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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

DH has no time for our dog

379 replies

PokeInTheBum · 28/08/2022 09:39

A few years ago DH said he wanted a dog, a German shepherd. I said no as I didn’t want the hair or a large animal to have to look after. He kept on about wanting a dog and assured me that he’d be 100% responsible for it. I said if he was that desperate for a dog he could get a little one like a French bulldog. He reluctantly agreed and we got a frenchie puppy. At first he adored him and was with him all the time. He took him to a basic obedience 6 week course and would come home frustrated saying the dog wouldn’t do anything and he was a laughing stock at the class. He was working on stuff with him inbetween classes (daily) but would always come back furious from the class saying it was pointless. I started going with him for support but to be fair it was embarrassing, ours was the only dog that wasn’t progressing and we couldn’t get him to do anything other than “sit” and even that was only 50/50. Didn’t help that the instructor made jokes about it and drew everyone’s attention to it. At the end of the course everyone was presented with their certificates whilst we were “gently told” to book onto a repeat course.

DH decided against it and whilst he continued walking the dog etc it was obvious that he was losing interest. We couldn’t get him house trained, he was incredibly destructive and wrecked everything in sight. We had a behaviourist in as well as a trainer but neither have been any help.

Then 3 years ago DH told me he needed a proper dog and was buying a German shepherd puppy. I agreed because I saw how much it was getting him down not having this dog. He was going to all sorts of shows, displays and meet ups etc for 2 years prior.

we got the German shepherd. DH finally has the dog he wanted. It excelled at the basic obedience class and then went on to pass the advanced obedience class and all the kennel club awards. DH’s office is full of certificates and rosettes from him activities with the dog and to be fair he does 100% of the work with her.

Trouble is his tolerance for the frenchie is now rock bottom, he gets annoyed just hearing him wander around the house. He refuses to clean up its piss and shit saying he’s not “doing it anymore” with a 6 year old dog. To be honest I think he actively dislikes the dog.

I have taken on responsibility of the frenchie but the way DH makes it so obvious he doesn’t want him around upsets me. He’ll literally make the frenchie move off the sofa so the German shepherd can sit there.

We ended up arguing about it last night and he said it’s my fault as I pressured him to get a dog he didn’t want and if I’d just agreed to the shepherd in the first place none of this would have happened.

So, is it all my fault??

OP posts:
RedHelenB · 28/08/2022 09:58

PokeInTheBum · 28/08/2022 09:45

His office is full of the German shepherd stuff. Certificates and rosettes on the wall, framed photos on his wall, his phone screen is the shepherd, his computer wallpaper is the shepherd, he’s literally obsessed with her.

You should have agreed to the German shepherd in the first place given that you ended up with one anyway, and he is looking after it.

CoalCraft · 28/08/2022 09:58

Just re-home the Frenchie. It, your husband and you will all be happier.

Meatshake · 28/08/2022 10:00

I agree with your husband, different breeds fit different people and personalities. You're in the be wrong for making him get a dog that didn't suit him. Interesting you got a french bulldog, did you pick it because it is fashionable or did you research into the breed traits? If a small dog was the key part you should have looked at trainable breeds like a parsons Jack Russell, Papillion or something like a border terrier.

I've got a German shepherd- he works brilliantly and is smart and trainable, it's a pleasure going for a walk with him. I'd never get a french bulldog - the breed doesn't work with my personality and it'd just piss me off. I like clever, people focused, responsive dogs.

MondaysAreFineItsYourLifeThatsShit · 28/08/2022 10:00

Rehome the Frenchie

GrumpyPanda · 28/08/2022 10:00

Soubriquet · 28/08/2022 09:48

Well yes it kinda is. He wanted a GS, which are easily trained and very biddable. You made him get a French bulldog which are notorious for not training well or being house trained. They are stubborn little dogs.

However, the frenchie is still a family pet and he needs to see that.

You need to take over cleaning up the mess though.

Bullshit... or should I say dogpiss? He's the one who wanted a dog in the first place, AND said he'd do all the work. Frankly, OP's been a doormat just accepting the way he's been reneging on that commitment.

HorseInTheHouse · 28/08/2022 10:00

I do think you were foolish to think that smaller dogs are easier. I think a lot of people assume that and then find out that many small breeds are actually very stubborn and independent, whereas German Shepherds and lots of other large breeds are highly intelligent and tend to love training. Your husband wanted a dog to train, so a German Shepherd was a good choice. You shouldn't have asked him to get a French Bulldog, but equally he shouldn't have agreed.

Cosycover · 28/08/2022 10:01

I'd rehome your DH and the GS

NotaCoolMum · 28/08/2022 10:01

GeekyThings · 28/08/2022 09:50

You're both at fault - him for getting a dog at all when he's clearly entirely unsuited to keeping them and only thinks of them as accessories; and you for saying it was a good idea for him to get a second dog after seeing that he was so awful with the first dog.

I feel really sorry for both your dogs, he's a terrible pet owner, and anyone who can be that mean to a member of the family after 6 years is a disgusting person.

Absolutely agree with @GeekyThings here. Pets aren’t trophies just to meme your “D”H look good. Poor Frenchie and GSD are prone to hip problems as they get older- is “D”H going to do the same to him? Absolutely disgusting 🤢

Janedoe82 · 28/08/2022 10:01

Your husband sounds so horrible!!! Poor wee Frenchie. You should nurture it and make a big fuss and see how she improves

smileandsing · 28/08/2022 10:02

I think both of you are to blame. You seemed to know there might be an issue before you even got a dog yet were surprised when there was (your DH assured you he would be 100% responsible, well of course he should be). However he has behaved terribly with his attitude towards your Frenchie. A dog is not a toy to be dumped when the owner gets bored with it. Sounds like he wanted the GS as some kind of trophy pet to make him look good (big dog who wins lots of prizes=big man who succeeds in life, in his mind at least). The Frenchie is just an embarrassing mistake to him now.

Can you show your first dog the love and attention it needs? Make it your pet? You're just as responsible for it and it deserves to know it's loved too. If not then look at rehoming.

Moral of the story is don't get a dog, or any pet actually, or facilitate your partner/kids doing so unless you're prepared to take on the responsibility when they get bored with it

Immaterialatthispoint · 28/08/2022 10:02

“rehome the frenchie” so many of you say….

rehome it where?! This is a 6 year old dog, completely un house trained, no basic training in any other way, in a breed notorious for it, whom behaviourists and trainers have struggled with. It’s a breed with serious health conditions and a very short life span. Where do you think all the loving unicorn homes for this dog are going to come from!

FartNRoses · 28/08/2022 10:03

Sorry OP, but of all the alternative dogs you could’ve chosen, why in gods name did you choose the Frenchie???
Possibly one of the worse choices you could’ve made! In that respect YABU. However, your DH is being a complete dick blaming you for something six years later 🙄

girlmom21 · 28/08/2022 10:03

Immaterialatthispoint · 28/08/2022 10:02

“rehome the frenchie” so many of you say….

rehome it where?! This is a 6 year old dog, completely un house trained, no basic training in any other way, in a breed notorious for it, whom behaviourists and trainers have struggled with. It’s a breed with serious health conditions and a very short life span. Where do you think all the loving unicorn homes for this dog are going to come from!

The breeder is the obvious answer

Quincythequince · 28/08/2022 10:04

girlmom21 · 28/08/2022 10:03

The breeder is the obvious answer

All these years later?
Why would they take it back.

londonlass71 · 28/08/2022 10:06

PokeInTheBum · 28/08/2022 09:57

When you say we was under too much pressure and stress from the off, do you mean being put into training classes or DH’s constant attempts to train him (it was daily, we never did get past “sit”, even now at 6 years old “sit” is the only command the frenchie will do and even then it’s not every time).

I don’t know what to do, I’ve tried training him myself to get DH to back off but I just can’t get through to the dog, it’s like he has no understanding at all. He’s lovely temperament wise, affectionate and great with kids but everything else is just such hard work.

Yes you can presure a dog in many ways, including but kot limited to over training and constantly doing the same thing. Dogs communicate through body language and if your husband was not enjoying training and becoming frustrated and pressuring the dog it won't work. Training should be fun and little and often. You also need to find what motivates the puppy/dog.
I have not met any of you, but it sounds like there were a lot of expectations put on a young puppy who then just shut down when it came to training. I have trained all breeds and at varying aged and stages and I have to say the Frenchies I have trained have been wonderful. If you PM me OP I can maybe point you in the right direction and we can have a longer chat.

Quincythequince · 28/08/2022 10:06

Immaterialatthispoint · 28/08/2022 10:02

“rehome the frenchie” so many of you say….

rehome it where?! This is a 6 year old dog, completely un house trained, no basic training in any other way, in a breed notorious for it, whom behaviourists and trainers have struggled with. It’s a breed with serious health conditions and a very short life span. Where do you think all the loving unicorn homes for this dog are going to come from!

I agree with this.
This dog will now know it’s second fiddle and not well-liked. His behaviour isn’t going to improve.

How is your GS with the Frenchie?

Poor animal. Your husband is a dick (and a bit sad if I’m being honest with all his rosette’s) and your have been incredibly naive.

PokeInTheBum · 28/08/2022 10:06

God it’s all such a mess.

Take yesterday for example … DH was out in the garden doing a training video with the shepherd. He showed me the video when he came in and you can clearly see the frenchie watching in the window in the house looking all depressed. It’s so sad.

I wouldn’t say he’s cruel to him, he just has no patience. Yesterday he had them both sat in the kitchen for a treat - he threw a treat into the shepherds mouth and then tried the same with the frenchie - the treat bounced off the frenchies head and fell onto the floor whilst the frenchie continued looking at my husband completely unaware 😂 I thought it was quite funny personally but DH rolled his eyes, picked the treat back up and handed it the frenchie who snatched it off him and then started choking on it. DH just said “for fucks sake” and walked off.

The frenchie gets lots of affection and attention from me, it’s just DHs attitude towards him that upsets me, especially as he doted on him when we first got him.

OP posts:
IrisVersicolor · 28/08/2022 10:07

I’d rehome the Frenchie and possibly the DH too.

Quincythequince · 28/08/2022 10:08

the treat bounced off the frenchies head and fell onto the floor whilst the frenchie continued looking at my husband completely unaware 😂 I thought it was quite funny

What is wrong with you?

MintyGreenDreams · 28/08/2022 10:09

I've got 2 Chihuahuas which are also awful to house train.My adult boy is fine but my 11month old girl is a nightmare tbh..but..I fucking love her to death and she is part of our family. I just suck it up and deal with it.

Qwerkie · 28/08/2022 10:09

He clearly got the frenchie as a compromise between that and no dog. Personally I think they’re horrible dogs - stubborn, bullish, ugly, hard to train - I don’t understand why anyone would get one. It’s easy to see why he’s now looking at his athletic, well trained GSD with such admiration and affection.

you should never have got the Frenchie in the first place but one of you now needs to look after it and it looks like it’s not going to be him.

Cavvies · 28/08/2022 10:10

poor poor poor dog

rehome the frenchie through a proper breed rescue

your husband sounds like a totally vile person

girlmom21 · 28/08/2022 10:11

the treat bounced off the frenchies head and fell onto the floor whilst the frenchie continued looking at my husband completely unaware 😂 I thought it was quite funny personally

You're as bad as him. That poor dog.

Soubriquet · 28/08/2022 10:11

Quincythequince · 28/08/2022 10:08

the treat bounced off the frenchies head and fell onto the floor whilst the frenchie continued looking at my husband completely unaware 😂 I thought it was quite funny

What is wrong with you?

Why? I thought it was amusing too?

It doesn’t hurt the dog to have a treat bounced off its head. Not unless the OP drip feeds that the treats were actually bricks and that’s how the GS likes them

slashlover · 28/08/2022 10:11

Did either of you bother to do ANY research before getting the Frenchie?

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