Need Advice About Our Dog

Question: Dear Luise: I suppose this is the pettiest, (pun intended), question you have ever been asked but I do, seriously, need advice about why our dog rates first with my wife. I don’t even care if my question sounds stupid. I just want to know what, if anything, I can do about it. She pays a lot more attention to the dog than she does to me. Have you ever heard of a marriage conflict like this one? Ray

Answer: Dear Ray: Well, first of all, questions are just questions. OK? If you’re in a quandary, why not share it?

I understand your question without it being a stretch because I’m in the same boat. I would never take the chance of asking my husband to choose between the dog and me. I’m pretty sure what his answer would be and I’m only half kidding.

Some people just love the company of a dog. Ours is a four pound, Chihuahua named “Me, Too”. He never, this is the truth, he NEVER asks my husband to take out the garbage, or to do any of the other tasks that I am known to mention from time to time. He doesn’t ask him questions when he’s reading and he never mentions the fact that dinner is ready during the news. He’s really a remarkable dog.

Your wife may feel that your dog helps take the place of kids that are grown and gone. That’s a long shot because you didn’t mention your ages, but really smart dogs can figure out how to act like babies. They’re canny creatures.

He’s what I do. I bark, whine, and attempt to wag an imaginary tail. And no, Val doesn’t throw me a bone or scratch me behind the ear…he pays some attention to me. It works and we both have a good laugh. Humor often helps a lot in repairing relationships.

Am I making light of your need for advice? Yes and no. Here’s another idea. Tell your wife that she needs to give you equal time or you’re going to get a doggie suit at a costume shop and wear it around the house…AND YARD! Blessings, Luise

2 Responses to Need Advice About Our Dog

  1. Cathy September 15, 2006 at 5:38 am #

    I have a male Yorkie who is trained, but has started to make in my house and I do not know what to do. He goes out to make and we even take him for walks. I even replaced my carpet in the room he was doing this in. I also placed an extra piece of carpet over the new one to keep it safe just in case and he urinated there again!

  2. Luise September 18, 2006 at 5:54 pm #

    I have a male Chihuahua who does the same thing. He was 15 months old when we got him…and had not only never been trained but had been seriously abused. Ten years later, we have never solved the problem. To lessen the damage we: 1. walk him every two hours 2. put him in his kennel in the bathroom when we are away 3. keep a solution we got at the pet store handy to spray on the places he goes 4. love him anyhow.

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