If your spouse let you get a puppy, but changed their mind three days later and said you had to rehome the pup, how would you feel?
This man and his wife are $100,00 in debt, due in part to their credit cards and student loans. He’s spent the last couple of months relentlessly paying down his own credit card, which means he frequently has less than $100 sitting in his bank account after making the payments.
Now, his wife has always hoped to get an English bulldog, as she had a strong bond with one in her past. He wasn’t opposed to her getting a puppy, but was not pleased she picked this breed, as they have some breathing and health problems.
He’s been worried about vet bills an English bulldog could rack up, considering these details, and also, they live in an apartment and don’t have a lot of space.
So, he did tell his wife he didn’t think it was a financially sound decision, which made her so mad she went a whole week without speaking to him.
“Eventually, I agreed to meet the dog because I felt pressured, but also because I wanted to make her happy. Part of why I agreed was because we made an agreement: if we kept the dog, she would take main responsibility for the dog and also start following a healthier routine, like working out, eating better, cooking more, and taking better care of herself,” he explained.
“I know that may sound bad, but I wasn’t trying to control her or make her ‘earn’ the dog. I usually do the cooking and cleaning, and I’ve been worried about her health because she often eats mostly packaged snacks, ramen, beef sticks, Rice Krispies, etc. Her mom has colon cancer, so I worry about her ignoring her health.”
They got an eight-month-old English bulldog puppy three days ago, and their pup already weighs 40 pounds. His wife has done her best to stick to the schedule they talked about after they brought the puppy home.
However, he’s worried that he made an enormous mistake in caving to his wife. The dog is lovely, but he doesn’t think they can afford this particular puppy.
He is concerned that the costs associated with caring for the puppy will end up being a shared responsibility that they are simply not prepared for.
He did request that his wife rehome the puppy instead of waiting around until they’re worse off with money or more attached to the puppy.
“She reluctantly agreed, but she is hurt, angry, and really [mad] at me (obviously). I understand why. I know I should have stood firm before the dog came home instead of agreeing and then changing my mind after,” he continued.
“I don’t hate the dog, and I’m not against us having a dog someday. I just think this dog, this breed, and this timing are not financially responsible for us.”
It’s perfectly valid for him to feel like they can’t afford a pet, but he should not have given his wife permission to get the puppy, only to then want to find the pup a new home.
That’s just mean. His wife will never forgive him for this one. Not only is he breaking his wife’s heart, but he’s breaking this poor puppy’s, too, for having to find somewhere else to live.
He should be prepared for his wife potentially filing for divorce over this.
What advice do you have for him?
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By Bre Avery Zacharski
Hi, I'm Bre, Chip Chick's CEO! I have a degree in Textile/Surface Design from The Fashion Institute of Technology, and... More about Bre Avery Zacharski
