The dog always has a spot on the couch when I visit my mom. He acts like he owns the place. Some people might not think much of it, but for me, it’s a big bother. I’ve been letting it bother me for years. Since I have a young daughter and have been diagnosed with OCD, sitting on a couch where a dog has been is not only painful, it’s unbearable. Still, my mom doesn’t seem at all upset.

There it was again: my mom on the couch with her dog Charlie curled up next to her. I had just walked through the door when I saw it. I felt a sharp, familiar wave of anger hit me. This wasn’t just any couch; it was the main piece of furniture in her living room and where friends and family sat. She thought of Charlie as a furry member of the family and curled up with her as if it were the best thing in the world.I told her again, maybe a thousand times, that I couldn’t sit where he did. She just laughed and looked up, saying, “That OCD will my daughter.” Being around dog germs will only make you and your daughter stronger. “Come here, my dear!”

I got very angry. When she saw me, my OCD was just a weird bother, something to laugh about. But it was important to me. I couldn’t get rid of the constant, annoying feeling that I was dirty and germ-filled after getting off that couch. Were you the only one who thought dogs and other animals would do better in the yard?

I told her one last time, “Mom, I’m sorry to say this a thousand times, but it’s not about how you feel; it’s about how I feel.” “This dog better get off the couch while I’m here, or I’m leaving.”