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Riding on my Shirttails

Sweetie's picture

I almost have to laugh this morning as the last couple of days, as much as I wanted to have enough time to myself to write and blog what I have been doing, there just wasn't enough time, because I couldn't get enough help from my husband with the dogs. Two days ago, he was supposed to be watching the puppy for an hour, and I found out when I came downstairs, that a tapestry rug my Mom had given me had been soiled on by the dog. Mind you, I am home for over 8 hours during the day with no accidents from 3 dogs. But give my husband, 1 dog, and 1 hour, and there's a mess. Well, the story later came out, he was watching his video of American Chopper that he had taped from Monday night. So, I put 2&2 together and figured the problem wasn't the dog, but someone else. It's driving me crazy. He is complaining about the housetraining and I have flat out said, I don't have problems with the dog during the day, the problem seems to begin when you come home. He is not as attentive or as interested in the dog's housetraining. It doesn't matter to him if it makes me laundry, but boy, he sure can complain which really wears on my nerves. And then, I have been working so hard with Murphy, the greyhound rescue to walk him off a lead and get him to come back off a lead, and my husband has done nothing, and takes him out this morning and lets him off the lead and Murphy comes back, and I said, boy, wasn't that really nice for you? I asked him, time and time again to spend some time getting to know Murphy which he didn't do. I don't mean to say I'm the greatest, but it was a lot of work and to just ride on my coattails, well that it really damning, especially at 5 a.m.! It would have served him right if Murphy wouldn't have come back to him. Because it very well could have happened. Last night he just kept complaining he wanted the puppy to be finished being trained for housebreaking because it was interfering with what he wanted to do. And if I'd had a shovel, I probably would have bopped him one. When I see his attitude with the puppy, I can't see how he was any more patient years ago when he had small children.
Maybe I am looking at it with a different perspective because I am with my husband towards the middle of his life, when he is short on patience, when he is more used up and tired, more easily provoked. But it's hard, because those kind of attitudes, really bring you down, when you are trying so hard to bring yourself back up.
So, what I do is put on my jacket, and take all three dogs outside and play with them so they can try and be happy with me. Then, afterwards, I feed them frosty paws. They think I'm wonderful. So, at least someone thinks I'm great. We sit outside together in the afternoon sun and listen to the birds and watch the cows in the fields across from us. Bullet, my greyhound puppy actually barks at the cows and Comet, my miniature poodle, with an attitude a mile wide, also barks at them, like crazy. Yesterday, they had the whole herd up at the fenceline. Murphy, the 5 year old fawn greyhound rescue was laying next to me and just looked at the two dogs like they were nuts. But all, in all, we had fun.
I hope the rest of you have nice times like this as well.
Regards,
Sweetie

Comments

Dawn-Moderator's picture

Men...........ya gotta love em!! My husband kind of did the same thing when we got a puppy. It was more or less up to me to house train her. He would take her out if I asked but wouldn't think of it on his own very much.

Keep in mind that I was around during the day a lot more so it was mainly up to me anyway. Still now, I do all of the feeding, teeth brushing, etc. He will do stuff for the girls(2 cats and a dog) if asked but he still doesn't know which food bin is for which animal!! However, I don't really like to feed my stepson's lizard much. It eats worms and crickets!! Yuck!

The good news is, when they do well it will make YOU feel like YOU really accomplished something!!!! I know I feel that way!

Give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done!!!!

Dawn

smcpaw's picture

Do I mean the husband or the dog - well, I guess both. Maybe you should have had your husband clean the rug and then maybe he would be more attentive in the future and take the dog out when needed. Patience, patience and more patience when either training the dog or your husband. Good luck.