Spouse's Plan To Keep Puppy's Bad Behavior Secret From Husband Splits Views

A post about a person debating whether to tell their husband about what their "dog has done" has gone viral on Mumsnet, the U.K.-based online forum.

In a post shared on Mumsnet's Am I Being Unreasonable (AIBU) subforum, user fruitstick said their dog chewed up "a limited edition print" that their husband recently purchased.

The user said: "It was in a poster tube in his office waiting to be framed. The dog took it into the garden this morning and has eaten it. Both ends of the tube (and print) chewed.

"I swiped it before DH [dear husband] could see and tried to get a replacement but they are sold out. Shall I just hope he forgets he ever bought it? Or fess up?" the user asked.

Chewing is "perfectly normal behavior" for all dogs, regardless of age, explains the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty (ASPCA).

Dogs will chew on bones, sticks and "just about anything else available," and it keeps their jaws strong and teeth clean, the nonprofit says.

The reasons for the chewing can range from fun and stimulation to relieving anxiety, the ASPCA notes.

An August 2021 study published in the Applied Animal Behaviour Science journal, found that "chewing on objects was not substantially related to reported motivation of the dog to play or the frequency of activities with the dog..."

However, the chewing "was reported to occur in contexts that may cause negative emotional states such as leaving the dog alone or changes in routine activities," the study said.

While chewing is normal behavior, dogs may "sometimes direct their chewing behavior toward inappropriate items," the ASPCA says. So it's important to provide dogs with a range of appropriate chew toys as well as teach them what is okay, and not okay, to chew on.

The user in the latest Mumsnet post said the print wasn't "super expensive (£25) [around $27]" but was signed by the artist and their husband "was really pleased with it."

This latest viral post sparked debate among Mumsnet users.

HebeSunshine wondered: "Is he likely t? If not I'd keep quiet and one day in the future when he realizes it's gone you can just feign ignorance. Things get lost in houses all the time don't they?"

User hellcatspangle agreed, asking: "Is there really any chance he will forget he's bought it? My DH buys all sorts of crap on a whim then forgets about it so I could probably get away with it!.."

Other users believed the husband needs to be told the truth.

Unanananana said: "You need to tell him. I would be p**sed if something of mine got destroyed and DP [dear partner] covered it up, regardless of who/what did it."

BattenburgDonkey agreed, stating: "Unless he's going to forget you have to tell him, can't see any advantage to not doing really. He will just be annoyed if you hide it when it's going to find out anyway..."

In an update in a later post, the user said they contacted the artist of the work who said "He's sending another! [print]!"

The user told their husband "what the dog did and that a replacement is on its way."

The original poster said: "He was fine about it and actually quite sheepish because he did see him with the poster tube this morning and just assumed he'd fished something out of the recycling bin. Lesson learnt for him, and for me to not bother trying to cover for the dog!"

Newsweek was not able to verify the details of this case.