all about dogs

So you think you’ve met Prince Charming. You’ve been on a lot of dates, gotten to know him, and think you want to see where this goesbut things come to a grinding halt when he comes over for the first time and meets your dog Sharon. He shows a serious dislike for her and even is outwardly mean to her, right in front of you! Not everyone has to be a dog lover, but this can pose a serious issue for you and your relationship with him. What’s the best thing to do at this point? Is it him or the dog, or can a compromise be reached?

We all know that future in-laws and boyfriends don’t always have the most stress free of relationships, but when your boyfriend doesn’t even get along with your dog Sharon, it’s a more unique situation. But it’s actually an issue many a girl has had before and usually involves some deeper psychological issues your boyfriend needs to work out. There can be several things at play here and it’s important to figure out where the problem is coming from in order to solve it, assuming you can. It’s often tricky to deal with because your boyfriend may not even be able to understand where his own feelings stem from, but if it’s a relationship worth saving, he’ll be willing to sit down and figure it out with you.

Some Obvious Issues to Look At

Most of the time, a boyfriend’s dislike for your dog may arise from jealousy of Sharon. It seems silly for him to get jealous of a dog, but when he sees you get all lovey and cuddly with her instead of him, it doesn’t matter what species she isshe’s getting your love instead of him, and a part of him doesn’t like that. He may be a bit selfish and possessive when it comes to you and not want to share you with anyone. When he wants to have time with you cuddling on the couch watching a movie and you spend most of your time cuddling and cooing to Sharon instead of him, his confidence takes a hit. So he may react in anger at Sharon, yelling at her or trying to banish her from the room. He doesn’t have the same emotional attachment to Sharon that you have. To him, she’s a dog and thus not as important as he feels he is, but you obviously feel different.

He may also have issues that stem from his own childhood that have nothing to do with Sharon or you. As with most problems in relationships, the problem can be solved by sitting down for a talk and being completely honest with each other. Ask him how he feels when Sharon is in the room with you and why specifically he doesn’t like her. Reassure him that you value the relationship and want things to work, which is why you’re having this talk now. See if you can reach a compromise. Maybe when you’re watching movies or having dinner, you can let Sharon have some outside time, but in other situations your boyfriend should work harder to try to include her. Remind him that you’ve had Sharon for a while and she’s a part of your life. After all, if he wants you in his life, he’s going to have to take all of you, and that includes Sharon.

If he seems understanding and willing to compromise, it’s a good sign. Try to show Sharon a little bit less attention when he’s around so she’ll get used to being a bit more independent from you, which will ease stress with you and him. Just as he has to compromise about your time, Sharon must too. Just because she’s a dog doesn’t mean you always have to give into her.

However, if he’s not willing to compromise, it may be time for a new boyfriend!