Call her back and tell her that you want to make sure you remember all her instructions and ask her to send them to you again via text or email. Then you can show your husband how ridiculous his mother is being while you are doing her a favor.

Does she not want you to clean the house? rotted food would make the whole house stink! And why can't your husband join you? What will happen if *he* eats the food?

Take the dog to a local "dog spa." Tell her you can't afford to watch a home and go without pay. Let her know where she will find the dog, and go back to work. That's cutting into your money.

It's "dog eat dog world" (Yes, I thought it was doggy-dog until I reached middle age.) That ought to give you a hint of how to survive the deprivation.;) If you eat their dog, they'll never exploit you again, ever.

Just eat the damn food. What are they going to do about it...tell your husband?

I think your in-laws are assholes, but you have a husband and he can't help pay to feed you while you do his parents a favor? Does he not work or is he refusing to feed you because he doesn't believe you?

too much is missing from this story. the food might already be spoiled, they don't want in law to get sick. they already left money with which to get food, multiple restaurants nearby or across the street. the no food clause was known weeks in advance, op simply forgot. or any combination thereof - maybe owners forgot to mention the money. op is actually a professional dog sitter and just wanted sympathy for another day on the job.

Just eat it. If it's going to spoil how will they know whether you ate it or threw it away. Plus what are they going to do if you've already eaten it when they get back. If they try and bill you for the food bill them back for the time dog/house sitting.

Eat the spoiling food, use the Internet, watch TV and take care of the dog. Move the furniture three inches to the right at the beginning of your stay so the dog has time to get used to it. Try the comfiest-looking bed, let the dog climb on it, eat their cookies in it, clean the linen afterwards and redo the bed using your method, not their. Buy new cookies, put it in their pantry, buy yourself food you like and cook it using their kitchenware. Shower, clip your nails and brush your teeth in their bathroom. Clean the place, do the dishes, put them back in a slightly different place, buy replacement food and some off-brand dog treats and restock the fridge. All in all, you will spend a great three weeks and your in-laws will never ask you to dog sit again.

Ahh outlaws gotta love them. eat what you want say the dog ate it! no way in hell I would be in your shoes of course my hexenbeast mother in law thinks I am the devil