A dog problem!

[Sistersis]

Partner wants a dog knowing full well I'm not animal lover, plus have previously been attacked by dogs so do not fancy living with one.

We will be moving in together with next three months. He always known my fear of them right from the beginning. Plus I'm heavy on the hygiene cleaning front and I don't want my home to smell like dogs. I won't have time for it either and if we are to have kids, I certainly would not seen walking dogs as priority. For me animals should be outdoors roaming not to be domesticated to be kept indoors.

He's convinced they will be a great addition to the home and a way to 'flood' my fear away. How do we get around this one.

I have a dog and love him...BUT:

• He needs 2 walks a day EVERY day for at least 40 min each of he is a pain
• He cannot be left for more than 4 hrs and then only once or twice a week
• He hates the car so taking him along places is best avoided
• Food, insurance, vets, toys, poo bags, grooming etc. Is expensive
• He gets up at 5am unless he is allowed to sleep on my bed. His getting up wakes up the entire street unless I get up with him.

He is a small, friendly family dog and we happily organise our lives around his needs. Not recommended if you don’t want to make the necessary sacrifices to have a happy and well balanced dog (don’t treat the right and you get an anxious and destructive dog!)

I have a dog and my house doesn’t smell of her. Good hygiene means your house doesn’t have to smell of dog.

But I think your partner really needs to think about your feelings before his. Clearly he doesn’t understand your fear. If you don’t want a dog he shouldn’t get one.

saying that, Oh didn’t want a dog but I was desperate for my own. It’s not that he didn’t like dogs, just didn’t want one himself.. He was worried about the cost, the committent, me coping with it (I have OCD). But we got a pup and he absolutely adores her now! 🤣

I also couldn't live in a house with a dog. If my DH brought one home I'd move out until the dog went. I just don't like them and I know I couldn't look after one properly. Yanbu

I was talked into a dog. He was a nice dog, as dogs go very low maintenance and healthy. I even miss him now he's dead. However, I resented him every day for over 10 years. I hated the smell, the hair and the restrictions on my free time. I would never have another dog. Dogs should be in a home where they are wanted by everyone.

I couldn't live with someone who didn't like dogs! Our many animals are an integral part of our lives. Dogs are smelly, leave hair on the floor, roll in unmentionable stuff, eat horse muck, but bring huge amounts of joy, love and companionship. If you don't have it within you to love them and provide them with the care they need, then don't get one. I do think you two might be incompatible though!

Are you sure you're compatible?

Having a dog has always been important to me (even before I actually got one, I knew I would at an unspecified point in the future) so I would never have dated someone who didn't like dogs.

To my mind it is a similar level of incompatibility as wanting many / zero kids, wanting to live in Central London / middle of nowhere or other similar big lifestyle choices.

He did.

He did what??!

Does he want a Chow because they look cute? Grizzly bears look cute until you piss them off.

Chow Chows are listed as one of the most dangerous breeds of dog in the world (USA). I’m amazed he wants one when his other choice would be a Labrador! That’s like saying I want either a pit bull or a pug!

Years ago my bf wanted a ddog. Told him straight it would be going right back to where it came from. And meant it.
We got a dcat instead!!

I was talked into getting a ddog. He is lovely but it's a huge and expensive commitment and I'm pretty sure - a year in- that we wouldn't get another.

Tell him to join borrowmydoggy and experience walking and looking after others dogs if he's so keen. Bet he won't. Wants one but wants you to do the grunt work for it.

I have a lab. Big clumsy oafs for ages. Dog hair everywhere even though they have a short coat. Dirty paws, chewing stuff you don't want them to chew. I have a few pictures of the damage the hound has done.

Big bean bag chewed to shreds, cushions with the stuffing pulled out of them (I thought he was being quiet!). Having to remember to shut doors to the rooms you don't want them in every single time... And don't get me started on the hole in the plaster of the utility room. Someone left some dog biscuits in their coat, hung up the coat and the dog tried to get to them....

Walks every day unless you have a really big garden. No more last minute decisions. You always have to think about the dog. A friend wanted a weinramer. Not because she had any experience with dogs but she just liked the look of them.

PLEASE DONT DO IT!

Did what?