UPDATE: I (24m) cannot stand my boyfriend’s roommate’s (26f) dog and I’m trying to understand why and get past it?
A man who couldn’t stand his boyfriend’s roommate’s dog had a change of heart after spending a weekend with the pet while its owner was away. He realized the dog’s behavior was influenced by its owner, not its nature. Now, he enjoys the dog’s company and leaves the challenging parts to the owner. Read the full update below!
‘ UPDATE: I (24m) cannot stand my boyfriend’s roommate’s (26f) dog and I’m trying to understand why and get past it?’
His roommate went away for the weekend (Valentine’s Day weekend!) and it fell on us to take care of the dog. I, obviously, was not too excited to be having to schedule my Valentine’s Day weekend around this dog’s needs, but was willing to do so to have a weekend alone with my boyfriend.
Well, much to my surprise, the dog is a total sweetheart! When her owner is not around, she barely raises her voice, sleeps most of the day, and is extremely easy to care for! It would appear that it is really stuff like the incessant baby talking that *actually* bothers me, not the dog itself.
Through observation, as well, I’ve realized that the dog only barks and whines because she knows she’ll get attention or food *from her owner* whenever she wants. My boyfriend has very cleverly trained the dog to know that that doesn’t work on anyone else. So no begging from us!
So now I ignore the roommate’s dealings with the dog, love the dog herself, and let my boyfriend’s roommate deal with the worst parts of owning an old dog and just enjoy a buddy to watch tv with when shes not around. Win win! Thank you everyone for all the great advice.
See what others had to share with OP:
depodoom − Lol I love this post cause it pretty much explains all problems with dogs it’s mostly the owner and not the dog itself
NoHandBananaNo − That’s a great update OP, thanks! Glad you made a new friend!
pokerbrowni − FWIW, Kids operate pretty much the same way. My nieces and nephew were/are all nightmares of whining, crying, begging and arguing around their parents, yet perfectly pleasant little people when they are alone with me because they know those behaviors don’t do them any good.
bodysnatchhh − I can relate. I’m a huge dog person, never met a dog I didn’t instantly melt over. Except my roommate’s dog who is actually really cute but it’s 100% the way she fails at taking care of it and having to deal with her yelling at the dog or then super,
almost over-coddling it 10 seconds later that has made me grown resentful about having a dog in the house. But when she’s not there and I walk past his crate, he’s a sweet boy. It’s just my roommate’s “training” that I’m resentful over.
stefaniey − I’ve never met a dog I didn’t “like” but I’ve certainly met plenty of people who rubbed me the wrong way.
Will_nap_for_food − One of my daughters baby talks to our pets and it makes me want put my head through a wall. It’s so irritating!
meanfairy − Your original post didn’t get the most attention? You literally got dozens of helpful comments, advice and even one person telling you you have no idea what the dog must have gone through in its 12 years.
aggressivenapkinn − I can totally relate to this post. My best friend moved back into her family home after finishing her degree down in the USA (we’re from Canada!). I absolutely adore dogs but never had the pleasure of owning my own. For some odd reason, I couldn’t stand it when her family dog is active around the house.
Their pitbull jumps up and would claw up my arms and legs because he’s just too excited to have people around. This doesn’t just happen when people arrive, but the entire time guests visit. He will get on the coffee table and knock over drinks. You can’t leave food unattended on the kitchen counter. If you leave your bag hanging on the coat hook or chair, he will take off with it.
He loves to steal shoes and hide them in his bed. He will beg, whine and vocalize his frustration. It got to the point where I asked if the dog could stay in his crate while I visited. His behavior didn’t change until her parents went away on vacation. It was like night and day. He was so well-behaved; no begging, no whining, and no jumping.
He would listen to commands. My best friend was the main caregiver to this dog until she left for University, then the dog became a family dog. Her parents lapsed in his training and let him get away with everything while she was away. All those manners snapped back once he realized she held the keys to his food, toys, and walks. Like someone else mentioned. There are not problem dogs, just bad owners.
comfy_socks − I didn’t see the original post, but from reading it just now, I definitely got the impression that it wasn’t a *dog* problem, but an owner problem. Some pet owners can be insufferable when it comes to their pets.
felishathesnek − Pets are merely a reflection of the boundaries we do and do not have.
Sometimes, we just need a change in perspective to uncover unexpected joys. Have you ever had a similar shift in how you feel about someone (or their pet)? Share your stories in the comments below!