So just now my boyfriend and I were talking in the bedroom--we live together--with my dog in the room when my boyfriend began to shake my dog's head somewhat violently followed by teasing him with his hands squeezing his face. Note: he does this on a daily basis. As usual, my dog began to show signs of agitation by growling at him and trying to bite his hand (with teeth). After a few minutes of this I finally blurted out loud, "you're teasing him! he doesn't like it." In which my boyfriend responded that they were just playing.
Yet just a few weeks ago we were watching a dog behaviorist show that specifically had an episode where a dog owner's sibling was teasing the dog physically and mentally which lead the dog to become frustrated, dominant and fearful. What confuses me is that my boyfriend was doing the same actions as the sibling on the show. Well, after I blurted that out, my boyfriend became silent and left the room. He always teases and rough houses with my dog and it's beginning to show. Lately my dog has been taking out his frustration on the cat. He's already ripped chunks of fur out of the cat 10 or so times now. Also, when another dog is playing with him and winning, he'll become frustrated and refuse to let it go. But my boyfriend insists that he's just playing.
So now I'm confused. By telling my boyfriend that he was teasing my dog, was this factual, my opinion, or just plain rude? Also, is this AS related, because I don't think I did anything wrong.
Have others done the same?
03 Aug 2011, 9:45 pm
