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AIBU?

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Who's right and who's wrong out of me and my husband?

462 replies

SallyMcCarthy · 11/04/2024 15:14

I had major abdominal surgery 2 days ago (gall bladder removal, laparoscopic surgery), and I'm now recovering at home. Knowing I was going to be having the surgery, I booked my dog into Doggy Daycare for every day between now and 22 April. My dog, Fudge, absolutely adores going to daycare. It's a wonderful place and he loves romping around with the other dogs - it's his favourite thing to do. So, I thought: I'll book him in every day for four/five hours, so I'll be able to have a calm house to recover in, and he can be having fun at daycare. I assumed my husband would be willing to drive Fudge to and from the daycare facility. For context: my husband hates being 'stuck in the car'. He finds driving stressful, whereas I love it. Doggy Daycare is a 30 minute drive from our house. While I was in hospital, my husband messaged me and said, 'The traffic was really bad this morning when I was taking Fudge to daycare, so from tomorrow onwards, I'm not going to take him. I'll just look after him at home, it's fine -- I'll take him for walks two or three times a day.' Now, Fudge totally would be fine, but he'd also be a bit bored. His favourite fun is going to play with the other dogs. He has such a wonderful time. And I very much want to recover gently from my operation and ideally do some work too (I have a backlog waiting for me, once I have enough energy) and it would be so much harder for me if there were a bouncy bored dog in the house all day during this period. Another thing, for context, is that I am the sole breadwinner. I earn a lot of money, and my husband hasn't worked for about 15 years (he gave up his job to be at home with the kids because my job required constant travel in those days.)

So, I said to him, 'Listen, I really really want a quiet house so I can work, and for Fudge to go to daycare. Please, please will you drive him there and back while I recover? Just for maybe five days, and then I should be strong enough to drive him myself.' And my husband said no. He said he didn't mind having Fudge at home and would far rather that, and walk him several times, than take him to daycare with all the driving involved. And I just wanted Fudge to have the most fun possible, and for me to have the quiet time I craved too...so I ended up driving Fudge to and from daycare yesterday, the actual day after my abdominal surgery. And I drove him there again today, and will pick him up this afternoon - even though I feel tender and weak and barely recovered. Husband sees me doing this and still doesn't say, 'Look if it means that much to you, I'll drive him there and back.' Am I being unreasonable to think he should just have driven the dog to day care for the days I can't do it?

OP posts:
ChildcareQ · 11/04/2024 18:54

This is the most batshit post I've read on here for a while. 2hrs driving to take a dog to daycare he doesn't need to go to? So weird.

Margot2020 · 11/04/2024 18:54

These replies are missing the point. WE NEED A PICTURE OF FUDGE!

Lovemusic82 · 11/04/2024 18:52

You should have just put the dog in kennels for a week then there would be less driving back and forth, does the doggy day care not offer over nights?

It seems a lot of hassle driving back and forth every day for a dog. I can see why he doesn’t want to do it, I’m guessing it’s costing quite a bit too?

EC22 · 11/04/2024 18:52

You shouldn’t have driven, but it’s sad it’s taken you doing that for your husband to step up.

However, you know he hates driving.
Hes offered to walk dog x 3 as a compromise, but you’ve been a martyr taking him yourself- unsafe and unnecessary.

CatherineofAmazon · 11/04/2024 18:51

Mnetcurious · 11/04/2024 17:56

Would you say the same the other way round?

Wife gave up working to look after kids so that husband could continue his career and earn big bucks. Children now grown up but wife hasn’t needed to go back to work.
Husband recovering from surgery demands that wife drives two hours per day so that dog can play with its friends, even though husband knows wife doesn’t like driving. Wife has said she’ll give the dog extra walks and keep it out of the way so that husband can recover. But apparently that’s not good enough and the wife should be doing unnecessary driving because that’s what the husband wants and she doesn’t work.

Yes I would because he agreed prior to the OP’s surgery that he would do it.
And I can’t see anywhere where the OP said she demanded he took the dog. She asked, he said yes so she thought it was sorted.

DearAnt · 11/04/2024 18:50

UrbanFan · 11/04/2024 18:49

I skim read all the responses and decided to post my answer. Your husband is a lazy dick. Get in the car and take the doggy to doggy car! He's got nothing else to do but bludge of his wife. He's willing to be supported by you but not do this simple thing.

I'm sorry but I have no time for people (men, women or undecided) who expect others to support them and then won't do a simple favour in return.

If the dog has a doggy car surely that solves the problem?

UrbanFan · 11/04/2024 18:49

I skim read all the responses and decided to post my answer. Your husband is a lazy dick. Get in the car and take the doggy to doggy car! He's got nothing else to do but bludge of his wife. He's willing to be supported by you but not do this simple thing.

I'm sorry but I have no time for people (men, women or undecided) who expect others to support them and then won't do a simple favour in return.

savethatkitty · 11/04/2024 18:46

Fannyfiggs · 11/04/2024 17:53

I can't get my head round the #teamhusband here.

OP has had surgery. She would like her dog to go to daycare whilst she recovers. Her husband does not work. He agreed to do it. He should be doing it.

And all this pearl clutching about him being in the car for two hours. It's two hours, no two days 🙄

OP LTB

Might I add, it's not 2 consecutive hours. The poor dear has to drive for 30 minutes one way, then back. Then again. Heaven's to Betsy, most people drive that far to work or to take the kiddies to school.

MassiveOvaryaction · 11/04/2024 18:46

Can the day care pick the dog up @SallyMcCarthy ?

StormingNorman · 11/04/2024 18:44

You’re entitled.

You TOLD your husband at the very last minute. You should have asked him before booking it.

You EXPECTED him to spend two hours a day driving despite knowing he finds driving stressful. You should have discussed this with him.

Your DH has offered an alternative to keep the dog calm and you’re just being a martyr now.

TeaGinandFags · 11/04/2024 18:43

fieldsofbutterflies · 11/04/2024 18:27

How has he left her up a creek without a paddle, exactly? Confused

He has simply refused the take the dog.

Without discussing the matter.

DoreenonTill8 · 11/04/2024 18:40

Rikitiki78 · 11/04/2024 18:37

This from a stay-at-home partner? Why can’t he just do his wife the favor that she asked? Sheez. Such selfishness.

Edited

Yes all sahp must do as their over Lord/lady requests! He should be grateful of his place!

beetr00 · 11/04/2024 18:38

Disappointing that he's reneged @SallyMcCarthy

Do not jeopardise your recovery, as you are financially secure, you certainly could hire someone else to transport your Fudge.

Get well soon 💐

Rikitiki78 · 11/04/2024 18:37

This from a stay-at-home partner? Why can’t he just do his wife the favor that she asked? Sheez. Such selfishness.

Popetthetreehugger · 11/04/2024 18:36

are you for real ? Fudge is a dog , your DH is a human who doesn’t like driving . So your dogs preference trumps your husbands ? Ands it’s your mind reading of the dog preference at that !

Floralnomad · 11/04/2024 18:34

YABU I wouldn’t sit in traffic potentially 4x a day for something that is unnecessary.

Februaryfeels · 11/04/2024 18:32

Playing with his friends

🤣🤣🤣

PuddlesPityParty · 11/04/2024 18:29

Doggy daycares are actually starting to get a lot of bad press so maybe he’s done little Fudge a favour

ringoffiire · 11/04/2024 18:28

It's a dog, not a child. It will be fine with your husband. It doesn't need to go to 'daycare'.

fieldsofbutterflies · 11/04/2024 18:27

TeaGinandFags · 11/04/2024 18:26

Op states that hubby agreed to take Fudge to daycare. Then changed his mind leaving her up a creek without a paddle.

Fudge shoukd still go to daycare but via taxi not with his mum.

OP should rethink here relationship. If she's keeping him in blover, thdn the least he could do is keep a promise.

How has he left her up a creek without a paddle, exactly? Confused

BobbyBiscuits · 11/04/2024 18:27

@Rickrolypoly ok, well the way I see it is if I was not contributing financially and my partner asked me to care for the dog, but they wanted it to go to daycare, then it's in my interests to contribute towards said transport to daycare if I cannot provide that. I personally wouldn't want it to go there but if my partner was paying it's their choice. The 'pocket money' thing was a bit harsh and meant somewhat tongue in cheek though.

PuddlesPityParty · 11/04/2024 18:27

CurlewKate · 11/04/2024 16:52

"It really doesn't matter! His time doesn't belong to the OP to direct. He's not staff!"

I think it does matter. Obviously she shouldn't be directing him. But if it's something he can do to help her recovery, then surely he should do it? To be loving and supportive?

He was - by looking after the dog. It’s just not in the way OP wants it to be.

TeaGinandFags · 11/04/2024 18:26

Op states that hubby agreed to take Fudge to daycare. Then changed his mind leaving her up a creek without a paddle.

Fudge shoukd still go to daycare but via taxi not with his mum.

OP should rethink here relationship. If she's keeping him in blover, thdn the least he could do is keep a promise.

BusyMummy001 · 11/04/2024 18:24

If day care was a 10min drive, not much traffic, I’d be on your side. I have two young spaniels and am struggling to get on with my work just now so I totally understand why you feel he might be too much.

But I’ve done the 2hours+ a day in a car on school runs in the past and you die a little each time. It is totally dead time. Fudge is a dog. So long as DH takes him for a couple of long walks to wear him out each day, he’ll be happy. That will still take up 2hrs of your DH’s day when he can’t do what he wants/needs, but at least he isn’t stuck in a car, which he really hates.

bridgetreilly · 11/04/2024 18:14

Why didn’t you have this discussIon before booking? I think you made a lot of foolish assumptions about your dog being more important than your husband.