We brought home a Maltipoo puppy 4 weeks ago and he's now 4 months old. I'm starting to wonder if he just doesn't like me, and it's honestly been weighing on me more than I expected.
He never really comes to me on his own, doesn't seem interested in interacting when I'm around, and sometimes runs away when I approach him. He won't play with me, doesn't try to lick me, and just generally seems indifferent. Meanwhile he's totally comfortable and affectionate with my partner, who works from home full time and is with him for most of the day. I go into the office twice a week and tend to step out for errands regularly, so I'm naturally around less.
If my partner corrects him a certain way he doesn't get afraid but if I do the same thing he gets mad at me.
If I'm being really honest, this past week I've just… stopped trying. It started to feel pointless, and I think I was also just protecting myself from the rejection. I know he's a puppy and I know how that sounds, but it genuinely stings every time he runs toward my partner and away from me. I feel alien in my own house at times.
I carry a lot of blame about this and I'm struggling to cope with it more than I thought I would. I was so excited to have a dog and I just want him to love me back. I know logically that proximity probably explains a lot of it, but emotionally it's really hard to sit with.
Has anyone been through this? How did you actually build a bond with your puppy when you felt like they weren't connecting with you? Any advice would mean a lot.
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