My dog is terrified of my husband, and I'm a little scared too.?

Question

My dog recently suffered a head trauma from running into a fence post while playing with another dog. Since then he has developed a fear of my husband. Whenenver my husband enters the room, my dog tucks his tail and runs to me or huddles up into a corner. My husband has taken this personally and is now very aggressive toward the dog. He makes sudden kick movements and yells which makes my dog urinate. It has now escalated to the point that today my husband tried to pick up my dog who defensively nipped at him. Now my husband says that if he ever successfully bites him, that I will cry because he will break the dog's neck. The dog is very nice and sweet with me and his kids, and most everyone who comes over to the house. My husband won't listen to my reasoning with him, that my dog's behavior won't change without his behavior changing. Should I give the dog away? What should I do about this situation?

Thank you for all of your responses. I intend to confront him about his threatening behavior when he comes home from work. I hope he has calmed down enough to realize that he is not only hurting his relationship with the dog but with me and his children as well.

Answer 1

Get rid of the husband...dogs don't lie!

Answer 2

So, your husband has started abusing your dog, is terrorizing the children by doing so, and is making threats to you...which one do you REALLY think needs to go? At the risk of sounding like Ann Landers, get that man into family counseling or tell him to hit the road-it seems to me that it's only a matter of time before this issue explodes. It's really not about the dog anymore, it's WAY past that...it's about his abusive behavior, and whether or not you want your children to grow up in such a stressful environment thinking that it's OK to act like that.

Answer 3

I am sorry, but your husband just isn't being resonable. How could he purposely be so cruel to a dog who has only become scared of him because of head trauma!?
It blows my mind that your husband is fueling the fire. Instead of trying to calm the poor dog, he takes the dogs fear personally and became aggressive towards the pup. How could he not realize that dogs only bite when they feel threatened. Please try to explain that his behavior is only making things worse.
I am sorry, but if there is absolutely no reasoning with your husband to be more patient, it may be in the dogs best interest to go to a new home. I dont know how serious your husband is about breaking the dogs neck, but if he continues torturing the dog like this he WILL get nipped again. I fear for the dogs safety in this case.
PLEASE try to explain how his behavior is making the dogs behavior worse. Good Luck with everything.
http://www.lockergnome.com/forsythe/2007/02/16/dog-training-a-scared-dog-and-your-response/. Here is a link on how to train a frightened dog. Good luck again

Answer 4

Wow. If it were me, I would tell him he is setting a horrible example for his children and scaring you, what is he going to do to you if you have a disagreement? It's not the dogs fault and his behavior is only making the situation worse. It scares me for you and your children, because I feel anyone that can treat a pet like that is capable of treating humans the same way. If he doesn't stop or listen to your concerns. Contact a rescue group. If he directs this aggression towards you. Contact the police.

Answer 5

Dogs are an excellent judge of character. Your husband sounds like an insensitive jerk. Sorry but it's time to get into counseling with that husband of yours and find out why he's terrorizing your dog. If he doesn't knock it off I would leave him. People who are mean to animals are usually also mean to people. Not cool.

Answer 6

Get rid of the husband. Anyone who is that aggressive towards an animal, and threatens to break it's neck, will eventually (like others have said) - be abusive to you and your children.
If you aren't strong enough to get a divorce, like I would, at the bare minimum you should give the dog away. It's not his fault the man is an asshole, and his life shouldn't be at risk because of it.

Answer 7

Man your husband is tooo controlling, leave him and take the dog with you.! If you don't you and the dog could get hurt, and your husband could go to jail. Where would that leave the kids?
ADD: if your husband is the kind that blows up alot i would delete your history on the computer, so he wont see what you have said about him. Goodluck!

Answer 8

''and I'm a little scared too''

Of your husband or the dog??

Get rid of your hubby and hug the dog

Please tell me you don't have any kids with this guy....

Late Entry

Let us know how it goes...I have a feeling he isn't going to like being called out on this...

Answer 9

You need to give the dog away. It's not fair to keep the dog in this horrible situation. It's also not good for your husband to be teaching your kids that it's ok to torment and harm animals.

And remember that people that are violent towards animals will be violent towards people.

Answer 10

Get rid of your husband. He's an ***!

Just remember - anyone willing to inflict emotional or physical pain on a dog will soon graduate to hurting people. Your husband is well on his way to becoming very abusive to you - especially if he's already said that he is willing to make you cry just to be this way.

Answer 11

I never believe that giving an animal up is the right thing to do. If your husband cant get used to the fact that the dog is nervous then you should have him and the dog go to obediance classes together. It would give them some bonding time and it would have a dog trainer help them be more relaxed around eachother.
Good Luck