[SoCalyorkiLvr]

I am in a very similar situation but I bought the puppy for my daughter. Amy is 17 as well and has one more year of high school. I got Chai for her for easter and she loves her to death. When we picked her up at the airport she held her first and no one else held her until later that day. I was a blubbering idiot because she was sooo much cuter than I ever imagined!

Over spring break Amy took care of her all by herself and the puppy defintiely bonded with her! She slept with her every night. I bought the things the puppy needed but I let my daughter pick them (she doesn't like pink ). It was great. I had a playmate for Hefner, a little girl puppy in the house an a happy daughter.

Unfortunately, as soon as school started up again and my daughter was gone a lot, I was with Chai more than her. She still cared for her after school from 3 on and she slept with her, but when she would spend the night at a girlfriends Chai would sleep wih me. Chai is now more attached to me although she has a good relationship with everyone including my husband. My daughter is a little jealous but she understands and just says Chai loves me more than her.

I am still trying to maintain her bond with Amy because, frankly, I want her to do most of the work. I have Hefner to care for. If my daughter goes to bed early, I take Chai into her room later so she sleeps with her, but sometimes Chai will scratch at the door to get out and Amy will open the door and she comes to me. I have fallen in love with Chai but I keep in the back of my mind that she belongs to Amy, not me.

I am hoping with summer, things will change and Chai will rebond with her "rightful owner".

In your case, it's similar to a baby who is adopted by the grandparents I guess, but you don't want a strained relationship with your daughter so I would encourage your daughter to spend more time with Pippa and treat her like the responsibility she is. If she is not willing to do that then she needs to sign ownership of her over to you immediately. I think a written agreement is a great idea and the sooner the better before the situation gets worse. You are the parent and you can set up fair rules. Rules have consequences and she will know what the consequences are if ahe bresks them. At 17 IMO she should have a say in developing the contract since your job is to teach her to be responsible and at 18 you can no longer control what she does legally (she would still have to follow your rules if she is in your house, but I assume she will leave for college or something eventually).

Part of the contract might be that you will buy Alyssa another puppy when she is more settled after she moves out of your house and can be more responsible or you can pay her the money now since it was her present and let do as she wants with it.

Just some ideas. Good luck.