Trouble with Dogs
by Animal Lover
(USA)
My boyfriend has trouble being around my dog. He was bitten as a child and developed a phobia. It would be fine if he just wanted to run into the other room, but he has more of the "fight" response than the "flight." He seems to just want to see dogs punished and put in their place as the lowest animal.
This really scared me at first, but I've observed him with other animals and can see that this only happens with dogs. I think he may also be especially jealous of my dog because he views it as fighting with her for my attention. The only part that still scares me is that he totally misreads dog body language. He knows he has a problem and has admitted that I'm right when I tell him things about the true meaning of her behaviors.
I'm not too worried about what would happen to my dog if we got married because she could stay with my parents. Should I be concerned about his ability to love and understand? Will he be ok with children?
