This might sound like an unusual situation, and you may wonder if it is even possible to be jealous of a pet. Believe it or not, sometimes your partner can be jealous of your pet; there are signs to show this. This jealousy may result from the bond between your boyfriend and his dog.
However, In this post, I will guide you through how to handle this possible question “how can I stop being jealous of my boyfriend’s dog”?
Keep reading to get the simple answers that will help relieve yourself of this emotional self-attack.
How Can Your Boyfriend’s Dog Ruin Your Relationship?
There are some reasons why your boyfriend’s dog can ruin your relationship. They range from having pet allergies to an overly excessive transfer of affection. Below are some of these reasons.
1. You can’t tolerate dogs
If you can’t tolerate dogs or any kind of pet, it can cause a rift in your relationship. For better compatibility, the two people in a relationship need to agree on certain matters.
Perhaps you don’t like dogs, but your boyfriend does. It will be difficult to get along with his dog, and it can cause a strain on your relationship.
In another scenario, you might be allergic to dogs. If your boyfriend is aware of your allergies and still goes ahead to get a dog, you might feel hurt that he doesn’t value your well-being over his new furry friend.
2. Your boyfriend seems to love his dog more than you
It is no fun if you compete for a guy’s attention, especially with other women as possible rivals. Imagine competing with his dog, too; that is exhausting.
Sometimes, you may feel jealous because your boyfriend is very affectionate towards his dog. He might snuggle up to his dog, go for long walks, feed his dog the best cuisine and spend nearly every waking hour with his furry friend.
You might wonder why he doesn’t show you even half that much attention since you are his girlfriend and a human being. That excessive show of attention can make you feel dejected.
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3. You both disagree on ways to train the dog
Perhaps, you do like dogs and wouldn’t mind having one around. That is great until you and your boyfriend disagree on how to raise or train the dog.
Suppose he invites you over to dinner, and right in the middle of a romantic dinner date, his dog rushes into the room and right to the dinner table, possibly taking a chunk out of your meal.
There are some guys who feed their dogs with animals like birds which you do not like.
That would have ruined a perfectly romantic setting, and if you tried to scold the dog, your boyfriend might not agree with you because he finds the whole thing hilarious.
You and your boyfriend should agree on how you want the puppy to be trained because pets can learn with proper training. A neglected pet can cause quite a riot.
What Steps Can You Take To Stop Being Jealous of Your Boyfriend’s Dog?
Now that we have considered some situations that can provoke jealousy towards your boyfriend’s dog let’s talk about ways you can remedy the situation. Here are a few tips you can use.
1. Talk to your boyfriend
To address the problem, you need to talk about it. Your boyfriend might not even realize that you feel uncomfortable about the situation. That’s true, he might be oblivious about the whole thing.
You don’t necessarily have to nag him about it or become aggressive, that might just do more harm than good. Calmly and reasonably, tell him that you feel his attention is being divided.
Suggest ways to create a better routine for you and your boyfriend. Help him understand that you feel he should spend more time with you and bond better.
Develop rules for certain things. For example, if his dog always tries to get in between you when you are hanging out together, you can convince him to go out for dates and leave his dog at home.
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2. Create some boundaries
You can create boundaries between your boyfriend’s dog and yourself. For example, his dog may not sleep in the same bed as him and instead can have a dog bed in the sitting room.
After all, if you plan to get married, it is better to establish some of these things to avoid putting a strain on your relationship. Also, try to suggest the idea of someone else looking after the dog when you two go out on dates. That way, you can have his full attention during dates.
If you two plan to travel together, you can arrange to keep the dog at a dog center until you both return from vacation. It will be a nice holiday getaway free from the shackles of jealousy.
3. Try to participate in his dog care routine or duties
Sometimes, jealousy may arise from being left out of most activities. While your boyfriend spends time taking care of his dog, you may feel neglected.
If you do muster up the courage to join in those activities, it could help you feel better. For example, join him when he’s taking the dog out for a walk instead of sulking in the corner.
Suggest being the one to feed the dog while he does something else. When you spend some time caring for his dog, you get a chance to bond with the dog and erase any jealousy you have.
So instead of exerting energy on creating bad blood between you and his furry friend, try to participate in activities that help you get closer to his dog.
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How To Maintain a Good Relationship With Your Boyfriend and His Dog
Now that you know some ways you can stop being jealous of your boyfriend’s dog, you need to know how to maintain your newfound peace of mind. If you don’t try to maintain the peace, you might easily drift back into the dark abyss of jealousy. Below are some ways to keep yourself, your boyfriend, and his dog happy.
1. Respect his emotions
No, we are not referring to the dog. We are talking about your boyfriend. You need to respect his emotions, feelings, and perceptions.
Some pet owners have been through a lot, and their pets helped to give them a reason not to fall into depression. Or if they did, then having a pet to take care of helped them come out of it.
Some pet owners simply love having that one furry buddy that does not judge them and adores them no matter what.
If your boyfriend’s dog has been in his life long before you showed up, they might have been through quite a lot together. That would be a reason for their strong bond.
As his girlfriend, you should not try to destroy them or turn them into enemies. You just need to ascertain your space in his life or their lives.
Some pets are good companions through lonely years, so now that he has fallen in love with you, he won’t neglect his buddy. So, try to respect his feelings.
2. Determine whether or not his pet is a deal breaker
Love your boyfriend and try to get along with his dog too. If you are truly allergic, that is a discussion you and your boyfriend must have to determine if it is a deal-breaker in your relationship or not.
Even if you generally don’t get along with animals, try to consider whether a dog is worth losing your relationship over. After all, you’re in a relationship with your boyfriend, not his dog.
3. Make an effort to be friendly
Just like with many things in life, you require effort. Your boyfriend or partner’s dog might pick up on your resentment and act weird towards you. That could just make things worse.
When your boyfriend’s dog is openly hostile towards you, it might give him a reason to wonder about his dog’s strange behavior when you are around.
This is a video on how to be friendly with a dog:
Sometimes, people believe that animals have good instincts, and if they don’t like someone, he or she may not be a good person. So, you better get on that dog’s good side.
Make an effort to be friendly towards the dog by calling it nice pet names, giving it treats, or petting it gently. The dog could eventually warm up to you, and who knows, maybe it will be your boyfriend who becomes the jealous one!
Wrap up
Jealousy is a strong emotion, but you can stop being jealous of your boyfriend’s dog. Once you get rid of that emotion, you will feel much better. If you truly love your boyfriend and see a future with him, don’t let a dog get in the way of a beautiful relationship.
As long as your partner cherishes and loves you, love and understanding will keep you together, and no dog or pet will come in between.
