DEAR ABBY: "Ben" and I have been married for two years. His dog, "Lucky," adores him. The problem is, Lucky bites me every time I get near Ben, especially when we are trying to get intimate. If we lock Lucky out of the room, he barks frantically the whole time. So much for romance.
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Ben refuses to get rid of Lucky. He has told me that if the dog goes, he goes -- and he means it. I want a normal life with my husband, but he has chosen his dog over his wife. Can you offer any solution? -- ONCE BITTEN, TWICE SHY IN OHIO
DEAR ONCE BITTEN: I'll try. Your husband is an irresponsible pet owner. He has allowed Lucky to become "top dog" in your household by permitting the animal to control HIM rather than vice versa.
Tell him that if he wants to "get lucky," he is going to have to assume control of his dog. This will take the assistance of a qualified dog trainer or other animal behavior specialist and should be done immediately because "once bitten" is once too often.