hi everybody, i'm here for the first time asking dog lovers for your advice and your experiences on a matter thats been getting me down lately. i've always had a dog, since i was born. last year my lovely dog died at the grand age of 15, and i now feel ready for another dog.

but my partner doesn't agree. in short " he just doesn't like dogs." and was always wary of my last dog at my moms. i always knew he was never a fan of them, but i hoped that he'd come round when he saw what a joy they were. he admitted that he'd asked for a pet as a child and been told no. he likes other animals and has taken to my cat and cares for it very well, so i know he can do it. i think the problem is his parents dislike dogs too, and constantly remind me that dogs are "dirty, smelly, disgusting, messy, and a tie". how would they know- they've never had one? i loathe this type of attitude in people, and now it seems this is the attitude being voiced by my partner.

i have been going on and on and on at him about getting a dog and hed recently said "one day maybe, when we move out of the apartment." i agree and thought i was making a breakthrough, but after a recent visit to a dogs home, he told me "he doesn't want one". i think he's scared of dogs, he says 100% that he isnt, but i can tell he is. even if a small puppy comes running up to him, he doesn't stroke it. at the home i saw other men hugging and stroking the dogs. my partner just stood there going "its very sad theyre in the cage, but we're not having one."

When i see him acting like this, my loving, wonderful s/o looks like some kind of stranger to me. i have always loved dogs and my father was a big dog lover, always running up to dogs in the street to fuss them. like him, i just can't resist a dog, and my life seems a bit empty without my dog and i miss my pal a lot.

my partner told me that i could "get used to not having one then." i told him he'd better get used to having not one, but two, as no way are my kids going to grow up being suspicious of animals and wary of dogs. i have talked to friends about this and they think i'm joking, saying "oh he works hard, doesnt cheat, loves you, hes a great guy but oh no, he says no to a dog!!" but to me, this is as bad as if he told me he didn't want children. dogs have always been a part of my life and i won't be denied of that right, but sometimes when we row, i think to myself " is this all we are arguing over, a dog?" but it means a lot to me. sometimes i feel just like getting one and saying "tough, we've got a dog now." Have you guys ever been in the same position, and can you turn a non-dog lover?

x