Man Considers Breaking Up With His Girlfriend After She Told Him To 'Man Up' When His Dog Died
There is a profound bond people have with their dogs, and losing them is one of life's greatest heartbreaks.
4 PM production / Shutterstock Anyone who has ever lost a pet knows all too well the pain and heartbreak that comes along with it. Unfortunately, not everyone understands how special the bond between an owner and his furry friend truly is.
One man who recently lost his dog was going through all of the emotions but his girlfriend was unsympathetic. She told him to bottle up his emotions and “be a man” instead of grieving, and her cold attitude has him questioning their relationship.
The man considered breaking up with his girlfriend after she told him to ‘man up’ while grieving his dead dog.
Sharing his story to the subreddit r/relationship_advice, the 30-year-old man revealed that he recently had to put his dog to sleep after suffering from illness.
“I was very sad as you can imagine, this dog was like a family member to me, his loyalty was second to none,” the man wrote. "I occasionally cried,” he confessed.
The man expected his 29-year-old girlfriend, whom he’d been dating for three years, to offer him support and comfort during one of the most difficult times in his life. “She instead told me to get over it… and to man up; it was just a dog,” the man revealed.
Photo: Jaromir Chalabala / Shutterstock
Initially, he was shocked by his girlfriend’s insensitivity and didn’t know how to respond. However, once he had a chance to collect himself, he realized how cruel she was.
"Now I can't even look at her the same way, I thought I was gonna marry this woman, the feelings I had for her just seemed to disappear," the man confessed. “I almost feel nothing when I look at her, I don't know if this feeling will pass and I will regain the love for her, or if there really isn't anything there anymore.”
Most people encouraged him to break up with his girlfriend.
“Your girlfriend lacks empathy and compassion. If those are things you want in a relationship then you need to end this one and be free to find someone kind and caring,” one Redditor commented. “She sounds terrible. Definitely drop her and find someone with actual human emotions,” another user suggested.
“The fact that you as a man felt comfortable enough with her to show those emotions is huge. Don't lose that part of you. Just lose the girl,” another user noted.
Photo: AndreyPopov / Canva Pro
Others understood the man’s pain, having lost pets themselves. They encouraged him to take all of the time he needed to grieve and to block out his girlfriend’s rude remarks if he ended up staying with her.
Thankfully, the man updated his post confirming that he did break up with his girlfriend following the incident.
“I hope I don't come to regret it, but at this very moment it feels like the right thing to do,” he wrote.
The man plans on adopting another dog and hopes his next girlfriend will be an animal lover.
Our dogs are cherished members of the family, forming deep emotional bonds with us. They become ingrained in our daily routines providing companionship, structure, and purpose.
Losing our dogs is no insignificant loss, and healing after their deaths can take time. In a 2019 study conducted by Psycom, 25% of bereaved pet owners take three months to a year to grieve their loss, 50% between one year and 19 months, and 25% between two and six years.
It shouldn’t matter if you're a man or a woman. The loss of a pet is hard. They deserve support and comfort from their loved ones as they navigate through their grief and their new normal without their companions.
No one grieving the loss of a pet should be told to “man up” while experiencing one of life’s greatest heartbreaks.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.