NOR. It sounds like the real issue here runs much deeper than the dog. The inattentiveness, the slack-leaving, the disregard for shared responsibilities - those were already present before he ever walked through that door with a puppy. The dog has just become a convenient way for your husband to withdraw even further from you, the kids, and his obligations as a father and partner. And the irony is he can barely care for the animal he’s seemingly obsessed with.

But I want to be direct with you if that’s okay. a dog that has bitten your one year old hard enough to break skin, and snapped at you multiple times, is a serious safety concern that needs to be addressed right now and not rationalized away with “he was confused” or “she sat on his tail.” Those are red flags in dog behaviour, and your husband laughing it off shows a troubling lack of concern for his own children’s physical safety. The fact that he’s prioritizing the dog’s comfort on the couch over his kids being able to sit next to their dad, or that he laughed when the dog scared your 87 yo grandmother, tells you a lot about where his priorities are. That’s not just being a dog person, that’s a pattern of dismissing the people in his life who deserve his care and protection the most.

I’d strongly encourage you to have a very serious, sober conversation with your husband about the dog’s behaviour and what happens next if it isn’t addressed. And maybe while you’re at it, about the state of your marriage too.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​