Boyfriend thinks my puppy is his

[oonrug]

Me and my boyfriend have been together for 2 years. I am 24 he is 23. We both live with our parents, but he practically lives at my house and hasn't gone home in months.

A few weeks ago I bought a puppy, he is gorgeous and I love him so much! However, my boyfriend is insisting that he is "his dog as well" I don't have an issue with this statement, but he has said that if anything happens and we split up, that the dog will be half of his and we would have to share custody of him.

I just find this bizarre as I paid for the dog (he wasn't cheap) I picked him up, I look after him (although he does his fair share). Just because I was with my boyfriend when I got the puppy, surely it doesn't automatically make him his dog?

I was just looking for some opinions on this, or aibu and looking too much in to it?

If you are still with this b/f & he moves in with you, please take legal advice & do NOT accept any payments toward your mortgage - you need a rent book to prove he will have no rights to your property.

A dog, however much you love it, is property. You own it. It is not a shared child.

Tell him it's your dog and to bugger off back to his own house to live.

What a freeloader he is.

Next time you order dog food, take the pup to the vet for his injections etc, give BF the bill and tell him it's time he paid for his dog's maintenance

Next he'll be telling you he owns your pussy.

This. As a back up measure I'd photograph the whole lot and save the JPEG files on a secure cloud, too.

Basically this.
I have two dogs and my older boy, I got 9.5 years ago, when I was with an ex boyfriend. He used to do this ‘our dog’ bullshit too, funnily enough he was otherwise controlling and abusive, and he was adamant I’d not take his dog from him. As it happened, I did a midnight flit and he’s not seen the dog, or me, since.

However, my boyfriend is insisting that he is "his dog as well" I don't have an issue with this statement,

But you do, because it’s a bizarre thing to say.

I don't like the sound of your boyfriend.

Well what did he say when you told him he absolutely wouldn't have any custody?

I don't like how he 'insists' the dog is his too

To be honest he sounds fecking awful. And I totally agree with the blackmailing comment above. Nothing like a bit of fear and manipulation to keep a woman in check.

😂😂 sometimes I wish mine would threaten that! Have at it, take them all 🤣

Oh I'd be inclined to reply 'off you trot then and take your stuff and lets see who owns MY puppy seeing as he's in my name etc'

It sounds like he's more invested in the relationship than you are. If you go on to live together and/or get married the dog will come with you so he's imagining your joint life together, while you are still making unilateral decisions that will affect you both without involving him.

He doesn't sound very bright.

Tell him when you break up half of his savings is yours too! 😂

I'm guessing he isn't saving for his own place and is a potential cocklodger.

'MY puppy in MY name in MY home which MY parents pay for' 🤣

That would give me the ick. If you bought a microwave for your house would that also be up for shared custody in case of a split 0_o it's obvious the dog is yours

He is obviously very serious about your relationship and although he's wrong, it's the prism of 'our' life, not 'my' life that's at the root of it imo. Worth having a chat about to clear things up.

It’s a bit weird that he’s bringing up “if you split up”. People don’t usually think that way when they’ve been in a relationship 2 years and it’s going well. It sounds a bit “If we split up I’d take your pet that you love” (at least part of the time).

Yeah I wonder if he's so forthcoming about what's his is the ops though...

Urgh. I've got the ick just reading this thread

he has said that if anything happens and we split up, that the dog will be half of his and we would have to share custody of him.

Rings alarm bells! Why would he mention splitting up at all? And then basically threaten to keep the dog half the time?

Presumably he knows you wouldn't like to share your dog 50/50 (or split up) so it's not a very nice thing to say to upset you for no reason.

He may be so attached to the dog that he wants to make sure he still gets to see him in case you separate.

I was named as the registered owner of my dog. He was registered with the kennel club but I think it was also on his microchip details and he was always booked in under my name at the vets. Also, the fact the dog lives at your address and that is on his microchip information etc and not your boyfriends, would surely add weight to the fact the dog is not owned by your boyfriend. I'm assuming your boyfriend is listed on the electroll roll as living at his parents address?

Nope.
Your dog.
BF is a poltroon.

I think your living arrangements aren't relevant but as other posters have said, to be absolutely sure, don't let him contribute to any costs for the dog. This could actually give him a case that he had part ownership.

Of course it's very unlikely that he would bother to take you to court etc. etc. but, given that he's suggesting he would want to share the dog in the event of a split, it would pay to keep things clear cut. Then you can just laugh off his shared custody remarks.

Ah cool that's ok then. As long as your parents don't mind. Make sure he doesn't have any rights to your house though. As pp said charge him formal rent called "rent" on your bank statements. Check how much you're allowed to charge before you have to declare it.