My Oh's Conversion To Dog Person

[dee lee]

My OH, as some may know, is NOT a dog person. I have complained about it before- he is not even ambivalent, he just doesnt like dogs .

Luckily my kids and I ADORE them and more than make up for it. :D

He is happy that having a dog makes me so happy and does rise to the challenge and helps out with caring for Honey when needed.

But I have come to accept that his feelings wont change.

So it was a nice suprise this morning when I was waffling on about a couple of different breeds I'd like to own, he forcefully said- "NO, only Golden retrievers, why would you want anything else? They are the perfect dog for us!"

Awww, Honey is melting him...

[dogbesotted]

step 1 out of the way!!!!! that is excellent progress

H

[CJay]

My OH, as some may know, is NOT a dog person. I have complained about it before- he is not even ambivalent, he just doesnt like dogs :D .

WHAT?? i think you better get him checked out, he could have a serious problem.

LOL Its great that he's really warmed to goldies, they are hard not too, now just introduce him to a few other breeds and he'll falll in love with them all.

My father hated horses, i then got an australian pony, after that it was australian ponies or nothing, unfortunalty my legs were a bit long and ponies don't do too well in b grade showjumping. I soon bought a TB, dad now loves all horses and he's dangerous to take anywhere near them, if he had it his way we would have them in our back yard (his argument is that our yard is 3 acres), he has a serious soft spot for mistreated animals, i'll never forget the day at a show when we had an extra in our float as dad and a friend bought a horse for $50 as it was being bashed by his owner. And thats from someone who hates horses.

Hang in there, your hubby will come around

Edited September 29, 2010 by CJay

[ozjen]

Don't worry the change has already begun by the sound of it. My BIL was not an animal person and I think saw them as dirty disease spreaders but accepted that my sister wanted dogs so tolorated them. Then he fell in love with a particular dog (Chihuahua) that joined the family as a puppy about 8 years ago. This dog sleeps in their bed, licks his face and goes everywhere with them something we never thought we would see with this guy. It took 50+ years to change habits and beliefs formed as a child but when it changed it was a complete change.

[dee lee]

He is a very stubborn man, I'm not expecting miracles!

It does sadden me immensely that he doesn't love dogs, like me, but we have been together for 18 years and have 2 kids so I have come to terms with it.

I think deep down he is scared of them, Honey is an absolute sweetheart and I know he feels completely comfortable with her which helps.

Edited September 29, 2010 by ✽deelee

[Bubitty]

Watch out Dee! Those goldens are husband stealers!

OH has gone from being supportive about the dogs and helping out with them to sporting his very own itunes play list with songs dedicated to the Bitty.

I used to get all the song dedications! Now every new song that is released he sings and dedicates to that blond wench I brought home

[dee lee]

Watch out Dee! Those goldens are husband stealers!

OH has gone from being supportive about the dogs and helping out with them to sporting his very own itunes play list with songs dedicated to the Bitty.

I used to get all the song dedications! Now every new song that is released he sings and dedicates to that blond wench I brought home :D

Oh Bub!

Sorry, thats vewy sad....

Well, they may be in cahoots behind my back- during the afore mentioned conversation, Honey let out a little whine and he said "See?!! She is not happy you are talking about other dogs!"- perhaps they have been talking? :D

Hmmm... I shall have to be very observant...

[poodlefan]

The next breed will be easy.

Simply describe it as "just like a Golden Retriever only ..... "

Edited September 29, 2010 by poodlefan

[Golden Rules]

I think if you got TWO Goldens deelee, hubby's heart would melt faster :D

Here, show him this little one :D

Edited September 29, 2010 by Golden Rules

[aussielover]

My OH, as some may know, is NOT a dog person. I have complained about it before- he is not even ambivalent, he just doesnt like dogs .

Luckily my kids and I ADORE them and more than make up for it. :D

He is happy that having a dog makes me so happy and does rise to the challenge and helps out with caring for Honey when needed.

But I have come to accept that his feelings wont change.

So it was a nice suprise this morning when I was waffling on about a couple of different breeds I'd like to own, he forcefully said- "NO, only Golden retrievers, why would you want anything else? They are the perfect dog for us!"

Awww, Honey is melting him...

Sounds like my dad!

He came from a country town where the only interaction he had with dogs was throwing stones at wandering dogs to fend them off (they were aggressive).

Our first dog was a petshop poodle x, not a great success, very hard to toilet train due to petshop upbringing and "not the brightest" dog or perhaps becuase we did't have much idea about dogs. So that wasn't a great sucess with dad we literally had to beg to get another dog ( my mum and I)

Clover was of course perfect, and after her dad only wanted another aussie (but with a tail and black tri only: "not that funny colour"- merle), the only reason he agreed to a guide dog was because it was temporary.

He really likes Mindy now and is now quite taken with labradors and thinks they are "more suitable" for our lifestyle LOL

So you can change their minds....

[dee lee]

I think if you got TWO Goldens deelee, hubby's heart would melt faster

Here, show him this little one

Don't show ME that little one!!! :D

I have mentioned getting another dog in passing, just to test the waters, but judging by the "NO WAY" and the black look, the conversion is by no means far enough for that!! :D

[Loving my Oldies]

Don't worry the change has already begun by the sound of it. My BIL was not an animal person and I think saw them as dirty disease spreaders but accepted that my sister wanted dogs so tolorated them. Then he fell in love with a particular dog (Chihuahua) that joined the family as a puppy about 8 years ago. This dog sleeps in their bed, licks his face and goes everywhere with them something we never thought we would see with this guy. It took 50+ years to change habits and beliefs formed as a child but when it changed it was a complete change.

Sad isn't it .

Deelee, have you ever asked your husband about his childhood experience of dogs to see if you can get to the bottom of it?

I still have a habit that was formed before I was five. I cannot help but check enything that makes a bump on the road (things that have blown out of cars, shoes, pillows, sandbags, tree branches, etc etc) because my immediate thought is that it might be a dead animal. Try as I might, and even though only twice in my whole life has the "bump" been a dead animal, I cannot stop myself from doing it. And apparently when I was still a child, I would become hysterical screaming to dad to slow down because there was a dead animal on the road.

Edited September 29, 2010 by Mother Moocher

[Bubitty]

I think if you got TWO Goldens deelee, hubby's heart would melt faster

Here, show him this little one

Don't show ME that little one!!!

I have mentioned getting another dog in passing, just to test the waters, but judging by the "NO WAY" and the black look, the conversion is by no means far enough for that!! :D

Persevere Dee! OH was like that, thought life was nice with Bubby and was always proclaiming how easy it was with just one dog.

Now he has these conversations about hypothetical wormholes that send through five Bitties and how he would keep them all because Bitties can’t possible live without their Daddies. ;)

[Golden Rules]

In all seriousness deelee, I think you should foster another Goldie and see where that took you :D Nothing permanent ;) Noooooo, not permanent at all .....

Bub, I don't think I know of a Goldie where the owners are so besotted with it. Your dogs are so darn lucky!! I will leave you my dogs in my will okies?

[Bubitty]

Don’t wait until you pop off C! Send em down now!!!!!

[dee lee]

In all seriousness deelee, I think you should foster another Goldie and see where that took you Nothing permanent Noooooo, not permanent at all ..... :D

Ooooh, dont tell anyone, but I have thought about that ...

But I think I might end up needing a foster carer if I did that though.

MM, we have discussed his "fears" and they may stemmed from being forced to pat a neighbours' Great Dane as a small child.

I don't think it did anything, but it was very big in comparison to him and from the sound of it his parents weren't very respectful of him being frightened.

His family have never had a dog either, so its probably a lack of familiarity or learned enjoyment of animals.

As a sufferer of an unjustified extreme fear of heights, I know it doesn't take much to create a phobia. ;)

Hence why I have been very intent on helping my daughter to lose her fear of dogs- despite Honey's best efforts, that remains an issue, a lot less extreme but its still there.

[Staff'n'Toller]

I think if you got TWO Goldens deelee, hubby's heart would melt faster

Here, show him this little one

Don't show ME that little one!!!

I have mentioned getting another dog in passing, just to test the waters, but judging by the "NO WAY" and the black look, the conversion is by no means far enough for that!! :D

Persevere Dee! OH was like that, thought life was nice with Bubby and was always proclaiming how easy it was with just one dog.

Now he has these conversations about hypothetical wormholes that send through five Bitties and how he would keep them all because Bitties can’t possible live without their Daddies. ;)

What did you feed him? I would like to order some in a bottle. Just in case I need it in the future.

[Pawfect]

I totally understand deelee - my OH had never owned a pet in his life until I came along. We now have 2 small fluffies (had them since puppies) which he's great with, but any other dogs he hates (I thought he'd come around after living with my parent's dogs for 18mths, but nup - hated them).

I then tested the waters for a cat by fostering kittens (how can you hate a cutie pie kitten right?), but he DESPISED them - would call them vermin. He let me adopt a 13yo Persian, but refused to let it go anywhere near him. Slowly, slowly is the progress with the cat situation - he now will give the cat a bit of a scratch every now and again, and sometimes even picks him up!

He's said that if anything happened and we went our seperate ways, he'd never own another pet again....but then he also said that he'd want visitation rights to see the dogs (so i'm glad at least they have got to him!)...

[Golden Rules]

Don’t wait until you pop off C! Send em down now!!!!!

Let me think about it ........ ummmmmm...... Nup.

In all seriousness deelee, I think you should foster another Goldie and see where that took you Nothing permanent ;) Noooooo, not permanent at all .....

Ooooh, dont tell anyone, but I have thought about that ... ;)

But I think I might end up needing a foster carer if I did that though. ;)

Now he has these conversations about hypothetical wormholes that send through five Bitties and how he would keep them all because Bitties can’t possible live without their Daddies.

What did you feed him? I would like to order some in a bottle. Just in case I need it in the future. ;)

I know! If she could bottle it, Bub would make a fortune! :D

Edited September 29, 2010 by Golden Rules

[Loving my Oldies]

I totally understand deelee - my OH had never owned a pet in his life until I came along. We now have 2 small fluffies (had them since puppies) which he's great with, but any other dogs he hates (I thought he'd come around after living with my parent's dogs for 18mths, but nup - hated them).

I then tested the waters for a cat by fostering kittens (how can you hate a cutie pie kitten right?), but he DESPISED them - would call them vermin. He let me adopt a 13yo Persian, but refused to let it go anywhere near him. Slowly, slowly is the progress with the cat situation - he now will give the cat a bit of a scratch every now and again, and sometimes even picks him up!

He's said that if anything happened and we went our seperate ways, he'd never own another pet again....but then he also said that he'd want visitation rights to see the dogs (so i'm glad at least they have got to him!)...

This is pretty extreme. In all serious, how can you DESPISE a cat or kitten or a dog? You may be ambivalent or not at all interested, but DESPISE ??? I find that quite extraordinary.