Need some advice
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Need some advice
| Tue, 06-15-2004 - 9:36am |
Last year my bf, myself and his mother all moved in together. We rented a 2 bedroom apartment and within 3 months his mother had found another bf and although she still pays rent on the apartment she has moved in with her bf. The problem is they have a dog and when she moved in with her bf she left the dog with us. Never asked if the dog could stay she just assumed it would be ok. Now, we are stuck feeding, watering and taking the dog out. He has had numerous accidents in the house and quite honestly I'm fed up with it. My bf and I both work and I attend college full time so we really don't have much time to care for the dog. Talking to his mother about it is like talking to a brick wall. The dog is deathly afraid of thunderstorms and last night we had one. He somehow got behind the tv and knocked it over right after my bf and I had gone to bed which meant my bf had to get up and get him out from behind the tv and rehook it up. I got pissed and told my bf that this is ridiculous. I told him his mom goes out drinking every night and lets us with the dog. Of course, he said the dog is his and would I rather have his mother there or the dog. Well, the dog of course but I am still angry about this. He has stained the carpet from his accidents. Our lease is up the end of next month and we are finally getting a place of our own. I know this sounds petty but I don't want to constantly bump heads with my bf about the dog. I know my bf is upset about the situation too but how do I handle this for the next 45 days till we move. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. His mother wanted us to stay living where we are now so we could keep the dog. Well my bf nixed that idea quickly!! So needless to say we are moving without the dog. I don't like arguing about this so help me with some suggestions!!!!!!!

As your boyfriend's mother kept paying her share of the rent and was not living in the apartment, I suppose she assumed she was paying for the boarding and care of the dog. If you move out, and take no money from her, you have no obligation towards the dog, other than that which you want to have. If this is his mother's dog, it is up to her to care for it. It depends upon whose dog it is. If you dislike living with the dog so much, then your boyfriend needs to work this out with his mother. Caring for an animal can be like caring for a child, and it has many obligations and time committments that you may not feel ready or willing to undertake. The basic question here is that you and your boyfriend have to be able to communicate your needs and feelings to one another and to respect each other and make the compromises necessary. Remember, also, ultimately she really has no right to tell either of you where to live. She has her life and you both need to make yours.
All good wishes,
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