My husband never grew up with pets, his first pet was an alaskan malamute we adopted while we were dating (my husband was 22 at the time) and he fell madly in love with our malamute, you couldn't seperate the two of them. However a year later our malamute became very ill and paralyzed and his health just kept getting worse so we had to put him down. My husband cried like a baby for his dog.....but since then my husband hasn't been able to 'bond' or 'love' dogs the way he did our malamute. He tolerates our dogs, and makes sure they are cared for but I dont think its because he doesnt like them. I think my husband is just afraid to form the bond and love he had with his first pet and get hurt when it comes time for us to say goodbye because we as people will outlive our pets. He adores our cat, but we've had her for many many years and she just kinda worked her way into his heart with time. He helps with our dogs (a boxer and our yorkie) but he doesnt 'play' with them like he did our malamute...but he does baby talk to them sometimes. I personally couldn't live with someone who couldn't stand animals and sometimes I wish my husband was the way he was with our first dog together but he doesnt hate animals, and he LOVES and ACCEPTS me knowing that there will always be animals in my life and I grateful for that and I just hope someday he can let go of the pain he holds from losing our malamute and can give that same type of love to another animal like he did Oso. |