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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Lifestyle
Eleanor Gordon-Smith

My boyfriend’s aggressive dog has stalled our plans to move in together. How can we move forwards?

Eleanor GordonSmith
A painting of a man with a dog
‘His willingness to sacrifice and put time and work into the dog’s wellbeing might be a good sign of things to come,’ writes Eleanor Gordon-Smith. Painting: Man with a Saluki, circa 1555, attributed to Shaykh Muhammad. Photograph: Album/Alamy

My boyfriend has a rescue dog that has been known to bite people, particularly guests at his house. Although I’m no longer personally afraid of it, the thought of being liable for the dog in my home with my guests is intolerable to me (I have been stressed at by aggressive barking and attempts to bite guests when I have been present).

As a result, any plans to move in together have stalled. My boyfriend cannot imagine rehoming his dog, other than if we had a child, because he concedes the dog is not safe to be around an infant. How can we navigate this impasse and move forwards with our relationship?

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