Maybe, it depends on how much they disliked the pet, and how they behaved towards the pet. If it was bad enough, then you wouldn't be compatible. No point in hanging around then. If they were ok or neutral, that can be ok, I see it all the time. One always makes compromises in a relationship. I'm lucky in that my partner and I both LOVE our dog.
Depends on 2 things. 1) How the dislike is expressed. If it's just a case of quietly tolerating the pet even though there's no spark between pet & person, and there's no attempt to "get rid of" my pet then yes I'd probably stick around. However, if someone couldn't accept my pet as part of my family, especially if there was tension between pet & person then I'd have to say my responsibility to my pet should come before my feelings for this person. 2) The cause of the dislike. If it's a case of "I'm not a dog/cat person and that's that" then I doubt I'd feel I had very much in common with such a person. But if the dislike was a result of my not having trained my pet properly, I couldn't very well fault a person who wasn't already an animal lover if they simply didn't have the patience to put up with a 4 footed delinquent! In any case, it would be hard to imagine getting into a serious relationship with someone who's totally cold to animals since mine are such a big part of my life.
If it were a new relationship, NO! I've had to part with a couple of dogs because my husband didn't like them. NO MORE! He'll have to be the one to leave in the future!
Being a reformed "scared of domesticated animals" person I would have to gage the situation. If that person can be educated to my dog/cat ect. and be able to relate (even a tolerable amount), then there's a chance. How they initially react to the pet and what happens afterwards may be give light to their outlook on not just my pets. So I guess my pets would be part of the screening process! If the person acted in an agressive way toward my pets or as kayjay put it, wanted to "get rid" of my pets. I'd probably think very long and hard about getting any deeper into the relationship! Regards, Puck Warren, thanks for educating me to pets, without you I would have missed a life time of not knowing the benefits, love, affection, and teaching they give us! I'm still learning!
I've been married forever, but if I was in still in the dating stage of my life I would definitely not continue with a relationship where the gentleman did not like my dog or any animal I have. There would be no "ifs" "ands" or "buts" about it, cause it seems to me that if he didn't like my pets, there maybe a lot more he doesn't like and would wish to change if the relationship became more serious. Like you have said in the past Warren, our pets love is unconditional and any relationship would have to be too.
No way no how. I would not subject my pets to being around someone who disliked them. It is a stress they should not have to contend with, because even if not overtly expressed, they would pick up on it. JJ
I agree with Coonhound and JJThink above. Absolutely not. I don't even allow friends or family to be rude to my animals or anything of the sort. They come first - they are your obligation.
I have fortunately never encountered this problem but am a big believer in my cats' abilities to assess newcomers & strangers. I wouldn't consider that anyone who proclaimed himself to be "not an animal person" someone I would have much in common with. (I have in-laws who have made this statement, and we certainly have nothing in common.)
I wouldn't consider dating a man who didn't like animals. Someone I had been dating only for a couple of months endeared himself to me when he volunteered to care for a dog that I found after she had been struck by a car. He worked out of his home and was able to be with her at all times. He carried her down two flights of stairs several times a day for three weeks until she could walk again. I knew then he was a keeper....... Five years later he still volunteers to foster strays that I can't take home because of my other animals. Now that's a man!
That's like asking if the man in my life didn't like my child, would I stick with him? Would I give up my child? Heck no! My pets are like children to me - they're part of my family and they're not going anywhere. I wouldn't consider dating a man who didn't like animals - and more importantly, didn't like cats. Frankly, I feel that if the man in my life doesn't like my pets, he can go. My cats were here first.
Absolutely not. We come as a package. As far as I'm concerned I wouldn't ask anyone to give up their kids and my animals are my family. I ended a relationship once because I invited someone for dinner and he pushed my thirteen year old cat off the couch when I wasn't looking. Unfortunately for him my cat was very verbal and let me know there was a problem immediately!
