’t. From day one, Max made it clear this was his territory not mine.

The first night, Max prowled the house, growling at shadows and furniture as if I was an intruder. Linda brushed it off, calling him a good protector. After my night shift, I came home exhausted, but Max’s barking erupted outside my door, shattering any hope of rest. My husband slept through it all, leaving me alone with Max’s relentless noise.

Max howled and barked for hours, turning the night into chaos. I listened helplessly as Linda tried to calm him with sleepy calls, but he only got louder. By 3 a.m., the house finally fell silent. I was left drained and anxious, knowing I had just a few hours before another demanding hospital shift.

Surviving on little sleep while working emergency medical cases was pure torture. Max’s wild nights made the month-long stay even harder than I imagined. But I learned to cope and found one simple fix that finally took control of the chaos Max caused in my home.