AIBU Saying no to OH getting a dog

[TheQueenOfDiamonds]

Even though I have one?

My OH wants a dog. We had one that was both of ours, But she has had to go to my mums because for some unknown reason, She has seizures at our house - We think she's allergic to something in our garden, because it always happens when she comes inside. Its never happened anywhere else, and hasn't happened since she's been back at my mums, and mine has never done it.

He wants a large breed though. I keep saying no and he says its unfair because I have a dog, a horse and a tarantula (he hates them all).

My reasons are;

I look after my animals. He's not expected to do anything, except feed his hamster, which he doesn't do.

I don't go away overnight and leave them, and if I needed to in an emergency, my dog is small and could be left with my mum - She's disabled and could not take a large dog. He likes to go home every so often, so I would be left with a large dog and struggle to walk it. I know he would not want to give up weekends away. I am not willing to be lumped with an animal I can't look after properly.

I have suggested smaller breeds that I would be able to care for alone if needs be, but he says he doesn't like them.
AIBU?

Winston - Its something specific to that dog. My dog, two others I've minded, and neither of my neighbours dogs are affected, and none of my mums are either.

TBH you already (imo) have a lot of responsibility.

Does your husband work?

If so-how would he even walk it everyday?

Diddl - That wouldn't be an issue, He has plenty of time to walk it when he isn't working, IE late afternoon and early morning. It's the going away thing - He jollies off to his parents for weekends out with his mates when he feels like it, That's where we would have issues.

He also knows very little about training dogs. So i would have to do the initial training which tbh, I don't want to do, I have two children and my own animals to deal with - He would not spend months helping train my horse everyday, So, childish as this may sound, i don't see why the hell i should have to train a dog that i don't want.

The only suggestion i have made that he is open to is a cross breed - Our yard manager has a burmese mountain dog (A breed he loves) X Collie and it's a lovely size, It has the looks/coat of a burmese, but the size of a Collie. Obviously, It's finding a cross breed that he likes though, And that is suitable for a family with small children.

Well he has the time but will he bother?

We have a dog-which I did want as much as the daughter.
But I do all the work-as I knew I would.

But we did get a dog as I knew I couldn´t be bothered to train a puppy & tbf my daughter has worked hard at commands with him.

But another stipulation had to be that it was a dog that I could handle.

Why doesn´t he like the dog you have.

TBH him wanting his own dog sort of seems a bit childish to me.

TheQueenOfDaimonds - ISWYM, but have you had a quick check of e.g. St Bernards? Could be wrong, here, but IIRC they're amazingly chilled out, hardly break out of a walk, not really the sort for pulling, wanting to go charging orf, etc. - so could be more suitable than you think.

Bloody hell, a newfoundland??? why not just get a shetlend pony installed in the lounge?.

yanbu.

Well he has the time but will he bother?

With me nagging him to do it, Yes, Though i'm not keen on spending the next 12 years repeating the sentence 'Walk the dog'

Why doesn´t he like the dog you have.

Because she is very much 'my' dog in the sense that she prefers me over him. She is a chinese crested and they tend to be strongly attached to one person, Whereas our other dog [The one who lives with my mum] is 'anyones dog' iyswim?

plumpdogpillionaire They are fairly chilled most of the time according to the breeder i spoke to [I'm not keen on googling this sort of information, I'd rather ask people with experience]. I told her my concerns and she said she would definitely have him visit some adults as when they are a handful, they are difficult.

She also said when they have a mad half an hour, they rearrange furniture. I wouldn't like to be left with something that size, plus two children to look after. Something is getting broken!

Fluffycloudland77 Don't tell my daughter that FFS, She's informed me i must buy her a 'little pony'.

Do you actually live together as a couple? You sound as though you live very separate lives.

If you do live together then getting another dog should be a joint decision. If you are serious about a large breed such as a St Bernard or a Newfie have you considered the insurance costs, how you will transport it, and feed costs? Is this something your joint budget can stand?

St Bernards are designated as a KC High Profile Breed which means they experience a high level of health concerns - see http://www.stbernardhealth.co.uk/ the official breed club website for more info.

What does your vet say about your existing dog's seizures?

Bluntly, if he cannot care responsibly for a hamster, FFS then no other animal should be allowed anywhere near him.

Scuttle - Yes we live together!

I have mentioned insurance and feed, And also the health issues common in SBs. He seems to listen at the time, But within a few days starts banging on about them again!

The vet basically said that there was no point putting her on medication because they're not epileptic seizures - I've had epileptic dogs of the same breed. He offered diazapam (SP) to keep her calm afterwards, But i declined as she never got wound up after them, Didn't do any of the walking up walls shit other epileptic dogs do, no hyperactivity etc. She'd just go sit back down as if nothing had happened. When she bit the other dog, It was during the seizure, The other dog went to see what she was doing, During the seizure her jaw would go up and down and she'd shake, and her jaw just clamped down at the wrong time and got the other dogs face [Superficial wound thankfully, but pissed blood at first, it was like a murder scene].

It literally only happened at my house, It's never happened before and hasn't happened since she's been back at my mums! And each one would be over in minutes, So it wasn't even like i could call the vet out to her, by the time anyone got to us she'd be back to normal.

TBH we never got much advice on the dogs we had before that were actually epileptic so i didn't expect much.