Talk To Me: I'm fed up with being the only one looking after the family dog  

Psychologist Caroline Martin is here to answer your questions on whatever issues you are dealing with in life, from work pressure and stress to loneliness and grief

You have a dog you love dearly and the benefits of this alone are substantial

We got a puppy during the pandemic after months of pestering from my two teenage children. We had agreed that the responsibility for the dog would be shared. But the children quickly lost interest, and my husband says he’s too tired when he comes home to look after the dog. Most of her care - walking, feeding and grooming - is left up to me. I love the dog, and she’s like my third child. But I am fed up with being the only one looking after her.

As we approach Christmas, the familiar pleas from animal shelters resonate across the airwaves, reminding us that pets are not just for Christmas, they are for life. The same is true of pandemic pets.