Favoritism
 

What do you guys do about favoritism?
My dh is so smitten with Adie that she can do no wrong in his eyes and if she does it isn't her fault or isn't that bad. Skeeter, on the other hand can't catch a break from him. He loves Skeeter too but he just doesn't have the same affection for him. No one can deny how cute he is sometimes.

I am sure that Adie is the one peeing on the carpet when it happens. (The puddles are different) but he insists that it is Skeeter because Adie wouldn't do such a thing. Whenever I have caught her in the act he will make excuses for her.

Adie once grabbed a whole breakfast sausage off of his plate and while he scolded her and chased her down he was laughing the whole time. Skeeter wouldn't dare do that. Well Adie wouldn't try it with me either but she can get away with it with dh.

Adie can sit in Daddy's lap whenever she wants to but Skeeter has to beg and plead to get the privilege. Of course the fact that he can't jump that high and has to be picked up is a reason too. Adie is a jumper from the get go.

In all fairness Adie has been divided her loyalty between the two of us an is now only a Momma's girl at specific times or if she feels bad. But Skeeter is a total Mamma's boy and I think dh may resent it.

You have to sit your DH down and say this has to stop

Because it's going to sooner or later cause havoc with your pets
Dogs definitely do gravitate to some people
but if you accelerate this process they will not listen to one or the other
and may cause aggression between the two dogs

Wow, I'm glad they are not human children; your post would have really upset me. Actually, your hubby is doing no favors for Adie, that sausage some day many lead to pancreatitis. I feel bad for your little boy, but as long as you are giving him the affection, he needs, and your husband isn't punishing him by yelling at him, I think he will do fine. It would be interesting to understand his family's dynamics, and the relationship various children had with their mother and father, and how he gets along with his father.

I think it's very normal for people to mirror back the feelings dogs seem to have towards them. Don't like me? Fine, I don't like you either. If Skeeter is a momma's boy, maybe DH needs a special bond with Adie. I don't think there's anything wrong with that as long as it doesn't get extreme.

Hopefully neither dog will be leaving any more puddles after they finish training, and that will stop being an issue. ;)

We have 6 dogs so favoritism is kinda hard! But we just have to treat them all equal! Some of the dogs personalities just click better with my own!

Don't feel too bad for Skeeter. I have scolded my husband and he has told me that he lets Skeeter come on his lap during the day while I am gone. I only see it when he (dh) is tired and doesn't want to mess with a one-year old's restlessness. I half-way believe that. And dh NEVER yells at the little dogs. That's why I don't get more upset about the situation. He tolerates misbehavior and lets me do the discipline and we do NOT punish.
He does play with all of them at the same time if they want him to and his back is up to it. (He is disabled.)
Family dynamics!!!! That is an interesting thought. He is one of two children and there is ten years between them so both were treated like only children. But his older brother was an exceptional one and spoiled dh as badly as his parents did. Yes, he was a very spoiled child but he would never admit it. I on the other hand am the youngest of three and I can see where my own "treat them equally" ideas come from! Good point.

I don't know what else to say to him to get him to guard his food better. Fortunately he does understand that they have special little digestive systems and he usually asks if the dogs can have whatever he is intending to give them. The sausage that Adie swiped was retrieved because he knows that one is a no no.

Lol, thanks for that reply, I'm no longer worried about little Skeeter or Adie for that matter. :D

My DH calls Pixie perfect Pixie when in fact she is the barker, least housebroken and high strung!!! He loves her but he also plays with Roxie. Cali gravitates towards my dtr and Roxie to me so I look at it they each have a special person and they are loved by all.

I think as long as they each have a special person to go to they are fine. In our house Jewels goes to me and Chachi my Husband. Whenever we give treats or food though they both get the same from both of us