My Boyfriend’s Dog Is Ruining Our Relationship: What Should I Do?

They say that a dog is a man’s best friend. If you are a dog owner, you know the truth to this statement.

When you come home in the evening and your doggie jumps all over you, your heart melts with joy.

During hiking excursions and other outdoor events, the four-legged member of the family always takes fun to the next level. She never judges you for anything.

Whatever the case, she loves you unconditionally, protects you fiercely, and stays committed to you.

Well, while these sweet creatures fill our lives with joy, they can be objects of confrontation between couples.

If you are in a relationship with a person that adores their dog, you know the challenge that comes with it.

They always seem to prioritize their canine buddy over you. From interrupting your conversation to talk to the dog to letting the dog join your private moments to always talking about her, dating such a person can drive you up the wall.

You love your boyfriend and his dog but the treatment you receive from the relationship (as a result of the dog) is draining you to the core.

Letting go of him is no option for you. Surely, there must be something you can do to salvage the relationship.

Lucky for you, we have a few suggestions you can consider.

How Do Dogs Ruin Relationships?

With their charming affectionate characters, it’s hard to imagine that a pooch can drive a wedge between couples.

However, this is the very thing that causes trouble. Dog owners cannot get enough of the affection. So they allow the doggies to join them in bed, pet with them, etc.

Well, this would be totally okay if the owner didn’t have an intimate partner. However, this doesn’t fly well if you have a romantic partner.

Imagine visiting your boyfriend at his house only for the dog to join you guys in bed the entire night… Where do you get the time to be intimate? How about some quality to talk without worrying about Fido?

Besides joining you in bed, your partner’s dog may be ruining things by just stealing all the attention.

People easily get obsessed with their pets. They cannot stop petting them, taking shots of them, talking endlessly about them, and cuddling for hours on end.

 Again, doing that when you are alone is totally fine. However, when you open your heart to another human being, you have to put them first.

Another way dogs wreck relationships is the fact that they may affect the quality of sleep of couples.

Assuming you moved in with your boyfriend and their dog cannot stop barking at night, this can cause issues.

Sometimes they just pace a lot in the room keeping you awake for long periods of time. This is a big deal if you have underlying sleep issues in the first place.

What Should You Do?

It is easy to feel powerless when you feel like you are always the third person in your relationship (with the second being the dog).

No one likes to be treated worse than an animal. So, what can you do?

1. Talk To Your Boyfriend

The first and most effective strategy to solving this quagmire is talking to your man.

He’s the other person in the relationship. The dog is innocent in all this.

She’s simply on the receiving end of the attention and love and she enjoys it. After all, she’s wired to love human company.

On the flip side, your boyfriend has a brain and should be able to use it wisely.

Unfortunately, sometimes you have to wake the man from his deep slumber. As weird as it sounds, some people don’t really realize that what they do is harmful to their partners.

Perhaps your boyfriend is blissfully unaware that his actions are affecting you badly. Sit him down and explain everything to him.

Let him know the things that aggravate you. He should understand that you need attention too and that your private times should be private.

If you don’t like the dog joining you in bed, mention it to him. Lay it all bare without holding anything back.

While you are it, remember to be respectful of him and his dog.

He should know that you love his dog but think he gets more attention than you.

Don’t use a tone that demeans the poor animal in any way.

2. Rise to the Occasion

For a dog that doesn’t have the best manners, you can take things into your own hands.

If the pet needs to be bathed or groomed, consider taking up the responsibility by yourself.

If the doggie is disobedient and stubborn, sign her up for obedience classes and take them with her.

This way, you can deal with some of the behaviors that bother you. Get the pros to train and groom the pooch if you cannot do it.

3. Compromise

Regardless of what you do, there are a few aspects of your boyfriend’s relationship with his dog that will never change.

That’s the love of his life. Maybe they’ve been through thick and thin together and have such a strong bond.

In such a case, if some parts don’t change, it is upon you to make a few compromises to keep the man.

Determine what’s worth fighting over and what you can let go of.

What Do I Do If I Don’t Like My Boyfriend’s Dog?

Dogs may be great and all but it doesn’t mean that everyone likes them.

Sometimes, no matter what, you will dislike a certain pet. It is worse if you constantly feel that the pet is occupying your rightful position in someone’s life.

Well, the only thing to do here is to communicate your feelings to your partner.

They need to know that you simply don’t like their dog and that he shouldn’t expect you to.

Request them to leave the pet at home when you go on dates. Politely ask them to keep her out of your conversation as much as they can.

He can still adore his dog but he should always be focused on making you feel loved as his partner. When you are out with him, he should let the dog stay home for a while.

If he has to bring the dog with him, he should resist the temptation to play with the dog the entire time. And all conversations don’t have to be about Fido.

But before you make these feelings known to your man, be prepared for any eventuality.

You better hope he receives the news with maturity and understanding. If he chooses the pooch over you, be ready if the relationship ends.

How Do I Stop Being Jealous of My Boyfriend’s Dog?

The best thing would be to push the tide by cultivating a relationship with the doggie. This is a stretch for you but it might change the way you view the dog.

Take her on walks without your boyfriend. Go on trips with her. Cuddle with her more.

Who knows? Maybe doing this would make you love the dog and stop being jealous of her.

Closing Thoughts

When you are dating a guy that worships his dog, things can get really tough between the two of you.

You will always feel like you are competing with his pet.

You can try talking to him and taking care of the pup. If none works, find out if you can accept the situation or take a walk.