When your partner won't speak to you or look at you. Most will stay here for between 1-7 days until their partner has calmed down or got over their PMS, PMT, general bad mood, or their angry reaction to your unacceptable behaviour (drinking binge etc). Symptoms are :
- Self-Acceptance - that you are on the way there. You could probably
stop now and be ok, but you don't want to. For example, if you were drinking for 2 days, you
may as well stay out for 3 or 4.
- Denial - Thinking that your
wife or
girlfriend will be ok when you finally decide to come
home.
- Bargaining - After you have been ignored for a period of time (days / hours depending on the severity of the incident), you
may try to bargain to get out of the dog-house early. It is a
normal reaction, but most try to do this too early. Better to ride it out.
- Spending - Rational thinking on your part that this has gone on long enough and a willingness to spend money on your partner to get over it.
- Relapse - When bargaining and spending are unsuccessful, you
may decide to go on another
bender, or perform the same
bad behaviour.
- Remorse - Feeling that you have done something wrong. Very rare and is only applicable is less than 0.001% of doghouse incidents.
It can be rated on a scale of 1-5.
1 - Cosmetic (1 day stint in doghouse)
2 - Minor (2-3 days)
3 - Major (4-5 days)
4 - Severe(6-7 days)
5 - Epic (Over 7 days) - This is generally considered more than doghouse material and more
like a shithouse
