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AIBU?

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To feel jealous of the dog

241 replies

TwinklyAmberSloth · 20/09/2026 12:38

DH and I have 3 kids.

We get on fine. No arguments.

But he hardly speaks to me and everything I love/do seems to irritate him. He is just so grumpy.

This morning he was clearly annoyed at me for opening the curtains at 7.30am. I'm an early riser. I go to bed 10pm and read, then try and sleep. I love mornings. DH goes to bed 11.30pm to midnight.

When he then got up 20 mins later, he didn't speak to me at all. He went straight down stairs and was playing with the dog.

He then has a shower, still doesn't speak to me, takes the dog for a walk, then takes DS to footy after shouting at DS (15) to get up. He let DS stay up til midnight then wondered why he wouldn't get up, so I was left to do the wake the teenager bit while DH walked the dog.

On a work day, he comes home then goes straight to the dog. He never asks how my day was. He will then come into the lounge 20 mins later after getting changed and tell me about his work.

I'm a little untidy. He picks up anything of mine and throws it in my office and moans. Ditto for kids stuff. Yet doesn't mind the dog hair everywhere and rolls his eyes if I comment on it.

Every evening he sits with dog on the sofa in his man cave, watching TV whilst on his phone. I sit on my own, or play the piano, or read. He then appears in the lounge about 10.15pm as I am about to go to bed. He hates books, he dislikes music and noise.

I work around 40 hours per week term time, and some work in school holidays. He works 37 hours a week and has flexi time and can WFH half the week. I do all the meal planning, cooking, organising kids stuff (except footy), cleaning, kids evening activities, school stuff.

I'm a lively cheerful person who likes people and has lots of hobbies yet I feel so lonely and dull. He genuinely seems to have no interest in me. Not physically and not mentally. Surely this is not normal for married life? Why doesn't he just divorce me and marry the dog?

I'm not a dog person. But when the last dog died 13 years ago DH was the most miserable git ever, so I had to agree to another dog as it was unbearable. I put rules in place e.g. sleep in utility room, not on furniture unless invited, not upstairs etc... but every single boundary I requested has been ignored.

Even when I do try and have a conversation, he seems to argue the opposite just for the sake of it. A motorbike did a wheelie down our road the other week and I said "what a nob head" and DH muttered "oh FFS just shut up". He likes motorbikes. He spends all weekend in the mancave watching bike racing.

If I'm not being unreasonable, would counselling fix this?

YABU: this is normal. men prefer dogs to people.

YANBU: this is not normal. couples talk and take interest in each others life.

OP posts:
Properjob · 21/09/2026 22:56

Jeez OP. Curtains are immaterial 😁. He is a lazy selfish arse and prob won't want more than a pathetic EOW with his kids or maybe even less. Get a divorce, get a financial agreement and get a LIFE. You will be far happier. Good luck

Calmdownfolks · 21/09/2026 22:55

Yep he's your traditional old git. Has he any redeeming qualities? Good at DIY? I doubt it. What do you want to do? You are poles apart, counselling is not going to fix your marriage. Do you want to split now, or wait until the kids are older? You only have one life. It is not your duty to be as miserable as him.

Horses7 · 21/09/2026 22:19

If you can put up with this sort of life fine - and good luck to you.
On the other hand you could get a really good dog suit and start jumping up on the sofa and burrowing bones under the cushions - if this doesn’t attract his attention or raise a smile I’d leave and get a cat.

lazyarse123 · 21/09/2026 21:29

So many people wittering on about the fucking curtains. Op got up to wake the teen precisely because the dh would kick off if he wasn't ready. It's not rocket science. It does sound as if he really doesn't care about his wife and family at all. I think op is trying to convince herself he's not a nasty person but he absolutely is. You deserve some attention and consideration and just plain common courtesy. I hope you can see a way out of this situation op you and the kids deserve better.

Catroo · 21/09/2026 21:09

TwinklyAmberSloth · 20/09/2026 16:49

@tillyandmilly

DS1 was a surprise early into the relationship. To be honest we got on fine as friends (and had been friends before getting together) then I realised we had very little in common once we moved in together. But we made a go of it. We then had a second and got a buy one get one free situation. And I guess it was after that things have gone silent. His life isn't so different as it was as a single bloke, and mine got turned upside-down.

Once the kids leave home I cannot see it lasting. It very much is co-existing.

But we cannot afford to have two separate homes.

I'm sorry but this sounds like the relationship was doomed from the start, it hasn't been built on a strong foundation. You're not a partnership so there's no depth to fall back to in challenging times, and three young children can challenge even the strongest relationship.
It sounds like DH is extremely passive, in that theres no planning, no real opinion, no action, so when the first pregnancy happened they just went along with it.
You then realise your not really compatible and decide more children is the fix, something both of you are responsible for. This was never going to work so here you are, still incompatible but with a load more responsibilities.

The positive- you have three gorgeous children. They deserve to grow up in a happy environment, which both adults are responsible for. From what you have said, I dont think that is possible if you stay together. Staying together for the kids doesn't work when you actively dislike each other.
An amicable separation seems the most sensible outcome.

BooBooDoodle · 21/09/2026 20:55

You sound quite ‘noisy’ and energetic. I’d hate to have someone open the curtains before I’m up and I can’t stand much noise in the morning or when I come in from work. I just like to ‘be’ as much as I can before I’m expected to start the family shift. I lived with a piano playing sister growing up and I too stayed in my bedroom or took our dog out for some quiet. You say you’re messy, he likes tidy. You sound like a ruddy whirlwind and DH is taking shelter anyway he can. You’d be too much for me.

Cardisncocktails · 21/09/2026 20:52

ButtercupYellow26 · 21/09/2026 18:49

Don't think he likes you at all.

I agree, and I I don't think OP likes him either.

Annoyedbyhusband · 21/09/2026 20:34

I absolutely hate people opening curtains before I am ready. I went on holiday with a friend who did this 20 years ago and it still riles me to think about it. It can piss me off for a whole day.
Maybe you are just getting on each others nerves and need to chat about being more considerate of each other.

August1980 · 21/09/2026 20:29

It isn’t a case of him loving the dig more, it’s just a case of him not liking you.

‘what a nob head head’? Whilst I wouldn’t swear at you, I do think this is crass so perhaps that’s why he reacted the way he did!
Opening the curtains? Surely you could have waited until he was up…

Bluffinwithmymuffin · 21/09/2026 20:29

I can’t believe some of the comments about the curtains and the poor OP’s “character.” Flimsy curtains (such as the ones the OP describes) let the daylight in anyway. She only opened them a little way, letting a bit more light in, to nudge DH awake - at 7:30am (hardly the crack of dawn) on the day he was responsible for taking the teen to football. If she barged in early every morning, throwing the blackout curtains wide open, shouting and dragging the DH out of bed after only 3 hours sleep, I’d understand the outrage. But that’s not what happened.

AmnesiacsDream · 21/09/2026 19:34

People have gone back to the curtains because it's the only thing you've mentioned about your own behaviour towards DH and it shows an attitude towards him that's not really any better than his attitude towards you. What people are saying is - you dislike each other and you are both acting in ways that have no grace towards each other and are, in their own ways, little digs. You have lost the emotional ties that make you generous towards each other, so you are going to be miserable together until you find a way to reconnect and love each other again (which is hard), or split up.

Flamboyantfred · 21/09/2026 19:31

Do you think you might be ND?

TwinklyAmberSloth · 21/09/2026 19:29

Bigtrapeze · 21/09/2026 18:02

OP, this is not a typical experience of marriage in my experience but that isn't as important as the question of whether you want your home life to be like this. You should have a life that brings you joy, and I'm not sensing much of that in your post.

You say you never argue but if I have read this correctly, didn't he tell you to shut up in no uncertain terms over an observation you made about motorcycles in the street? That would be the start of a huge row if my husband spoke to me like that. He absolutely wouldn't. I wonder if you have been existing like this for so long you have become a bit numb to the atmosphere. I think that could happen when you've had children or dogs to focus on. It sounds like you have focussed on the kids and him on the dog.

I am really sorry you are in this situation. Do you think he will agree to relationship counselling? I'm not sure he's going to give it his best shot, from what you've written.

I can imagine a lovely future for you where you play your piano without headphones amidst the musical clutter he is objecting to in a home free of dog hair, go to bed when you want and get up early, and he watches motor racing with the beloved dog but two separate houses seem key to this. You sound fundamentally incompatible and not very keen on each other. So sorry, OP. You both sound unhappy and it seems a shame to me. Hope you find a way forward.

He likes muttering so he muttered "oh FFS shut up". He mutters a lot when he is annoyed so I heard it.

He often gets pissed off with the kids and walks off muttering and cursing them.

OP posts:
TwinklyAmberSloth · 21/09/2026 19:26

We seem to have gone back to the curtains...

I almost feel photo of said curtains would help my case 🤣🤣.

I'm starting to think people are picturing/assuming black out curtains.

They are thin beige crappy curtains, with big gaps at the top so at 7.30am the room was relatively light as the room is east facing. I just opened them a foot to see the sun. So it went from light to lighter.

But yes, I have already established many times over that I was wrong to open the curtains.

OP posts:
maxslice · 21/09/2026 19:20

GoldenGail · 21/09/2026 19:13

Because he has to leave the house with the kid at 8.15 so sounds very reasonable to me

Why not gently wake up DS who also needs to get ready and who you are largely responsible for? Then, DH will have no one to shout at if he’s late, but himself,

ThatJadeLion · 21/09/2026 19:19

Dog not allowed upstairs 🤔
Dog not allowed on furniture 😔
Opening curtains in the morning 🙄
Your DH was a 'miserable git' when his dog died 😩

maxslice · 21/09/2026 19:16

ButtercupYellow26 · 21/09/2026 18:49

Don't think he likes you at all.

To be fair, she doesn’t seem to like him either. Rather, she has total contempt for him,

beaglescurleduplikebagels · 21/09/2026 19:15

GoldenGail · 21/09/2026 19:13

Because he has to leave the house with the kid at 8.15 so sounds very reasonable to me

But he's an adult. He doesn't need OP to wake him up. If he oversleeps, he can handle the consequences.

GoldenGail · 21/09/2026 19:13

BugJuice · 20/09/2026 13:17

I got stuck on you opening the curtains while he was still in bed/asleep… why would you do that?!

Because he has to leave the house with the kid at 8.15 so sounds very reasonable to me

maxslice · 21/09/2026 19:12

TwinklyAmberSloth · 20/09/2026 13:37

That's a fair enough comment. I was just trying to avoid him shouting and swearing at DS for not getting up on time as otherwise he would have jumped out of bed 8am, showered then taken the dog straight out then got in a right strop when DS wasn't up and ready.

DS is terrible at getting up, especially when he goes to bed so late.

But did he ASK you to help him with this? It seems not. Leave him to deal with the consequences of his own choices and then he might make better ones. It’s not up to you to forcibly wake up a grown ass man unless he asks for your help.

Beingseenisneedy · 21/09/2026 19:12

TwinklyAmberSloth · 20/09/2026 13:26

@Imaginingdragonsagain @Suchevilforebodings @Freya1542

The curtain thing... he had told DS they were leaving at 8.15am for footy, so 7.30am gives him 45 mins to shower, walk dog and wake teenager, which wasn't actually enough time. I did the teenager waking and the were still 20 mins late.

I only open curtains if people have to get up anyway and it's a reasonable time e.g. 45 mins before having to leave.

It's not for you to police the curtain opening time.
I can get ready in 15 minutes if needed, so someone opening curtains 45 minutes early would annoy me.

It shows your character that PP have mentioned this a few times, and your response is to justify it.

It's also not great that you have to ask 're everything else. He's just not that into you anymore sadly.

DeftGoldHedgehog · 21/09/2026 18:56

Bluffinwithmymuffin · 21/09/2026 07:39

Micro-managing his wake up time… or trying to get the lazy, self-centred husband out of bed to pick up the slack on his side re the family’s activities?
Sounds like the latter to me.

This. I would never mind someone opening the curtains to wake me up when I needed to get up. It's quiet a gentle way to wake up, better than an alarm or artificial light or being shaken awake!

DeftGoldHedgehog · 21/09/2026 18:53

BugJuice · 20/09/2026 13:17

I got stuck on you opening the curtains while he was still in bed/asleep… why would you do that?!

Because it was time to get up for football.

GabriellaFaith · 21/09/2026 18:50

I couldn't mark you are, or aren't being unreasonable as I feel strongly different for different parts 😂

Opening the curtains whilst he's still asleep - well I'd be grumpy with you too. In fact I'd probably turn the bedroom lights on when your asleep just to make the point!

Going to see the dog first, we do that in my house. Hubby and I aren't 13 and can wait 10 minutes to see each other. The dogs, on the other hand, are like excitable toddlers and it's more practical to let them get the excitement out of their system saying a quick hello and letting them out, then to ask the other how was their day.

The teenager... He's 15 so needs to be more responsible for himself, set an alarm. But also, why is it hubby's fault to set him a bedtime? Your his parent too?

Dog hair everywhere can't be helped and it isn't really embarrassing in photos or of someone came, it's not germy or smelly, but if it annoys you, agree to vac daily. So I guess it depends what you are leaving messy everywhere like is it dirty food plates and washing, or more like pens?! But him dumping all the kids stuff in your office is not on, they are his responsibility as much as yours.

ButtercupYellow26 · 21/09/2026 18:49

Don't think he likes you at all.

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