Protective Parent Prioritizes Son's Doggo Over Wife's Early Pregnancy (Reddit Thread)

Author image for Blake Seidel
Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager
Feb 8, 2023 5:00 PM EST

Big dogs can be scary to people who don't have any experience with them. In this AITA, a man with a son and a dog (half great dane, half mutt) remarries and his wife becomes pregnant. As soon as she found out she was pregnant, she starts to become fearful of the dog. She is afraid that the dog will damage her, and the baby, by, well, being a dog. Running around, and playing, she's afraid of an accident waiting to happen.

The father, argues that the dog is very important to his son and that the dog is well-trained. His wife won't listen and insists that they find the dog another place to live, accusing the father of choosing his son's dog over her baby. Should the father give up the dog to avoid a potential accident? Is the wife right to request this in her pregnant state? What do you think?

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  • 01
    Font - AITA for prioritizing my son's dog over my wife's pregnancy?
    via u/TheGreatestGreatDane
  • 02
    Font - When my son (14) was eight, we got a dog. He's half Great Dane and half some dog my friend's dog met during an unauthorized absence. My son loves this dog and does all the care for him (except vet stuff) and is a very responsible dog owner. This dog is pretty much his best friend. My wife is 12 weeks pregnant, and ever since we confirmed the pregnancy she has been acting weird around the dog. She avoids him, puts her hands over her stomach when he is around and jolts whenever he makes noi
    via u/TheGreatestGreatDane
  • 03
    Font - She said she has been having anxiety that he will jump on her. This is completely unreasonable. He doesn't jump on people. We trained him not to jump on people or run into people very young because he is half Great Dane and I felt this was important for all dogs, but especially one who could possibly grow to such a large size (which he did). There is no reason for her to think the dog will jump on her. She said that there is no way to know for sure that the dog won't jump on her, and if h
    via u/TheGreatestGreatDane

    Anxiety during pregnancy is a real thing, and shouldn't be taken lightly. But is her request unreasonable? Is the dog truly trained that well? Let's be honest, it's pretty rare to find a dog that doesn't jump on people nowadays.

  • 04
    Font - I told her that there was no way. My son got this dog right after he lost his mom and imprinted on him hard. Sometimes I think he loves the dog more than me! I'm not taking his dog. The dog didn't do anything! My wife said I am prioritizing the dog over her pregnancy. The dog isn't a threat to her pregnancy. If this were any other unreasonable request, I would just do it because she is pregnant. I just can't break my son's heart over a fear she has that makes no sense. Am I being an assho
    via u/TheGreatestGreatDane
  • 05
    Font - shhh_its_me 1 mo. ago edited 1 mo. ago Colo-rectal Surgeon [38] Go to therapy. Go with her to the obgyn In my personal experience if you( I mean your wife) give in to anxiety, anxiety just takes something else. This is a form of intrusive thoughts. She is likely genuinely terrified she's going to lose the baby and she cant stop picturing it happening because the dog jumps on her stomach. It doesn't have to be logical. Intrusive thoughts increase during pregnancy, perinatal ocd is also a t
    via u/shhh_its_me

    Let's give this commenter a round of applause! Yes, yes, yes, we support therapy and seeing a medical professional 1000000% percent. Who better to help them with this situation than people who are literal experts in this area? 

  • 06
    Rectangle - papa_pockets I would micro chip the dog, if you haven't already. Make sure info is up to date, and see if she will seek counseling/compromise. Your kid needs his dog. NTA Edit: jeez thanks for the awards y'all 14.4k Share Report Save Follow
    via u/papa_pockets
  • 07
    Font - MuchPreferPets. u/TheGreatestGreatDane, you really need to pay attention to this. Your wife is having irrational anxiety (whether because of hormones & she needs to talk to her doctor, or because she's always wanted to get rid of the dog & this is her excuse only time will tell) but irrational people do crazy stuff and it would be very, very easy for her to get rid of the dog while you & your son aren't there. NTA...as long as you watch your wife very carefully to make sure she doesn't ha
    via u/MuchPreferPets
  • 08
    Font - MistressLiliana. NTA. Animals are lifetime responsibilities. Pawning them off because she got pregnant would be a shitty thing to do. Share Report Save Follow 9.5k
    via u/MistressLiliana
  • 09
    Rectangle - JustKindaHappenedxx I wish more people agreed with this. Share Report Save Follow 1.6k
    via u/JustKindaHappenedxx
  • 10
    Font - Calahad_happened Yeah I was sweating coming into the comments. Dogs and cats are highly emotionally complex, have a sense of self, complex social and familial structures, form languages with their owners, have some capacity for narrative and episodic memory - they can absolutely conceive of and suffer from family rejection. Rehoming a dog is...........the last of all possible resorts.
    via u/Calahad_happened
  • 11
    Font - TeeKaye28. NTA. And make sure the dog is microchipped. Just in case the dog "gets out, accidentally" 6.6k Share Report Save Follow
    via u/TeeKaye28
  • 12
    Rectangle - Due-Cause6095 NTA. Don't you dare give away you son's dog. He didn't ask for you to remarry and have a new child. Your son will never forgive you, or your new wife, if you allow her to continue to push this topic. She needs to actively work on coping with her anxiety. May I suggest therapy? Share Report Save Follow 5.9k
    via u/Due-Cause6095
  • 13
    Font - irate_anatid NTA, but your title is wrong. You're prioritizing your son over your pregnant wife's irrational fear. I think it might smooth things over if you're open to considering reasonable measures to allay her fears, though. 3.2k Share Report Save Follow
    via u/irate_anatid
  • 14
    Font - kykiwibear nta. If you gave away my dog for that, I'd never forgive you. She is being dramatic. You're in for a very long pregnancy. Share Report Save Follow 1.8k
    via u/kykiwibear
  • 15
    Font - vortexofchaos Congratulations on the new child! Long, long ago, my now-ex and I had two 70 pound Labrador Retrievers who believed they were lap dogs. They knew something was up and were even more protective of my ex at the time -- they knew somehow that she was pregnant. They stayed out of her lap. They guarded her. When my daughter was born, they were dedicated protectors. One was always close to the bassinet. The other was the scout, investigating any sound, prepared to protect that chi
    via u/vortexofchaos
  • 16
    Font - Fast forward many years. I'm divorced. Our beautiful, wonderful dogs have long passed. My disabled adult son still lives with me. We now have two cats, because one of them very clearly chose him as his person. That cat is key to my son's wellbeing. Separating them would be a disaster for both of them. You can't give that dog away. Your son needs him (and vice versa). Unless your wife has some hostile relationship with the dog, this seems like a very natural, very understandable, very stro
    via u/vortexofchaos
  • 17
    Font - If you give that dog away, your son will (rightly) resent you, your wife, and the new child. This is going to be messy, but you are NTA for standing up for your son and his dog. I hope you find a good solution. Share Report Save Follow 1.5k
    via u/vortexofchaos
  • 18
    Font - Disgraced Pickle NAH Something is causing her anxiety and that should be addressed, carefully and with compassion. It would be extremely traumatic for your son to loose his dog at the same time his Dad has a new baby. She is going to have to have some compassion for him with this and you will need to protect him.
    via u/Disgraced_Pickle

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Babies dogs aita baby pregnancy decisions parenting doggos choices doggo love family pregnant Reddit animals parents
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