We’ve been together for 7 years and have two little girls, 5 and 3. I used to be a femcel, but I met him through my mom and honestly, I love him.
The thing is, I don’t get why he’s so against having a pet. We’ve got a big garden, he’s not allergic, he’s not scared of animals, there’s no obvious reason.
I even tried bringing home a small puppy once while he was at work, hoping he’d maybe bond with it… but he didn’t like it and made me return it.

have you asked him why he doesn't want a pet?

>>33296449
He doesn’t want pets inside the house. He said he’d be okay with something small, like a goldfish or a hamster, but he doesn’t like bigger animals.
I suggested getting a doghouse and keeping the puppy outside, but he said no, he’s worried the kids would end up bringing it inside anyway.

>>33296465
That's not a super unreasonable desire, pets are dirty and most can't be kept consistently outside. I think he's already given a compromise by offering to get a small animal. Just do that. Something like a turtle can live for a long time and rats have just as much interactivity as cats do. There's a ton of small animals to have.

>>33296465
Why don’t you just wait until the kids are a bit older and know not to bring the puppy inside?
And honestly, what’s got you so set on getting a dog anyway?

>>33296503
I know, but I had a dog when I was growing up at my parents’ place. He passed away, but I loved him so much, he was like my best friend and always there for me when I had a rough day. I just want my two little girls to have that same kind of fluffy friend.

>>33296503
Right? Pets are super dirty and some people hate having pet hair all around the house, and he did quite a lot of compromising if you want them to have a pet you should get them a little hamster and a small hamster house, as a first pet

>>33296503
>pets like dogs are dirty dirt dirt filth
>get a turtle instead

lmao

the insane bacteria that lives on turtles and their environment, enjoy your constant diarrhea

>>33296503
dogs suck, but rats and turtles? kek

>>33296465
I mean, not bringing the dog inside at all really isn't an option. I know some people do that, but unless you have some free range ranch and he's got a fucking job to do, its a little cruel imo.

If he doesn't want a pet he doesn't want one. It's pretty reasonable. Living in houses with cats and dogs made me realize I wouldn't want one as much as I love them. Hair fucking everywhere, air always stuffy, they rip shit up, get on the couch, get on the table, gotta take em out all the time. Don't got time for that.

And no matter what you say "oh ill handle all of that! ill be the one taking care of the dog/cat" you and I both know its a joint effort and he WILL be expected to do some of that shit.

Do me one favor though please. If you do end up whipping this guy into getting a dog, please for the love of god don't get a fucking pitbull or anything in that family. Especially not a fucking shelter dog. You'll be endangering your kids for your little fantasy.

>>33296432 (OP)
You probably upset him with the suprise puppy and he'll probably push back on other stuff harder than he would have otherwise.

Also bringing the puppy home as a surprise without knowing if he would like it is fucked up lol. Not because I care about how he felt about it, but because of the puppy lol. I fucking love dogs and I couldn't imagine returning a little puppy after I adopted him. I would've forced the issue (that I created) and made sure to keep the little shit somehow lol.

>>33296542
that seems like an idealist dream, one you should have discussed before even living together. For what it's worth I grew up with two dogs and while I loved them I never saw them as anything more than pets. I have also owned cats, guinea pigs, hamsters, rats and fish. Of all of them I've enjoyed rats the most.

You don't know what your kids will enjoy pet wise, if they enjoy any at all.

>>33296641
>>33296675
There's a plethora of pet options. But when it comes to cleanliness any of the small pets are the best option since they are easiest to contain. You won't have mud or litter dragged everywhere.

>>33296830
My mom would vacuum our home DAILY and still there'd be dog hair everywhere. That's besides doing the training, walking, feeding - idk how she did it, she was a saint. If both people like the pets it's a different story but forcing that on someone is crazy.

I LIKE my husband's cats and started dating him when he already had them and I still feel a slight resentment over the chores they give me and how dirty they make everything.

God I just want to lay on a bed that doesn't have cat hair on it.

>>33297082
I don't think that would be such a good idea, that thing breeds resentment, better to take the puppy back

>>33296432 (OP)
I did have a pets in the past and they require time and work. And cleaning! With cats you can basically wipe or vacuum the floor everyday and it will be of no use. Say goodbye to your furniture too, if it's a small cat.
Dogs require a lot of attention and lessons to make them behave. Never would I get a bigger pet into my house again.
Animals are cute and such, but they simply don't belong into the house.

>>33296432 (OP)
he's your husband, listen to him
actual advice: don't ask internet strangers how to gaslight him and make him change his mind, when he perfectly understood the subject, already has an opinion and told you: No.
you deserve a slap in the face

>>33296432 (OP)
How big of a garden are we talking about?

>>33297082
Well, that was my idea, but my husband was adamant that I return him.

>>33297165
The kids loved my brother’s dog they also loved the puppy.

>>33299794
We have a pretty big garden, around 600 square feet, plus there’s a forest near our house, and the nearest house is nearly half a mile away.

>>33296830
It was a small golden retriever puppy, not a pit bull or something dangerous.

>>33300356
Maybe you should talk to him more about it, there are dogs that don't shed if that's what he hates, and if he really does only want something small, Guniea pigs are actually pretty cool little fellas.

>>33296432 (OP)
This is easy. Your husband does not want it so stfu. The no wins. What kind of ass are you. It is going to cost you a fortune if you are a good companion and then it will die and rip a new asshole in your kids’ hearts. My dog live ten years and cost me tens of thousands and my cat cost me four grand and is not even dead yet.

>>33300801
Guinea pigs do sound nice, they’re pretty cute. Maybe I should get one of those first and slowly get him used to the idea of having a bigger pet in the future.

Who will feed it ? Make it go out everyday to take a piss ? Cleaning the dog shit everyday ? Vacuuming the hairs ? I'm sure your husband don't want any of this added chores. Pets are nice but they are a lot of additional work. Two kids is already quite a mess. Be reasonable.

>>33296465
He perhaps thinks they're disgusting. I always get asked if I was "afraid of dogs". No, I just find them disgusting and annoying. The hair the licking, the barking, the dogshit. It's nothing I want around me let alone in a human living space. People generally judge me for this as if I was stomping baby ducks. It's an unpopular opinion to have, maybe your husband has that too. Also: he may be afraid that at the end of the day, he's going to be the one who has to walk the dog because the kids lose interest and you might not do it as well.

>>33301390
Our house already has a dog door at the back, so it can go out on its own. I’d be the one handling the feeding and cleanup anyway, those things don’t take that much time. And honestly, the kids aren’t that much trouble. I get that pets are work, but I’m not dumping it all on him. I just want to give the girls the same kind of fluffy friend I had growing up

>>33301500
I don’t think he hates them, but maybe you’re right, he probably just finds the idea of keeping a house pet like a dog or cat kind of disgusting.

>>33296432 (OP)
My husband didn't want a pet but after I agreed to do literally all the responsibilities of owning it, he was fine with it.

>>33297082
I think the problem is she forces him to deal with the animal instead of handling everything.

>>33299794
This is true. I grew up with dogs but I was on a farm. The guy I married doesn't make money so we live in a suburb and the dog can't roam outside so you're forced to keep them inside as they slowly destroy your home. One time we had a flea infestation. It was insanely stressful and a backbreaking amount of work and money to get rid of them. You also gotta buy a special pet vacuum.

>>33301390
Tattoos

>>33301500
I got a puppy because I thought it was cute and had this idealized idea of a dog for my kid.
I regretted it after but was already all in. I didn't actually start to love my dog until two years later. Now she is pretty cute and gives me company. But the adjustment period was two years.

>>33301506
Are you *really* going to be the one handling it all? Because I bet thats the real reason he doesn't want it

>>33301896
That makes sense. We’re a bit lucky in that way. We live near some farms and there’s a big forest right at the edge of our garden. My husband works as an accountant and makes decent money, and I have a small work from home job that brings in a little extra, so finances aren’t really an issue. Plus, our house is huge. We bought an old abandoned place and fixed it up with help from my dad. So space and location wouldn’t really be a problem if we got a dog.

>>33301936
Yes, I really will. When my old dog was alive, I handled everything on my own, walks, feeding, cleaning, all of it. It honestly wasn’t that hard

>>33296432 (OP)
They're so expensive

>>33302044
Maybe if you keep it outside. He might just not want it inside. Or maybe because once you have one, you can't travel. You have to buy a dog watcher for it.

>>33302101
More than anything, I think he just doesn’t want dogs inside because he thinks they’re dirty and might destroy something. I think he would be okay with an outside dog. The only reason I believe he didn’t want to keep the puppy is that it wouldn’t be right to leave a small puppy outside. I’ve also thought about buying or building a big dog house like this, so the kids wouldn’t feel like they need to bring the dog inside, just making some modifications to it

>>33296432 (OP)
I don't approve of pet ownership myself. There are just too many negatives and not enough positives.
>noise, especially at odd hours. Some dogs will howl at the sound of sirens or flip shit when large vehicles pass. Seeing other dogs is another ubiquitous trigger
>shedding, which will contaminate all clothing and fabrics in the house for years, plus dirtying the floor
>other filth like poop, pee on the floor
>demand for exercise. That means you take the thing outside every day
>picking up feces with your hands lol
>demand for companionship. Can't be alone cuz muh anxiety. Whisperers will say you need another dog
>jumping on people
>destroying random things by chewing. Shoes, furniture, whatever. More for you to clean.
>swallowing foreign objects which you'll find in it's poopoo or on an xray from the vet ($$$)
>other vet fees ($$$)
>begging for food and/or mindlessly consuming any food not restricted
>vectors for pests and disease
>wet dog smell
>liable to fight other dogs and kill or be killed
>can't reliably defend your home though
>dies anyway, despite all you've done
All of this can be mitigated with your time and money but for what? Dog is not an asset. Dog is not a hobby. Dog is a drain on resources.

Inb4 cat. Cat costs less but is more gay.