She was supposed to be MY dog!

[Mydogisamassivetwat]

Lighthearted! Ish. My feelings are crushed.

Finally got out of rented and bought a house a couple of years ago so we were in the position to own a dog again.

We got a beautiful golden retriever puppy last year. She’s almost 1 now. I grew up with goldens and had two myself when I was younger and in my first marriage. I love the breed, wouldn’t consider another. Dh has never owned a dog (I met him after my dogs had passed away). He wanted one too, so did the children - my younger two are 10 and 4 so have never had a dog. But, you know, getting a dog was for me, really. I’m the one with the time to spend training, walking.

She loves dh. Dh loves her. It’s like something out of a Disney movie.

I’m at home all day. But does she sit with me? No. She sits in dh office, under his desk, happily pressed up against his legs, “chatting” to his colleagues and their dogs on video calls. When he leaves the house, does she sit with me? No. She stares out the front window, like a fisherman’s wife looking mournfully out to sea until his return. I walk her everyday; take her to lovely places where she can run and sniff to her hearts content. She lives for the moment she can dart back into the front door and literally jump into my husbands arms.

She is very much my husband’s dog and I’m not okay.

Oh and my username - she badly injured me a while ago darting after a squirrel and pulling me over in the process. She has never pulled dh. She trots along side him, looking up at him adoringly. So I stand by calling her a massive twat.

ChenDog was supposed to be the family dog. Everyone would love him equally and everyone was going to raise him, train him, feed him, socialise him and play with him.

3.5 years on they're all at various levels of hands-offness and I am the one to do all the above. Meanwhile, ChenDog follows me everywhere like a suffocating, lovesick boyfriend who's far more into you than you are into him.

Enjoy the freedom OP, is my advice.

Your ddog is beautiful!!
We've had 5 dogs over the years. Ddog 1(male) - my boy. Ddog2 (female) supposed to be my dog, but only ever listened to DH. Spent her life looking at him adoringly, and glaring at me as if wishing me dead! He didn't even like her that much! Ddog 3(male) liked us equally. Ddog4 has no loyalty to anyone, fawns over complete strangers, but if I give her a command when DH is there she will look at him for confirmation, definitely likes men more than women! Ddog 5 (male) is my little prince. Definitely loves me more than anyone else in the family (and the feeling may be mutual 😂)

I hear you. I'm third wheeling. My DH and Dear Labrador are evidently soulmates.

Who feeds her?
Who takes her for walks?
Who takes her to the vet/groomer?
Who went to dog training with her?

My DH has a magnificent beard and all my dogs prefer me.

We have 3 and sometimes I sit upstairs on my bed to get a break from all 3 of them crowding me 😅

Pretty sure I'm beardless.

I think another dog is the only solution.

Me! All me. Dh will take her for a walk at the weekends, but I enjoy long walks in the woods and nature trails.

This is DDog. She is the MOST traitorous of all pets because she greets exH like her long lost best friend every time he comes to either pick up or drop off the kids.

I can't repeat this enough but no! This doesn't work! I tried and now have 2 dogs besotted with DH 😂

We got our lovely Labrador in 2012 after along campaign by me and my DDs. DH was adamant we were not getting a dog and wanted nothing to do with her. I did all the training and walking etc.

For Fathers Day this year the girls sent him the attached card! The adoration between them was mutual and when she died suddenly later in the year he was bereft.

The dog chooses the human and there is little we can do!

Well at least you know if anything happened on a walk he would come looking for you! Yes, to find the dog but still..... 😂

Completely different breed but same scenario 😂

We now have 2 dogs, boy dog is now mine girl dog is my husband’s shadow which is still annoying as I’ve put hours and hours of training into her

My boy doesn’t leave my side it’s definitely puppy love 🐾

Bitches are so fickle! Get yourself another male puppy and he will adore his Mummy, we are the same in this house, 3 dogs 2 males one female at the moment. Dh also has a beard and I tell myself it's all the food crumbs they love and not him 😂😂
The one dog that is my velcro boy is a massive knob dog, the cuddly adorable other 2 only love me as a scrappy second when DH is away 💙

I'm laughing so much at this thread, x

My dog likes me the best except when my cleaner is here, then I am completely irrelevant and he follows her everywhere. (Old photo from when he was a middle-aged dog, he's old now.)

I feel your pain, OP! My dog is literally my dog, I got her when she was 8 weeks old from a neighbour. Hand fed her dry food for the first few days, she slept in my bedroom, walked three times a day and spent a fortune on food, grooms (she’s a setter, labradoodle mix) - the works. All before I met my now DP.

Well, when I say she’s obsessed with him! 😅 I am able to joke about it because she has always LOVED men, it’s just the way she is. I know she loves me, when she’s feeling poorly she goes to me for a cuddle, but otherwise it’s all adoring looks to him and I honestly think she thinks he’s her boyfriend! She does seem to listen to me in a way she won’t with him though, he calls himself the novelty.

I take some consolation from the fact that DP’s little terrier is quite affectionate with me, while I was pregnant he was the one that would cuddle up beside me for a nap and lie on my bump. In fact, my partner can be a teeny bit jealous when his dog chooses me on the sofa.

Dogs are their own creatures and have their own distinct personalities and wishes, you just can’t really prevent this but I keep saying that I’m getting a male dog next, they seem a bit more into the female owners from what I’ve observed. Fingers crossed anyway 😉

Try to enjoy her though, she sounds like a good girl.

My friends have a boy retriever and he's an absolute daddy's boy!

Meanwhile, ChenDog follows me everywhere like a suffocating, lovesick boyfriend who's far more into you than you are into him.

😂😂😂

I had the exact same experience with my much longed-for, adored cocker spaniel. I know he loves me, but DDog is utterly, slavishly devoted to DH. Although he knows I'm the ultimate boss, and will begrudgingly snuggle up to me if DH is out.

So finally I got my own dog - and went for a female cocker spaniel instead. And hurrah, DDog2 is definitely my little shadow.

DD is now making noises about the fact that neither of the dogs is interested in her... we can't possibly have one dog each though! 😅

I’m sorry, OP, but you were obviously just part of her masterplan. She knew fine well you were the one doing the choosing so she did a convincing suck up act to hook you in, but you were merely a stepping stone to get to her one true love. And now you’re just the poo picker-upper she drags along face down in the mud. She’s clearly an evil genius and DH is no use to you now. He’s already been seduced, and you know whose side he’ll pick in a row.

Your only option is to arm yourself with a new puppy so you’ve got a wingman to team up with, just in case. Safety in numbers. Don’t turn your back on her.

I don't see why not!

She might be a massive twat but she is a very cute massive twat

Bribery is the answer, treats in your desk, dog bed by your desk. Sometimes in your pockets and give out at unexpected moments. Works wonders, will still be DH dog but you’ll run a close second as you’re always good for treats- but you can steal cuddles too

Oh I really feel for you. I have a golden retriever too and she is 8. Now ex h was the one who started the convo about getting a dog after years of saying he didn't want to pick up poo so we didn't. She is very much my dog, the first thing I said when I said I wanted a divorce was don't even think about arguing over the dog. She barks at him when he comes and couldn't care less. She loves me 100%. I wish I had a solution as divorce is too drastic. Do less so she misses you?

PS I am my dog’s very favourite person, except for when either the postman or my dad hove into view, in which case I could be on fire and no shits would be given. They’re fickle twats, the lot of them.

Substitute cat for dog and this is our situation too. Longed for a cat for years, DH had to be persuaded, and now she's all his. I like to regularly remind her exactly who busted her flooffy backside out of the Cats Protection League in the first place, but no, no loyalty, no gratitude. I make DH do the worming and de-fleaing, that's the price of love frankly 😂