to be pissed off because DH got a puppy 6 months ago (without asking me) and it takes up a lot of his spare time?

[helenelisabeth]

Story goes... DH got a puppy (we already have another dog as well) last December, we had just moved into our new house 5 days previous and have two DDs (one was only 3 months old at the time) so obviously our life was already busy enough.

DH has started to get interested in gun dogs and shooting and going to Country and Game Fayres, fair enough but am I being unreasonable t be a bit pissed off when all weekend in the mornings he is out with the dogs training them and taking them on long walks - meanwhile I am at home with the two DC and having to do everything?

I know he is entitled to have a hobby but would any reasonable DH have discussed it long and hard with his DW before getting another dog. He fails to see what he has done wrong and we have just had another blazing row because I am going to be sat in on my own (again) on a Sunday morning.

Dogs live in kennels so I don't have to do anything with them with regards to cleaning/feeding etc.

Yes I'd be peed off with this too. I know its not a long term solution but now the light nights are here can't he train and walk them in the evening...is your other DD old enough to go with him?

Oh he does it in the evening as well! He does put DD2 to bed, I put DD1 to bed and he goes out when they are asleep, so not as bad. DD1 unfortunately doesn't like leaving me so has to be really really pushed to go. It messes the training up as well if she is there.

He is a wonderful father, just sometimes an inconsiderate DH.

Why don't you go out together on the walks?

Because the dogs need intensive training to be gun dogs so it just gets messy, he then takes them for a walk after the training.

How about he does it one morning at the weekend and you do something the other morning..you then spend weekend afternoons doing family things? Seems unfair if he's taking up both mornings doing it..when do you get your lie in or do what you want to do in the morning?

No they don't, not really, intensive training will ruin a gundog as they go stale and bored and the disobedient. A 5 min go during a walk will be good to practise picking up dummies otherwise everything else can be incorporated in a walk, sit and stay walking to heel etc, alternatively find out if there is a group training session near you. I know a lot of pickers up on shoots and have grown up with gundogs and this is how we and they have always done it

And if it is only 6 months old then way to young for all this intensive training IMHO

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The dog is nearly 1, he didn't get her until she was 5 months old - his best friend is one of the top gun dog trainers in the Country so he has excellent guidance! Training has only just started over the last few weeks. He does it at weekends because that is the best time for him as he works in the week (although the dogs go with him).

He's back now! Let's see if he is still sulking.