If You Make Me Choose Between You And My Dog, The Dog Will Always Win

No matter how much I may love a guy, my dog will still come first. The problem is that not everyone likes dogs, and I’ve heard of plenty of couples facing a dilemma that involved having to choose between their partner or their pet. Let me make this easy for you: if you put such an ultimatum on me, you’re going to be the one I kick out.

  1. She was here first. That means she has first claim on me. If I had a life before I met you, why should I have to give that up? She was here when you weren’t, and I already know that she loves me. Your love can be questioned, but hers can’t. You might want to be a part of my future, but my dog and I have a history I would never give up. No matter how amazing you are, you’re not worth sacrificing the dog that loved me first.
  2. I trust her opinion. If my dog doesn’t like you, that says a lot. I truly believe dogs have a sixth sense about these things. They can tell the difference between good and bad people before humans can. Getting along with my dog isn’t negotiable. She’s a part of me and has already earned my trust, so when she doesn’t like someone, I pay attention. I know her first priority is my protection.
  3. She’ll be here long after you. Guys come and go, but my dog’s been with me her whole life. No matter what, she’s always by my side. I’ve had men break my heart before, and she was there to comfort me while I cried. I don’t know if you and I have a future, but I can’t picture my life without my dog. No matter what man I promise forever to, I promised forever to her long before.
  4. I don’t understand people who don’t love dogs. I don’t think I could even date a guy who doesn’t see a dog in his future. I want you to be a guy who’s always dreamed of being a father to a young puppy, not a guy who’s afraid of a particularly loud bark. Some people just aren’t dog people, and those people aren’t for me. I prefer dogs to humans, so if you don’t like dogs at all, then I don’t see how this relationship will ever work.
  5. If you care about my happiness, you’ll learn to love her too. A relationship isn’t just about accepting each other, but accepting every aspect of each other’s lives. Just like I have to put up with the in-laws, you need to learn to love my first child: my beautiful dog.
  6. She’s a part of my family. The fact that she’s a dog doesn’t make her mean less to me. Would you ask me to give up my mother, brother, sister, or father? You might think that dogs are just meaningless animals, but they’re not to me. She’s a vital part of my family, and family always comes first.
  7. I won’t put up with ultimatums. If you’re asking me to give up someone that I truly love, then I don’t think you really love me. How would you feel if I were like, “It’s either me or your friends” or even worse, “It’s either me or your mother”? My dog would never ask me to give up something I love, and it says a lot about you that you would. I won’t put up with “or else” situations of any kind.
  8. It’s easier to love a dog. That might sound harsh, but it’s the truth. Dogs are pure love and innocence, while humans are much more complicated. You’re going to have your flaws and push my buttons, but my dog is someone I just can’t stay mad at. It might sound crazy to you how much I could love a pet so much, but if that’s the case then you don’t understand me… and I don’t think there’s a chance you ever will.
  9. I would never ask you to give up one of your friends. My dog is my best friend, so why would you even want me to give up someone that holds such a vital place in my life? There are going to be friends and even family members of yours that I won’t necessarily like, but I would never ask you to pick between them or me. It’s still your life and you get to choose whom you keep in it, and the same goes for me.
  10. She loves me unconditionally. No man could ever accomplish that. All relationships have conditions, but all my dog cares about is how I treat her. She doesn’t see my flaws. She loves me regardless of who I am because I love her just the same. At the end of the day, our love for each other is pure. We’re a package deal and if a guy wants me, he’ll have to take my dog too.
  11. I can live with being single. I don’t need a boyfriend, but if I like you then I’ll want you. The same isn’t true for my dog, though. I don’t just want her — I need her. I can give you up, but I could never give up my dog. That might hurt for you to hear, but it’s the truth. I loved her first, and that’s one love I know I can’t choose to live without.
Kelsey Dykstra is a freelance writer based in Huntington Beach, CA. She has a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing from Grand Valley State University and been writing professionally since graduating in 2013. In addition to writing about love and relationships for Bolde and lifestyle topics for Love to Know, she also writes about payment security and small business solutions for PaymentCloud.

Originally from Michigan, this warm weather seeker relocated to the OC just last summer. Kelsey enjoys writing her own fictional pieces, reading a variety of young adult novels, binging on Netflix, and of course soaking up the sun.

You can find more about Kelsey on her LinkedIn profile or on Twitter @dykstrakelsey.
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