Would this be a deal breaker for you?

[User5612347]

I'm in my 50s and recently started seeing a man my age, he's divorced with adult children. He lives rurally and has a one year old labrador. We see each other regularly and get on very well, but it's not serious yet.
He's asked me to go away for a weekend with him and I agreed. I asked him last night about what arrangements he's made for his dog while we are away. The dog can't go to kennels because it's not had it's vaccinations. He's leaving the dog on a long chain with access to a shed and outside and his adult sons will pop in when they can and walk the dog.
I've never had a dog myself but this doesn't sound right at all. I feel like I'll be worrying about the dog all weekend.

Horrible lack of empathy. So awful, A one year old dog. Even if he changed his mind, the fact he ever thought it was acceptable it'd be over for me.

However old the dog is, this is no way to treat it

Appalling and I would not go away with him, or see him again.

I don't have a dog but my cats are well looked after as in they have cat flap, decent food, vaccinations and generally we bring them in for the night. I don't think I would be ok with this, also this breed of dog is so bouncy and so intelligent not sure it would be ok 😕

You what? Is he serious about this?

Yes this would put me off. His dog is not an outdoor dog, the poor thing would be miserable and confused. It's not like a working dog, busy all day then asleep with the pack in a kennel at night. It's a pet and will have no idea why it has been left alone out in the garden for two days.
What an arsehole.

Total dealbreaker. In the bin with him.

I used to live in a very rural part of Ireland, along the lane from a farm. The farmer used to keep one of his dogs on a long chain outdoors when he wasn’t needed. One day it got caught up in the chain and died.

I’ve used Rover for dog sitters before, when my dog’s kennel cough vaccine had run out and there wasn’t time for a booster. They don’t usually require vaccines as yours is normally the only dog in their home at the time. But to be honest I’d bin any man who thought leaving a dog chained up outdoors all weekend was acceptable.

I wouldn’t dream of doing this to my dog. He would be extremely distressed. It’s a bit of a red flag that he thinks this is okay!

Outdoor kennel ok if it is used to it, but a Lab chained up? No. Also, at a year old, it should have been vaccinated by now.

Not ok I would get a dog sitter in his position.

My attraction to him would die a quick death. You don’t treat an animal like that, and just because others do it don’t make it right. Poor dog, if I saw a dog chained up for days I would report them to the authorities.

Why hasn't the dog has its vaccinations? That's irresponsible too.

Words absolutely fail me!

It's bad enough he's not had the dog vaccinated. If it's a country dog it's even more exposed to worms and parasites from other wildlife/foxes/badgers. To leave it chained up on its own is unacceptable. What if his sons are unable to pop by any day? Does the dog go unfed? What if it knocks its water bowl over just after a visit? The dog goes without water until the next visit? This would be a huge deal breaker for me.

Thanks for the replies. They helped me clarify what I've been thinking all day.
I will be throwing this one back.
I don't like the way he's so casual about his dog's welfare and I also didn't like the way he dismissed my concerns without any actual discussion.

If that's how he's treating his dog and dismissed your concerns, I wouldn't like to find out how he will treat you and go about any compromise. Yes OP throw him back

@Blusterydaytodaypoohbear yes, my DH had to help someone rescue their dog when it was hanging from a fence. It was on a long lead tied up in the garden, but vaulted the fence and got caught. It was only just alive. Totally irresponsible.

OP I'm wondering why the owner doesn't get the dog's injections done so it can go in kennels.

Exactly. Like I said, I'm in my 50s and it's been pretty casual so far. I'd like to be a relationship but I've been burned before and I'm determined to pay attention to any red flags early on.
Thanks again to those who took the time to post and help me decide this is a red flag.

Dogs need companionship and exercise. You can’t just chain them up and leave them.

^^

Also, what if he barks all weekend?! It's cruel to abandon a dog like this - a puppy no less!

I couldn't be with a man who is cruel to animals. No way.

No, appalling.

For one thing he's putting the dog at huge risk because it isn't vaccinated.

Is he broke or really tight?

Whatever, he shouldn't own a dog if he can't care for it properly.

It would put me right off him because it's things like this that really show the true colours of a person.

Absolutely not. This is no way to treat any dog, regardless of age and my legs would absolutely clamp shut as a result. And no, it isn’t a “country” thing. It’s an “I am an asshole” thing. Can you ditch him and take the dog???

No I would have nothing at all to do with the mean cruel cunt .
Thank God you recognise its not OK

This!

Chaining a dog is extremely cruel. What if another dog came along and challenged this puppy for the territory? What if it got caught up in the chain? These things are in addition to the confusion and misery the animal would feel when suddenly left outside. The very suggestion would have me walking...