I am so sorry that he's not grown up yet. He's still in that anger stage whereby you are still looking like the enemy to him. He knows that the only way to hurt you is by keeping the dog away from you. Do not let this man get to you. I know it hurts, but he's still a very selfish, insensitive man who hasn't moved much since he entered the twilight zone.
Find things to do, if it helps, pull out a photo of your fur baby and place it near the tree for the holidays. The key to seeing your dog more often is to just let things be. The more you request to see the dog, the more he's going to make your life miserable and not budge an inch on sharing. He's like a spoiled kid at the park who will not share until he realizes no one cares what he has in his hands.
Take back your power...do not let him see you sweat!
Sit quietly, the answers will reveal themselves when you least expect them to. The past is gone, the present is a gift and you need to focus on today, allow the future to reveal itself when it is ready.
