Owner accuses neighbor of ‘emotionally hijacking’ his aggressive German Shepherd with daily steaks — and the neighborhood is divided

A woman’s attempt to win over her neighbor's aggressive dog with steak has led to an unexpected twist. In a Reddit post, the woman reveals that her kindness toward Brutus, a large German Shepherd, caused quite a stir, as the dog now seems to prefer her company over his owner's. What started as a simple act of feeding the dog scraps has led to a neighborhood split.

As reported by PEOPLE, the woman explained in her now-unavailable post that she lives in a duplex with thin fences. For months, Brutus would aggressively bark and lunge at her whenever she stepped outside. She humorously compares the dog's behavior to that of the infamous Cujo from the 1980s horror film. Eventually, tired of the constant tension, she had an idea. "I started tossing him tiny bits of steak over the fence, not often, just whenever I grilled, or had scraps, and within a week, he stopped barking," she shared.

What followed was a slow but steady change in Brutus's behavior. A month later, the dog began wagging his tail when he saw her. Six months down the line, Brutus not only grew fond of her but even began seeking her out for attention. "He’ll whimper and scratch at the fence if I don’t come out," the woman shared, adding that one day, she overheard Brutus's owner yelling at him, only for Brutus to run to her side, as if asking for help.

However, things took a turn when Brutus's owner accused her of turning the dog against him and even claimed Brutus "won’t even eat unless it’s from the fence lady." She added, "He said I 'emotionally hijacked' his dog and demanded I stop interacting with him entirely. I told him I’d stop giving him food. But Brutus still watches me through the fence...I swear he looks sad."

The situation later caused a rift in the neighborhood. Some neighbors found the entire situation amusing, while others believed she had crossed a line. Reddit users were also divided, with some supporting the woman’s actions, while others felt she should have minded her own business. A few pointed out that steak was an unhealthy or potentially harmful treat for a dog.

One Reddit user wrote in the comment section, "I know you said you wouldn't feed him anymore, but all good boys need steak." While u/BransonKP sided with the dog's owner, arguing, "My dog has pancreatitis and diabetes. People feeding him pieces of steak every day could be killing him slowly without realizing it. That said, we don't let him just chill in the yard unsupervised, and he gets plenty of healthy snacks that fit his diet."

u/j0llyllama added, "My dogs have beef protein allergy. No more steaks or beef-based food, or they end up vomiting. The only reason I would say don't give steak to someone else's dog is a possible hidden health issue." u/Bellatrix_ed exclaimed, "Brutus finally found someone who loves him. I would try to buy Brutus from Gary because he doesn’t deserve to have such a good boy." u/Murdocksboss shared, "Your intention was good for the dog, and you. But, if it was my dog, I'd be livid someone was feeding it."