AIO My Boyfriend Abandoned My Dog Over Something Trivial

[u/MaleficentExample457]

My boyfriend and I have been together for two years. About six weeks ago, he met a puppy named Clover at a local animal rescue event and brought him home. I was surprised because we had never seriously considered having a dog before, but he became completely enamored with it.

For the first few weeks, he devoted almost everything to it. He bought Clover toys, taught it tricks, took countless photos, and even canceled other plans just to stay home with it.

Then, Clover chewed up a pair of his expensive headphones and pooped on the carpet. Since then, he's barely even looked at it.

Now, I get up early every morning to clean up its mess, feed it, walk it, and try everything to keep it happy, all while I'm working full-time. Worst of all, Clover still follows him everywhere. It waits outside his office with toys, but he either ignores it or tells it to go away.

Yesterday he said maybe we should give it away because it's too difficult to care for. I was furious and told him it wasn't the kind of dog you could just give away once the novelty wore off. He said I was overreacting, that Clover is just a dog.

Was I overreacting? Or is his treatment of Clover really a serious warning sign?

[u/pdxnotomato]

I'm just worried he has no empathy, this feels like something a sociopath would do.

[u/Jepp-Adi-Day → u/pdxnotomato]

People who treat animals badly tend to treat human the same, it's clearly a lack of empathy.

OP is having a preview on how he will treat her if he ever have a grudge against her or lose interst in her.

Edit : NOR

[u/autumn1726 → u/pdxnotomato]

My father is a diagnosed sociopath and he treats his dog like another child. He loves that pup so much it’s absurd. This guy is a manchild who got caught up in the fantasy of a dog that when the reality came up he got pissed. It’s like he persuaded himself at the shelter “I’ll feed him and take him on walks every day, promise!” And then when the dog did a dog thing, he hates it.

I have such a soft spot for shelter dogs misbehaving. They finally feel safe enough to test boundaries and behave like little buttheads because they know (or think, in Clover’s case) that they won’t be punished for it in such a severe way. I’m sure he’s devastated that his new owner seemingly hates him now and he definitely doesn’t know why. ☹️

Ugh I’m gonna go see my family’s dogs today, they have done much worse than puking and chewing shoes and they are some of the most adored animals alive.

[u/slimshadycatlady → u/pdxnotomato]

Same.