I really need advice about my dog. She was my family dog growing up, since she was a puppy. Golden retriever.

I got married a year and a half ago and moved out. Mom and Dad were gone a lot (Mom works out of town several days a week and Dad was often gone in the evenings for things, so when Mom was away, if Dad had something he would come home from work enough to let her potty and such and then leave again.

During this time, hubby and I lived in town. There were enough times when they asked me to go to the house to let her out or something that I expected it would be way harder on them and on her when I moved away. Hubby and I were making plans to move and I was going to be working from home, so it seemed to make the most sense for her to live with me, rather than be home alone sooooo much.

So we moved her here with me and hubby. At first she was restless when we would try to go to sleep, walking around a lot and chasing her tail for a few seconds at a time (more like snapping at it—she does this when she’s bored). She got better with that and settles down in the bedroom with us when we sleep.

The issue now is that she’s just...something...in the evenings. She gets very clingy and won’t let me relax really. I feel so guilty. Like I’ll play with her for a bit (shine the laser pointer and tug of war and such) and within twenty minutes she’ll be back at me wanting more attention. She isn’t allowed on the couch which she is used to from before as well.

Unfortunately my husband doesn’t give her a lot of attention because like she’s my dog and he didn’t really ask for this though he did consent to it. He’s not bad with her by any means but he finds her annoying and definitely isn’t all dog-person like with her, if you get what I mean. He didn’t have pets growing up. So I’m left with almost sole responsibility for her and I feel so much burden. I wanted to give her a good life (she’s almost 10) and I feel like I’m failing and like it was a mistake 😭😭😭 I have talked to him about feeling alone in taking care of her and he’s trying a bit more. But I can’t help but wonder if she feels like he doesn’t like her or something.

She won’t really play on her own unless it’s a new toy. Once she has the squeakers out she’s basically done with it. Or unless we play with her she doesn’t really play. So it’s either I have to give her a brand new toy or I have to be constantly giving her attention. She just seems less happy than at my parents’ house. And I’ve brought her back on a visit twice, and she seems like her normal self there. But here she’s restless in the evenings and I don’t know what to do.

It’s been about two months she’s been with us.

Any help would be appreciated. I’m feeling so insecure about this and like a failure. I’ll be happy to provide more details if needed just don’t know what’s relevant.

Even just writing this she’s gotten up and down like 10 times and found a new spot to flop down, staring at us. I don’t know what she wants. This used to be easy with her and I don’t know what’s changed. I thought she would be adjusted by now.

​​​​​Max & Beau ❤️😻

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Max & Beau ❤️😻