Don't know what to think

This is the first time I have had to broach the subject of abuse in a relationship.

My bf is kind and funny with a great sense of humour and a good job...or so I have thought for the past 6 months. This weekend was different .

I took my dog to his house. It was the first time my dog had been expected to sleep over somewhere other than my home or my mother's home. As I half expected he didn't settle too well and was awake in a strange house at 1am. He started whining and came upstairs. I sorted him out and sent him back down; unfortunately the same thing happened at 3am. I sorted this out again whilst my bf was sleeping. At 5am he did it again only louder. This time my bf got up and started yelling abuse at my dog. He physically threw him onto the sofa downstairs and shouted' "Don't run away from me you little shit!!". He came back upstairs and shouted at me to, "Get his fucking muzzle on him!!". I refused and said that I did not want him sleeping in his muzzle as he could wake up with it around his neck which is very dangerous. I went downstairs to my dog and stayed on the sofa with him. The dog was physically shaking at this point. I don't know if he hit him at all. I barely slept a wink. I got up off the sofa at 7am and made a drink. I fed and toileted both dogs, mine and his. My bf got up about 8.30am and had breakfast. He said to me that he had got no sleep and that I could not bring my dog overnight again. He said that it would take several nights for the dog to settle and that if he had another  night like that one he "would not be responsible for his actions."

I said that actually I had heard him snoring between 1am and when he got up at 5am and again from when I went downstairs until 8.30am when he had got up. It was I that had not had much sleep at all.

Since I got home I have been thinking about many things regarding that night. I recalled that earlier on in the day I was holding an iron for my bf. It was quite heavy as, for some reason, he had left it full of water. My wrist slipped and water went onto the floor. I apologised which was not acknowledged. Instead the iron was snatched from my hand and he marched out of the room with it muttering something under his breath.

I know that it has been a while since either of us has had a serious relationship and we are a bit set in our ways. In fact I deliberately stayed single for a couple of years after my last relationship with a man who was an alcoholic. My bf has had several dates and short lived dalliances in that time saying that women have stayed with him for short periods and then abandoned the relationship with excuses like they live too far apart etc. I am now beginning to wonder what the real reasons were.

There have been previous signs now that I think about it. We went to a concert in December and stayed over in a hotel. when we got back that night he was in the kitchen and dropped something. I heard him swear and asked if he was ok as I didn't know what he had done, maybe dropped whatever it was onto his foot etc. He said,"Fucking hell! Do I have to give you a fucking running commentary?!". I have also been told by him that I am too clingy and needy at the start of our relationship as I like to text daily because we live 30-40 miles apart. I was told that this was over bearing.

We have a mutual love of music and have many concerts and weekends booked over the coming year. I joked that he was booking way in advance and did he think I was running away. He said that, "The others have done. I don't want you running off." At the time I took it light heartedly but now I am not so sure.

When he is here for the next weekend I have arranged for my dog to be at my mother's house. This is because I know we need to talk but also I am concerned for my dog's welfare. I could be over egging the pudding but I need to be sure. I have been in an abusive relationship before and was abused as a child. As a result I do suffer with anxiety so I could be blowing things out of proportion.