Girlfriend forces man to choose between his 'untrainable' dog and her — he stood his ground

The bond between a pet parent and their furry babies is unlike any other. It is built on loyalty, companionship, and unconditional love. For true dog lovers, their four-legged babies are not just pets; they are family and an inseparable part of their lives. But what if the people closest to you failed to understand that connection? Likewise, a 29-year-old man—who goes by u/complete-net41 on Reddit—faced a similar dilemma when his 26-year-old girlfriend and mother asked him to abandon his pup. Forced to choose between his dog and loved ones, he made his stance clear—if they made him give up his pet, he would immediately disappear from their lives. 

While his girlfriend always wanted a dog, the man was initially reluctant. Losing his previous dog after 14 years left him heartbroken, making him hesitant to form another emotional attachment. However, after three years into their relationship, the couple finally adopted a dog. The new pup quickly formed an unbreakable bond with the man, listening only to him and no one else. "My girlfriend and I do not live together, but we stay very close to each other. My mother lives with me (I own the house). Despite being mainly my girlfriend's desire to get a dog, she never stepped up to the responsibilities of dog ownership, be it financial or otherwise," he revealed. A few days after enrolling their dog in a training center, the trainer asked the man to take his puppy back, declaring him "untrainable."

The trainer called it untrainable because the dog could not adjust to the training center after a month of being there. "He hasn't bitten anyone, but unfortunately when he was younger he might have chewed a couple of slippers and shoes (and even one of my favorite sweaters), but nothing like that for the past 6 months," the man clarified. When he discussed it with his girlfriend and mother, they insisted on giving up the dog. "They were pretty adamant and felt deflated once I made my intentions clear. I told them that abandoning that dog, probably to a farmer since he's a working breed, would be equivalent to tearing a limb off me. I told them that in case I am forced to abandon my dog, I would sell everything off and disappear (I work remotely, so it's very easy for me to do)," he shared.

He asked the people on the platform what should he do. Meanwhile, reacting to the post, u/bonnm42 commented, "I would reconsider your relationship with your girlfriend. She wanted the dog, but you didn’t. When you got the dog, she didn’t step up. Now she wants you to get rid of the dog she wanted. This is a preview of your future with her as a partner. I can’t imagine what having kids would be like."

u/methodmaven wrote, "In my opinion, when you adopt a dog, it’s like adopting a child. It is literally for life. OP, your mom, and your girlfriend are the issues. Honestly, other than s*x and companionship, the girlfriend sounds like negativity in your life. Maybe moving on to a more compatible, dog-loving, responsible girlfriend is a good idea. Since your mom lives with you, I guess you are a bit stuck there, other than standing up for 'My house, my rules.’ I would worry a bit about your mom being mean to the dog, and you would need to set something up to manage that possibility." u/jacksonlove3 shared, "I’d keep the dog, find the proper trainer for a pup like a Mainois, and tell the girlfriend to either get on board or wave goodbye. This pup was her idea and she’s failed epically!"