Some of you might recall when we first got our lab puppy and were ridiculously unprepared for life as dog owners. We’ve struggled on and trained the dog well to become a really wonderful family pet who is lovely and usually well behaved - and 2 now.
However.... DH has developed asthma and has constant colds - and despite trying every anti-histamine we can find, he seems to have developed an allergy to the dog. Whenever we go away for a weekend or a week without the dog, his health is remarkably better and I get my happy go lucky husband back. His grouchiness when we are home with the dog is almost unbearable but DH just feels so miserable, unwell and low.
We keep the house clean (never hair-free but we stay on top of the hoovering etc) but DH’s mental health is declining and it’s breaking my heart to see it happening.
He was never very keen on getting a dog in the first place (but did agree) and whilst I was convinced a dog would be a great companion for him, he tolerates the dog at best.. occasionally seems affectionate but on the whole says he would be far happier with his health back and no dog to care for. He does the lion’s share of dog care as our kids are school age and I work FT.
Although the dog is well cared for DH has convinced himself that we need to rehome. Not only for our sakes as a family with the stress it’s causing but so that this lovely pup can have the best life possible. The dog is from working line, loves a job to do, great with visitors and kids and mellow but really doesn’t enjoy being petted which I found odd but is apparently quite common with working dogs?
I’ve looked up Lab Rescue orgs so many times but feel so guilty and embarrassed that having a dog just isn’t working for our family.
Has anyone got any experience of this?
DH will leave it all to me to rehome and I’ve even had to start preparing the kids which was heart-wrenching but they also want their Dad ‘back’, happy and healthy...
I’m just torn, and so tired of it (the ‘should we, shouldn’t we?’) and feel DH has just dumped all responsibility on me. Partly as he wants someone else to ‘fix’ the situation but I also believe its because he feels terrible about it all too. Like we’ve failed.
I’m hoping someone has been in my position and can share some words of wisdom.
I’ve already been ‘told off’ but acquaintances at the mere thought of rehoming for any reason other than total crisis. But after two years of an unhappy husband, I feel I can do no more 