Man who puts son’s dog before wife’s pregnancy vows ‘is not a threat’

A father has asked Reddit if it’s wrong to refuse to house his teenage son’s dog despite his new wife’s insistence.

In a post on Reddit, user TheGreatestGreatDane explained that his 14-year-old son got a dog when he was 8, shortly after his mother died. “My son loves this dog and takes care of him (except for vet stuff) and is a very responsible dog owner. That dog is pretty much his best friend.”

The father explained that his new wife is 12 weeks pregnant and has been feeling unwell about the dog lately. He describes how she avoids the dog, “puts her hands on her stomach when he’s around, and twitches when he makes a noise. Today she told me that she wants to give the dog a new home.”

Are Dogs Overprotective of Pregnant Women?

The American Kennel Club said that because dogs have a heightened sense of smell, they may be able to sense a change in a pregnant woman’s hormones. Some experts believe dogs may even be able to sense a change in a pregnant woman before they do. The AKC also said dogs might be protective of an unborn baby and mother and behave differently, showing that “an innate protective need can go into high gear, causing a dog to become very alert to potential danger.”

The OP explained that his wife was concerned that the dog would jump on her and harm the baby, describing this as “completely unreasonable. He doesn’t jump on people… The dog has never growled at them.” The father said, “My son got this dog right after he lost his mother and made a big impression on him. Sometimes I think he loves the dog more than me! I’m not taking his dog with me. The dog did nothing!. “The dog is not a threat to her pregnancy”.

What do the experts say?

news week spoke to Ruth E. Freeman, President and Founder of Peace At Home Parenting Solutions.

“Father would do well to recognize that his son’s bond with his dog is important. He’s almost certainly right that this relationship seems really important since this child-pet relationship followed the death of his son’s mother. Regarding the stepmother, anxiety is an emotional and physical state that tells us we are in danger and need to do something about it. Sometimes our conclusions about what we need to do aren’t always right.

“It is important that Dad listens carefully to his wife’s concerns and shares them with her with understanding and compassion. At the same time, he fulfills his duty as a father to protect his son from the loss of his dog. Dad may offers to do some research to find a treatment for his wife related to this unfounded but real fear. He may want to offer to attend therapy sessions with her to support her and learn how he can help. This pregnancy can also bring up some childhood fears that the stepmother does not consciously realize. Regardless of the source, cognitive behavioral therapy for phobias can make a world of difference, which may be the case in this case.”

What is Reddit thinking?

Reddit users voted that the dad ain’t the ass.

User Sendmedoge agreed with Freeman: “Then she has a mental issue/trauma or she’s manipulating you. You know her better than we do, but those are the likely things based on the information given.” Another user suggested that the dad should be careful, “she doesn’t take matters into her own hands and take the dog anywhere or hurt him,” while user jmurphy42 said, “Go to your next obstetrics appointment and talk about the sudden onset of severe irrational anxiety. The doctor needs to know.”

news week asked for a comment.

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