My granddaughter has been born, and my daughter-in-law doesn’t want my dog around! What should I do? I’m unsure how to handle this…
I’ve decided to write here because I hope many will understand me. Maybe someone will even offer advice—am I in the right, or am I misguided?
I have two sons—John and Peter. Both have been living in Spain for some time now, but in separate cities. John’s already got a family and a little daughter, while Peter hasn’t found the one yet.
When my boys were quite young, our family fell apart—we went through a divorce with their mother. It was a challenging time. The house felt empty, the kids missed their mom, and I, juggling work and looking after them, felt endlessly lonely.
To fill that void and protect our home, I got a dog—a beautiful, intelligent, and loyal German Shepherd named Tara. We lived in a house with a garden and a yard, so there was plenty of space for her.
Tara became more than just a pet—she was family. I often traveled for work, and when I was away, she was the real caretaker, guarding our home and watching over the kids. My sons adored her. I even felt that without her, raising them would have been significantly harder.
Years passed. My sons grew up, and Tara grew old. When she passed away, it hit me as hard as losing a dearest friend. I vowed I wouldn’t get another dog—parting was just too painful.
But as the years went by, my sons moved out and the big, empty house felt even lonelier. One day, I realized I simply couldn’t live without a companion.
That’s how Red came into my life. A small, clever, affectionate dog—my true companion. I even joked that we now had another man in the house, even if he was four-legged.
Knowing I’d often travel to see my sons in Spain, I chose a dog that could easily travel with me. We’ve flown abroad together five times now! I always follow the rules—book tickets early, pay for baggage, put him on a light diet before flights to keep him under the 8 kg limit, give him pills for motion sickness… Sometimes, it feels like traveling with a dog is tougher than with a child!
But to me, he’s like a child. The only one who greets me at home, overjoyed when I return, warming the house with his presence.
Then, something happened that I never saw coming.
John’s daughter was born—my first granddaughter! I was overjoyed, looking forward to spending time with them, helping out, taking her for walks, and being close by. But then I found out my daughter-in-law was firmly against having Red there.
First, she said she was worried about allergies for the baby. Then, she claimed the dog would bring dirt into the home. And then she got a cat, as if to make sure I had no arguments left!
I couldn’t believe my ears. My heart was breaking.
Both John and Peter urged me to temporarily leave Red at a pet hotel. They were even willing to cover all the costs, just so I could stay with them for a while.
“Dad, let go of this dog! It’s just a pet, and we are your family, your granddaughter! How can that compare?” Peter tried to reason with me.
But I couldn’t.
How could I explain that Red wasn’t just a dog? He’s my comfort in loneliness. My friend. He sleeps at my feet, listens when I’m down. He senses when I’m upset and just lies beside me, giving warmth.
I couldn’t just leave him in some hotel, among strangers.
“Whoever wants to see me, must accept my dog too!” I firmly replied.
My sons just exchanged glances. They didn’t understand. To them, a dog is just a dog. But to me, he’s the meaning of life.
I don’t know what will happen next. They persist, and I refuse.
But one thing I know for sure: as long as Red is alive, I won’t betray him. He’s been there in moments when no one else was.
I won’t leave him. Even if it means seeing my granddaughter far less than I’d hoped.
