GRRRR - Warning Rant ahead

Brittany

I am so aggravated with my husband right now!!! He does not want our dogs to be dogs. He gets aggravated when they play in the house but it's not like we have a fenced in yard where they can rough house. When I take them to the dog park they enjoy running around and playing and chasing each other but they never play fight outside. Lately when they started I would say Nope Take to the Garage and they now run to the garage door to play. But with Kimber going to the bathroom out there they can only play out there when I can supervise. So our dogs are not allowed to play fight!!! So just now I found 2 old stuffed animals in a box and gave one to each of the dogs and Nic said "well aren't they just doing to tear them up" and I said "yes thats the point they really enjoy them" So about 15 minutes later I hear him "Sigh Sigh Sigh can you please come clean this up I don't understand why you give them things you know they are going to shredd" and I said "Dogs like to tear things up and shredd things apart." and then I walked away because I am just aggravated. I mean seriously what's the big deal. I will pick it up when they are done but why not let them have a little fun!?

So to recap Kimber and Kelsey can't play in the house - - -
We don't have a fence - - -
They can't play with stuffed animals or anything that makes a mess - - -

Well they can because I am going to continue to let them have fun as long as nothing/no one is getting hurt. But how can I get my husband to understand this. It seems like I am constantly defending them when they are just being dogs or at least trying to be.

Sorry for the rant but in my defense I warned you

Mikey

No apologies-we all need to rant sometimes!!

Have you tried hitting him to make him understand? (Just kidding...sort of )

Only offering advice since you asked-if you just need to rant with no suggestions-don't read the rest of my post

You can try reasoning-if he's the type to listen to logic (some people will, some won't)
Ok-do his kids make messes when they play? That's a point...they need to play to develop and stay healthy....so do the dogs.
Next-if the dogs don't have toys to destroy and playtime-the nice couch or tv (name things your hubby likes) are on their hit list...
Next-you are the one cleaning it up so what does it matter to him?
Next-example of when hubby makes messes-ie. maybe home projects, or his car leaking oil or what have you

etc

OR if that won't work
I'd just sit him down, tell him these dogs are your babies/how important they are, that they need to do things to be healthy, and that you are the one cleaning and responsible so he needs to chill

I'm lucky-I'm such a slob that the mess our dog makes is *nothing* compared to what I do LOL

Criosphynx

meh...hit him with a hammer. works for me.

fawkese1

lol... like mikey says...rant away...you need to get it out so you can be civil/logical when it counts...

mikey makes a good point about kids and play compared to dogs and play.... they need outlets for all of those things, so that they can behave

try getting him to read a book about it? or just sit him down and let him know how important it is to you and for the dogs?

Brittany

I have seriously considered it! (Just Kidding...sort of LoL)

I have tried explaining to him that dogs need to destroy and if we don't give them something they will pick whatever they want and he is like ok go ahead. But today is the first time he has seen them destroy a stuffed animal. I have always explained to him that the kids make big messes that I clean up so it is really no different. I am going to try and talk to him again. I am calm now LoL so I will try and talk to him tonight. It just makes me mad because like you said they are my babies. The only thing I ask him to do for the dogs is take them out for the final time at night before bed and this is because he stays up way later than me. He doesnt mind but I do EVERYTHING else with them. He has never had dogs before he isn't really a "dog person" he loves petting Kelsey and teaching her tricks but he doesn't like it when they are hyper or whatever LoL. But I am going to talk to him again tonight. Usually it is just mentioned when we are getting ready for work and the dogs are wrestling or something so tonight....WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A SIT DOWN! LoL

Mikey

Hmmmm...any way you coudl get him more involved-like in the fun stuff? Helping to train is awesome-perhaps when they learn trick-get him to do it with them-or have him teach tricks (like you said) just the fun stuff...you can make him over into a dog person!

Brittany

I am trying to talk to him in to taking Kelsey to Obedience with Kimber and me in January. And he takes Kelsey to the bank by work and shows off her tricks to the tellers.

fawkese1

hahah...i work at a bank...i always make people bring their dogs in!

maybe you could teach him how to train 101 things to do with a box then he could occupy their time, and train, and it isn't too destructive? or you could get him to play a good "prey-drive" game (fetch, tug, flirtpole) so that he can maybe warm up to the idea of what dog behavior is?

shihtzusandwich

Good Rant!! My dad was not a 'dog' person either..No dogs in the house! Farm dogs are for working not for playing! Their fur will keep them warm!..etc.. UNTIL my mom let her Border Collie Sissy in the house..Sissy was so smart, and just loved my dad and my mom..she always tried to do things to impress him..herding the cattle, sitting and staying..and he just started to love her..Now they have FIVE in the house, and Dad is the one that babies them the most! He had to just let his guard down and 'enjoy' the dogs, rather than worrying about what they were doing 'wrong' or 'tearing up'.. Now he is so attached to them that he brings home to-go boxes for them after every meal, and loves playing with them..Just the other day he, mom and I said, "You know we missed so many years of dogs, but not just enjoying them".. and thats so true..you might try to explain it to him like that, and the bottom line is that he loves you, and whats important to you needs to be important to him..Once he realizes that, maybe he will try to compromise a bit. Good luck!!

Brittany

Thanks everyone for all the replies. I did talk to him and he said "okay honey whatever you want" LoL and he is sincere. He loves the dogs he just doesn't have the patience to do anything except pet them when they are calm LoL. Although he has been running with Kimber more recently. He is just so worried about something getting torn up.