I finally got a dog for the family. It is the worse decision of my life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why did you want a dog? Dogs are pack animals. You are part of her pack. Of course she wants to be with you!

You do not have the right temperament for a dog. Hopefully your family members are nicer and dog people.

OP here. Fair enough, I may not have the right temperament for one. I am very much an introvert and thought it would actually be a great idea! However, I get no break from her. I am very nice to her. I do not know why people assume I am not? Do we never find our kids annoying or needing a break from our kids? No one even answered my questions, what helps? We put our kids in aftercare and summer camps…. Would doggy daycare help?

[Anonymous]

Normal with puppies. They get easier at 2-3.

[Anonymous]

Also not a dog person. I watch pet videos on Instagram all the time, but I have zero personal experience. I grew up in a house with severe allergies and was attacked by a dog as a kid. So no personal interest in having one, but I sometimes feel like we are the only household in suburbia without a dog.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Give it back.

OP here. She has a good life. We are doing everything we need to do for her. I just find her annoying. Not sure that is a good enough reason to return her is it? She doesn’t know I find her annoying, I assume. She is very excited every time she sees me be it I am gone for work, get off the toilet, etc.

I know multiple people who have rehomed dogs. It’s not worth it, OP. Give it away.

[Anonymous]

I do say I feel like I bought a toddler. But the kids and my dh are very helpful with him, so the work is spread out. And I was very intentional about researching what dog would be good for us and he’s very much what we wanted - small companion animal, doesn’t shed, not too barky.

He’s very sweet and I’m glad we got him. I’m also glad we didn’t get him any earlier, because the kids are old enough to be helpful now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why did you want a dog? Dogs are pack animals. You are part of her pack. Of course she wants to be with you!

You do not have the right temperament for a dog. Hopefully your family members are nicer and dog people.

OP here. Fair enough, I may not have the right temperament for one. I am very much an introvert and thought it would actually be a great idea! However, I get no break from her. I am very nice to her. I do not know why people assume I am not? Do we never find our kids annoying or needing a break from our kids? No one even answered my questions, what helps? We put our kids in aftercare and summer camps…. Would doggy daycare help?

You seem like you're not nice to because you talk about her wanting to be around you as annoying. Your being an introvert is a non-issue. You don't have to talk to the dog, and there's no pressure about what you talk about with her. You can talk to her about work, your lunch, your coworkers, etc. Nothing will "help" because there's no problem to fix except YOU. You are the problem here. Not the dog.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do say I feel like I bought a toddler. But the kids and my dh are very helpful with him, so the work is spread out. And I was very intentional about researching what dog would be good for us and he’s very much what we wanted - small companion animal, doesn’t shed, not too barky.

He’s very sweet and I’m glad we got him. I’m also glad we didn’t get him any earlier, because the kids are old enough to be helpful now.

Is the dog a boy or girl? YOu've used male and female pronouns.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do say I feel like I bought a toddler. But the kids and my dh are very helpful with him, so the work is spread out. And I was very intentional about researching what dog would be good for us and he’s very much what we wanted - small companion animal, doesn’t shed, not too barky.

He’s very sweet and I’m glad we got him. I’m also glad we didn’t get him any earlier, because the kids are old enough to be helpful now.

Is the dog a boy or girl? YOu've used male and female pronouns.

Pp you’re quoting here. I am an NP, not the op.

[Anonymous]

If your husband and kids love the dog, put more of her care on them.
I never owned a dog and agreed to watch a friend's dog for two weeks while they were on vacation. It was eye opening. Constant calculating about how many hours has it been since the dog peed? Did she poop yet today? She wouldn't go unless she'd had a good walk. When we were home she was just all over me all the time and dog scent is not pleasant to me. She was pretty much a perfect dog but she just couldn't do her own thing, ever, the way a cat would.

[Anonymous]

What’s her personality like? Does she have any little quirks you could grow to find lovable or little routines you could have?

I find that intentionally noticing those little things (Fido’s habit of laying his head on his squeaky squirrel toy for naps or the way he comes over excitedly to make sure I know that teen ds just walked in the house) really make the less enjoyable parts of pet care less annoying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why did you want a dog? Dogs are pack animals. You are part of her pack. Of course she wants to be with you!

You do not have the right temperament for a dog. Hopefully your family members are nicer and dog people.

OP here. Fair enough, I may not have the right temperament for one. I am very much an introvert and thought it would actually be a great idea! However, I get no break from her. I am very nice to her. I do not know why people assume I am not? Do we never find our kids annoying or needing a break from our kids? No one even answered my questions, what helps? We put our kids in aftercare and summer camps…. Would doggy daycare help?

You seem like you're not nice to because you talk about her wanting to be around you as annoying. Your being an introvert is a non-issue. You don't have to talk to the dog, and there's no pressure about what you talk about with her. You can talk to her about work, your lunch, your coworkers, etc. Nothing will "help" because there's no problem to fix except YOU. You are the problem here. Not the dog.

NP. I don’t understand why you think that’s “not nice.” If OP was mean to the dog obviously that’s not nice. But you can be annoyed (w a dog…not an human) and still be a nice person. By the way OP describes it, the dog doesn’t care and isn’t affected at all by OP’s annoyance with her since OP is still nice to the dog and takes good care of the dog. Dogs don’t know if someone’s annoyed w them unless the person is actually mean to the dog.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Normal with puppies. They get easier at 2-3.

+1

It does get easier OP. When they’re a bit older and not so physically and emotionally needy. Then they can just kind of be there (still pointless) without you feeling guilt about not constantly paying attention to them.

FWIW we gave in to pressure from the kids and got a dog and I am her person and I mostly find her annoying even though she is objectively a good dog. But my feelings towards her have softened for sure now that she is approaching 2.

I’ll never get a dog again, though.

[Anonymous]

I don’t consider OP a bad person, just lacking in self-awareness bc she should have realized this beforehand. I would never get a dog unless someone paid me $10m

[Anonymous]

DCUM has more people that dislike dogs than I’ve ever known in my entire life. It truly amazes me how many people post about how much they can’t stand dogs and what’s worse, how many of those people actually own dogs. It’s sad.

OP, if the rest of your family enjoys having the dog, maybe doggy daycare is an option to research since you seem to dislike being around it the most.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCUM has more people that dislike dogs than I’ve ever known in my entire life. It truly amazes me how many people post about how much they can’t stand dogs and what’s worse, how many of those people actually own dogs. It’s sad.

OP, if the rest of your family enjoys having the dog, maybe doggy daycare is an option to research since you seem to dislike being around it the most.

It’s just bc DCUM is anonymous so people can be honest. In my real life, I’d never tell anyone I don’t like dogs. On DCUM I feel totally fine saying so.