Going Through Divorce. Have Temporary Order On My Dogs.

My soon to be ex wife filed for divorce in December of last year. I purchased one of my dogs prior to marriage.
The second dog was given to me as compensation because the first dog had a medical issue that required $5000 surgery. The place I got the first dog did not want to shell out the $5000 so they gave me a second dog.

Currently there is a temporary order where my ex spouse and I have to rotate the dogs alternating weeks. I have to pick them up at her parents and she has to pick them up from my house. The distance is 2 hours.

The problem with this is my soon to be ex spouse is escalatory. She has said she will “fight” for the dogs.

The order states we have to agree in writing if we need to change the time, or schedule.

-every time she comes to my house to get the dogs, she does something provoking. Drives on the lawn, parks centimeters away from my 3rd parties car in the driveway, accuses me of drugging the dogs and try’s to provoke me every time. She has also been late one time texting me exactly at the scheduled pick up time telling me she’s going to be a half hour late because of work.

throughout this divorce I have let everything go through my lawyer. I just document and send it to them when needed.

-when I go to her parents house to pick up the dogs, her and her family park their cars in the driveway where I can’t park and have to park up the street to get the dogs.

This last pick up was at her parent’s house. I showed up at exactly 12. Parked in the street. And waited about 3-4 minutes before my ex spouses mom let the dogs out of the house. Her dad was in the garage with the door opened doing something (not sure what).

I recently had to get surgery on one of the dogs to have a bump removed and make sure it wasn’t cancer. It’s been about a month and a half since the surgery.

Immediately after her mom let out my dogs from inside of the home. Her dad comes out of the garage and says “one of the dogs still has stitches, are they going to get removed?” My step father always goes with me for the pick up. Neither of us responded. Her father then began repeatedly asking the same question over and over 3 times while proceeding to get in my face and then bump me with his stomach.

At this point I feel unsafe going over to pick up the dogs and I went to the police station to document this. I didn’t say a word, grabbed the dogs and left. I did get audio of the interaction but unfortunately no good video.

My lawyer has said that the judge won’t spend a lot of time on the dogs if it goes to trial. I’m terrified.

My questions are:
1. Am I supposed to just tolerate this “intimidation”/borderline harassment from her father?
2. Will my lawyer be able to do anything after this last pick up to where I don’t have to be around her family?
3. One of the dogs (my first dog is microchipped), the second isn’t. Is there a chance the judge will split the dogs?

My ex is claiming primary caregiver despite me having tons of proof of bills, care and I have been paying for grooming, vet bills and almost everything since separation. (I cannot find the receipts of purchase for my first dog as I got her in 2018 right after my father passed away)

The dogs are inseparable and extremely bonded. I was hoping I could get some insight as I feel completely defeated despite not interacting and remaining silent in these intense exchanges with the dogs.

In the temporary order, the judge offered two options. We each get one dog or we alternate weeks. I didn’t think splitting them was the right thing to do given their bond with each other. So I chose alternating weeks.

Unfortunately, dogs are considered property and they were both obtained prior to marriage in 2018 by me. We married in 2022. I am extremely confused as to how the temporary order even happened.

But I have the same judge for trial and am scared that they will split the dogs due to my ex’s emotional claims despite me getting them for emotional support when my Dad passed.

I tried to articulate this as best as I possibly could, but if you have questions feel free to ask.

I would really appreciate any help with this very difficult situation.

Location: Iowa