does it drive you crazy when people refer their pets as their kids?

[brazen_irish_hussy]

Date: 6/10/2010 1:56:04 AM
Author: Dancing Fire

Date: 6/10/2010 1:11:59 AM

Author: brazen_irish_hussy

My cats are my children right now. I call them my kids furbabies sometimes, and yes, kids, but usually only with other cat people. As for people with children not calling their cats kids, my parents do. For a long time there were 5 kids, now that we have moved out, my parents have three. I think if there were a fire, mom would have to seriously consider whether she would save my brother or the cats.

You''ve never met Tiku or my brother, or it would make more sense to you.

As to people here who are saying a dog is just a dog, or it is no way compares to loving a child, I disagree. For a lot of people that''s true, but not for everyone. There are people who risk their lives by saving their dog from drowning or going into a burning building to save their pets. There are a lot of people who decided to stay and face hurricane Katrina rather than abandon their pets, or women who do not leave their abusers because shelters do not take pets. I always hear the standard of love for ones children is to be willing to risk your life for them, so what makes these people and their pets so different?

 

[Lynnie]

We have 2 cats, but I don''t think we''ve ever referred to them as our kids or babies... not that it bothers me if other people refer to their pets as kids. Unless the conversation gets misconstrued, and I think they''re actually talking about human kids. eg "My baby has a tapeworm" or "I gotta put the kids in the cage"

THIS really gets on my nerves... a man (usually) that says "I gotta drop the kids off at the pool". They''re not talking about humans or animals!

 

[VRBeauty]

Date: 6/10/2010 12:52:24 AM
Author: waxing lyrical
Eh. I wouldn''t say it brothers me. That definitely isn''t how I am with my cats. My pets aren''t my kids. They aren''t anywhere on the same plane. Losing a pet is not the same thing as losing a child. That is for damn sure.

I don''t have kids. I have had cats.

Many years ago I lost my first-as-an-adult cat unexpectedly. He was about 10 years old, I''d had him since he was a pre-teen, and he had added so much to my life. As it happens, I ran into a friend who had just lost her father, and we sat down for together to share some coffee and tears. My friend had just lost her father, yet she let me grieve the loss of my furry friend without telling me that my loss was less than hers. It goes without saying that we both knew that no matter how much I was hurting -- and I was -- there was really no comparing our losses. Her gesture towards me -- not trying in any way to downplay the pain I was feeling -- is still one of the most gracious things I have experienced.

 

[Samantha Red]

I don''t have children and never will have so I regard my pets as part of my family and my ''babies''. The way I see why should I be deprived of showering something/somebody with my maternal instincts because my biology wouldn''t let me do it with the real thing?

 

[Asu]

I still don''t have kids.I''m 24,but we discovered that my husband has problems,so we will need insemination,otherwise we won''t have kids.It hurts like hell.We have three cats,and while two of them I love dearly and call them "furbabies",there is one that I call my kid,and that I consider like my kid now.Sure I know he is just a cat,and that I will never love him as I will love my kids,but I still feel an incredible connection with him.He is blind,so he totally depends on me;he is goofy,sweet,curious,spoiled,and genuinely believe to be a kid.He doesn''t catch the difference between us,he really think that he is our kid.He want to be treated like a kid,he want to be held,to be cuddled,to sit on the chair with his paws on the table while we eat.He don''t sleep with the others,because he want to sleep in the bed,under the sheets and with his head on the pillow.We haven''t teached this things to him,he just want to act like a kid.He eat yougurt with the spoon!!I can''t,for the life of me,open a yogurt without givin him some.He get crazy

I still try to treat him like the other ones,but there will always be a difference,because he really is like a kid,and he will always be my baby,because he is so vulnerable and totally depend on me,since he can''t see.I know that even when finally we are going to have kids,I will always feel so connected to him.Lately infertility has taken a toll on me,so I feel even more bounded to him,I even have dreams when I try to save him from something,protect him.That''s how much I love this little furry thing.

 

[ksinger]

Date: 6/10/2010 3:18:43 AM
Author: Samantha Red
I don''t have children and never will have so I regard my pets as part of my family and my ''babies''. The way I see why should I be deprived of showering something/somebody with my maternal instincts because my biology wouldn''t let me do it with the real thing?

I don''t think anyone here has suggested that we shouldn''t love our pets, or take joy in their quirks. And words are just words...usually. But then again, choice of words can point to something deeper too. The thing that I find a bit unbalanced is when people not only love their pets, they seem to lose sight of the fact that these are NOT PEOPLE. And try to REASON with their pets. (Dogs mostly, since anyone who owns a cat knows that reasoning is truly pointless, and the ownership equation goes pretty much the other direction.) As I said earlier, Cesar Milan is banking on people who are unable to see the dividing line between human and DOG, and try to talk to them and lean on the animal for emotional needs better met by humans.

All you have to do is look at the ads for pet food and supplies to see that they don''t have just a whole lot to do with the actual animal and what might be good for it, but in appealing to that blurred line in some people''s heads, about the sentience of their pets - appealing to their guilt and their irrational feeling that giving their dog something labeled, "Chef Michael''s Creations" or "Fancy Feast" is going to make that dog or cat LOVE them more. The dog does not care - all but the most ridiculously spoiled dogs will eat a piece of fatty gristle as quickly as a piece of filet mignon, and will love you just as much for it. It helps to be very blunt and remember that in the final analysis, this is an animal that will eat it''s own feces from time to time.

Did anyone read the "All Creatures Great and Small" series by James Herriot? Heartwarming books based on real people and animals. Some of my favorite stories in there were the ones about Mrs. Pumphrey and her insanely spoiled peke, Trickie Woo. Mrs. Pumphrey is described as an otherwise very urbane, intelligent, and witty socialite who is just over the edge about her dog. Her DOG throws parties, sends gifts, and is a person in her eyes, and she gets extremely agitated when people don''t go along with treating her dog as a fully sentient human. In one amusing story, she''s darn near fed the dog to death - seriously, and Herriot takes the dog to the vet surgery and basically puts it on a diet and lets it play with other dogs. Of course the dog responds and in a few weeks is bursting with health. But Mrs. Pumphrey suffers the tortures of the damned without her Trickie, and starts sending kippers and daily baskets of food, and fresh eggs and brandy to strengthen his blood. The guys at the vet clinic are living so high, they are tempted to keep the dog just to keep the goods flowing. Cute stories, and told with much affection for the subjects, both human and animal.

 

[Girlrocks]

Date: 6/9/2010 3:54:38 PM
Author: monarch64
I must admit it sort of unnerved me when I read the ''favorite kid'' thread yesterday and saw that many of the posts started off something like, ''I''m not a parent but I have pets and they are my babies.'' Really? Because I''m quite sure raising a human being is a bit different than providing an animal with food, shelter, love, and companionship. Just my opinion, and I''m not being hateful, I just don''t see a direct correlation between being a pet owner and being the parent of a human child. When people start nursing their puppies and kittens maybe I''ll feel differently.

For the record, I have a 3.5 year old beagle who is my favorite furry companion. She''s not my kid, though. Sometimes SO refers to me as ''Mom, '' as in, ''Daisy, bring it to Mom'' and if looks could kill...I shoot him my most evil death glare.

+1 (highlighted part)!!!

It doesn''t "drive me crazy" when people refer to their pets as their kids. To each his own.

What DOES drive me crazy is when people with pets and no children attempt to compare their struggles with their animals to my struggles with my kids.

For example...

I have 4 kids. When the flu hits my house, don''t even talk to me for weeks. Not just the 2 weeks it takes for it to wreak havoc on my kids/home/carpet/furniture/washing machine/bank account for doctor visits and medications, but then the following week it takes me to get my house back in order, catch up with work, get the kids caught up in homework, etc. You WILL put me over the edge if you try to liken my experience to your cat hocking up fur balls, or your dog who has diarhhea and has to go outside every 5 minutes and you had to miss work to stay home to take the dog outside....(yes, this did happen).

Again, to each his own. However, there is no comparison. Opening a can of dog food twice a day is in no way comparible to breastfeeding every 2 hours around the clock. Opening the door to let the dog out does not compare to changing a diaper. And I have never once felt that I would give my life for one of my animals, however, there is no question about my kids.

 

[waterlilly]

Date: 6/10/2010 7:23:11 AM
Author: Girlrocks

Date: 6/9/2010 3:54:38 PM

Author: monarch64

.'' Really? Because I''m quite sure raising a human being is a bit different than providing an animal with food, shelter, love, and companionship. Just my opinion, and I''m not being hateful, I just don''t see a direct correlation between being a pet owner and being the parent of a human child. When people start nursing their puppies and kittens maybe I''ll feel differently.


For the record, I have a 3.5 year old beagle who is my favorite furry companion. She''s not my kid, though. Sometimes SO refers to me as ''Mom, '' as in, ''Daisy, bring it to Mom'' and if looks could kill...I shoot him my most evil death glare.

+1 (highlighted part)!!!


It doesn''t ''drive me crazy'' when people refer to their pets as their kids. To each his own.


What DOES drive me crazy is when people with pets and no children attempt to compare their struggles with their animals to my struggles with my kids.


For example...


I have 4 kids. When the flu hits my house, don''t even talk to me for weeks. Not just the 2 weeks it takes for it to wreak havoc on my kids/home/carpet/furniture/washing machine/bank account for doctor visits and medications, but then the following week it takes me to get my house back in order, catch up with work, get the kids caught up in homework, etc. You WILL put me over the edge if you try to liken my experience to your cat hocking up fur balls, or your dog who has diarhhea and has to go outside every 5 minutes and you had to miss work to stay home to take the dog outside....(yes, this did happen).


Again, to each his own. However, there is no comparison. Opening a can of dog food twice a day is in no way comparible to breastfeeding every 2 hours around the clock. Opening the door to let the dog out does not compare to changing a diaper. And I have never once felt that I would give my life for one of my animals, however, there is no question about my kids.

Getting up around the clock every 2 hours - ever raised a puppy? I foster dogs for a rescue and the closest thing i''ve experienced to having a baby is raising a puppy. You are up around the clock with them, they need constant attention - they will pee and poo constantly - but you can''t diaper them (hmmmm, hadn''t thought to do that actually

. And this goes on for months, then you hit the brat stage, the chewing stage, the rebellion stage, etc., etc., So, people that have no experience with this - simply don''t understand. I can easily see how a couple that does not have children and has raised their dog from a puppy can refer to it as their child.

And, sorry, how is diarrhea all over the house any more or less difficult to deal with depending on the source it comes from? It''s OK for a parent to stay home if their child had diarrhea but not if their dog does? Have you ever come home from a day at work after your dog has been sick and left alone all day? At least a kid knows how to use a toilet.

 

[AGBF]

Date: 6/10/2010 7:03:11 AM
Author: ksinger

The thing that I find a bit unbalanced is when people not only love their pets, they seem to lose sight of the fact that these are NOT PEOPLE. And try to REASON with their pets.

Even less balanced than trying to reason with your pet is trying to reason with your car. Does anyone remember this story about Biscuit and me?


Deb/AGBF

 

[MissMina]

I talk to my car all the time
"Come on baby. You can make it".


BTW My cat's name means "Second Son".

 

[elrohwen]

Date: 6/10/2010 1:11:59 AM
Author: brazen_irish_hussy
My cats are my children right now. I call them my kids furbabies sometimes, and yes, kids, but usually only with other cat people. As for people with children not calling their cats kids, my parents do. For a long time there were 5 kids, now that we have moved out, my parents have three. I think if there were a fire, mom would have to seriously consider whether she would save my brother or the cats.

I''m an only child and my parents always called the dogs my doggie brother and sister. Our neighbors also had a dog before their kids and said that their dog was the first born. So I definitely don''t think that everyone who has actual kids stops calling their pets kids too.

 

[monarch64]

Date: 6/10/2010 8:10:13 AM
Author: waterlilly

Date: 6/10/2010 7:23:11 AM
Author: Girlrocks

Date: 6/9/2010 3:54:38 PM

Author: monarch64

.'' Really? Because I''m quite sure raising a human being is a bit different than providing an animal with food, shelter, love, and companionship. Just my opinion, and I''m not being hateful, I just don''t see a direct correlation between being a pet owner and being the parent of a human child. When people start nursing their puppies and kittens maybe I''ll feel differently.


For the record, I have a 3.5 year old beagle who is my favorite furry companion. She''s not my kid, though. Sometimes SO refers to me as ''Mom, '' as in, ''Daisy, bring it to Mom'' and if looks could kill...I shoot him my most evil death glare.

+1 (highlighted part)!!!


It doesn''t ''drive me crazy'' when people refer to their pets as their kids. To each his own.


What DOES drive me crazy is when people with pets and no children attempt to compare their struggles with their animals to my struggles with my kids.


For example...


I have 4 kids. When the flu hits my house, don''t even talk to me for weeks. Not just the 2 weeks it takes for it to wreak havoc on my kids/home/carpet/furniture/washing machine/bank account for doctor visits and medications, but then the following week it takes me to get my house back in order, catch up with work, get the kids caught up in homework, etc. You WILL put me over the edge if you try to liken my experience to your cat hocking up fur balls, or your dog who has diarhhea and has to go outside every 5 minutes and you had to miss work to stay home to take the dog outside....(yes, this did happen).


Again, to each his own. However, there is no comparison. Opening a can of dog food twice a day is in no way comparible to breastfeeding every 2 hours around the clock. Opening the door to let the dog out does not compare to changing a diaper. And I have never once felt that I would give my life for one of my animals, however, there is no question about my kids.

Getting up around the clock every 2 hours - ever raised a puppy? I foster dogs for a rescue and the closest thing i''ve experienced to having a baby is raising a puppy. You are up around the clock with them, they need constant attention - they will pee and poo constantly - but you can''t diaper them (hmmmm, hadn''t thought to do that actually

. And this goes on for months, then you hit the brat stage, the chewing stage, the rebellion stage, etc., etc., So, people that have no experience with this - simply don''t understand. I can easily see how a couple that does not have children and has raised their dog from a puppy can refer to it as their child.

And, sorry, how is diarrhea all over the house any more or less difficult to deal with depending on the source it comes from? It''s OK for a parent to stay home if their child had diarrhea but not if their dog does? Have you ever come home from a day at work after your dog has been sick and left alone all day? At least a kid knows how to use a toilet.

Hey, I agree that there are similarities between caring for a growing child and a pet. However, I think the main difference between the two is that when raising a human, far more than feeding and sheltering goes into being a parent. You are constantly teaching, with the intent of preparing the child for a productive adult life. With pets, you''re training behaviors, and not so much worried about life skills so the pet can go out into the wild and live on its own unless you''re rescuing actual wildlife.

I understand the importance to some who are childless to have a companion they feel is their family, believe me. My dog Daisy is jokingly referred to as my "divorce dog" sometimes. When my marriage started to really disintegrate, we had one dog at the time but did not want to fight over custody of him, so our solution was for me to get another dog so we would each have one in the event that we divorced. I don''t have a ton of room to talk about people who call their pets "babies," you see.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 6/10/2010 8:10:13 AM
Author: waterlilly

Date: 6/10/2010 7:23:11 AM

Author: Girlrocks

Date: 6/9/2010 3:54:38 PM


Author: monarch64


.'' Really? Because I''m quite sure raising a human being is a bit different than providing an animal with food, shelter, love, and companionship. Just my opinion, and I''m not being hateful, I just don''t see a direct correlation between being a pet owner and being the parent of a human child. When people start nursing their puppies and kittens maybe I''ll feel differently.



For the record, I have a 3.5 year old beagle who is my favorite furry companion. She''s not my kid, though. Sometimes SO refers to me as ''Mom, '' as in, ''Daisy, bring it to Mom'' and if looks could kill...I shoot him my most evil death glare.

+1 (highlighted part)!!!



It doesn''t ''drive me crazy'' when people refer to their pets as their kids. To each his own.



What DOES drive me crazy is when people with pets and no children attempt to compare their struggles with their animals to my struggles with my kids.



For example...



I have 4 kids. When the flu hits my house, don''t even talk to me for weeks. Not just the 2 weeks it takes for it to wreak havoc on my kids/home/carpet/furniture/washing machine/bank account for doctor visits and medications, but then the following week it takes me to get my house back in order, catch up with work, get the kids caught up in homework, etc. You WILL put me over the edge if you try to liken my experience to your cat hocking up fur balls, or your dog who has diarhhea and has to go outside every 5 minutes and you had to miss work to stay home to take the dog outside....(yes, this did happen).



Again, to each his own. However, there is no comparison. Opening a can of dog food twice a day is in no way comparible to breastfeeding every 2 hours around the clock. Opening the door to let the dog out does not compare to changing a diaper. And I have never once felt that I would give my life for one of my animals, however, there is no question about my kids.

Getting up around the clock every 2 hours - ever raised a puppy? I foster dogs for a rescue and the closest thing i''ve experienced to having a baby is raising a puppy. You are up around the clock with them, they need constant attention - they will pee and poo constantly - but you can''t diaper them (hmmmm, hadn''t thought to do that actually

. And this goes on for months, then you hit the brat stage, the chewing stage, the rebellion stage, etc., etc., So, people that have no experience with this - simply don''t understand. I can easily see how a couple that does not have children and has raised their dog from a puppy can refer to it as their child.


And, sorry, how is diarrhea all over the house any more or less difficult to deal with depending on the source it comes from? It''s OK for a parent to stay home if their child had diarrhea but not if their dog does? Have you ever come home from a day at work after your dog has been sick and left alone all day? At least a kid knows how to use a toilet.

if you want to compare puppies to babies and dogs to kids that''s one thing, but by the time a kid knows how to use a toilet, a dog is trained as well.

That said, I have raised a kitten from the day it was born (mom died at birth) and had to rub it''s butt to get it to poop for weeks and when it got bit by a spider and its entire paw and arm all the way past the shoulder welled to gargantuan proportions and it had a horrible fever, we took turns staying up all night. I happened to be pregnant with my first at the time and I will admit that the most intense couple weeks of the kitten''s life were at least as bad during the night as a newborn - but over the course of a day and the fact that it was so short lived - it isn''t even close overall that taking care of an animal is way easier - puke or no puke, poop or no poop, and the only thing I''ll give you is I''ll deal with human crap any day over dog crap.

 

[Allison D.]

I don''t have an opinion one way or the other with respect to people treating their animals like kids, etc, but I gotta say that I see a pretty consistent theme these days that I just don''t get. It usually runs along the lines of "when X person attempts to compare their situation to mine".

When in world did every little thing in life become a ''contest'' about who more deserves the ''she who has it harder'' designation? Is there some prize that comes along with the claim, because if not, I just don''t get it.

Is that what''s happened to the generation of "no winners/no losers in soccer?" Now we have to find another way to ''win'', and it means we have to be clear that your situation isn''t nearly as authentic as mine? Do we now have to earn out sense of validation and authenticity only as compared to someone else and at someone else''s expense?

Maybe my perspective is different because a friend of mine is gravely ill, so it seems pretty insignficant that people actually worry about who trumps whom in the ''who''s earned her stripes more'' war.

For my part, when someone tries to relate to something I''m experiencing, instead of being miffed because she dared to compare her experience to mine, I feel grateful that she cares enough about me to try empathizing, even if the analogy isn''t exactly spot on. Is it at all possible that''s what others may be doing, too.....not try to compete but maybe trying to relate to what you''re living so they can maintain common ground with you?

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Hi, my name is Emm, and I''m the Crazy Dog Lady!

DH and I really do treat our three dogs like children. Especially Tucker, because he''s "the baby"! LOL! We spend an obscene amount of money on high-quality dog food, doggie toys, treats, etc. We don''t have human children and we never will, so we see nothing wrong with this.

So to answer the original question, of course I''m not bothered when people refer to their pets as "kids," and I sometimes do it myself. They depend on me for their day to day needs, just as a human child would. Also, they love me unconditionally and trust me completely, which a human child might NOT do. And if (God forbid) our house was burning down, I would run inside to save my dogs without a second thought. (In fact, we have one of those stickers on our front door to notify firemen that there are three dogs in the house.) I really don''t understand how anyone could be bothered by hearing someone else refer to their pets as "kids." They''re not hurting anyone else by doing so, so why does it matter?

 

[VRBeauty]

Date: 6/10/2010 9:09:02 AM
Author: Allison D.
I don't have an opinion one way or the other with respect to people treating their animals like kids, etc, but I gotta say that I see a pretty consistent theme these days that I just don't get. It usually runs along the lines of 'when X person attempts to compare their situation to mine'.


When in world did every little thing in life become a 'contest' about who more deserves the 'she who has it harder' designation? Is there some prize that comes along with the claim, because if not, I just don't get it.


Is that what's happened to the generation of 'no winners/no losers in soccer?' Now we have to find another way to 'win', and it means we have to be clear that your situation isn't nearly as authentic as mine? Do we now have to earn out sense of validation and authenticity only as compared to someone else and at someone else's expense?


Maybe my perspective is different because a friend of mine is gravely ill, so it seems pretty insignficant that people actually worry about who trumps whom in the 'who's earned her stripes more' war.


For my part, when someone tries to relate to something I'm experiencing, instead of being miffed because she dared to compare her experience to mine, I feel grateful that she cares enough about me to try empathizing, even if the analogy isn't exactly spot on. Is it at all possible that's what others may be doing, too.....not try to compete but maybe trying to relate to what you're living so they can maintain common ground with you?

Right to the heart of the matter as alway. Well put, Allison. Thank you.

I'm sorry to hear about your friend. Peace to you both.

 

[Shoopy]

Date: 6/10/2010 9:11:43 AM
Author: Irishgrrrl
I really don''t understand how anyone could be bothered by hearing someone else refer to their pets as ''kids.'' They''re not hurting anyone else by doing so, so why does it matter?

It doesn’t bother me when someone refers to their pets as their baby, kid, or furbaby (whatever they choose to call it). I refer to my brother’s dog as my nephew and I leave a gift under the tree from “Santa” to Hayden. His birthday is July 3 and we celebrate it.

What does annoy me is when pet ‘parents’ are so determined to compare a dog/cat to a human. Just because your dog poops, that does not mean he/she is like my daughter.

And yes, it is annoying when I’m talking about how my daughter won’t sleep well, how she is sick, what tricks/tips can I use for x situation and someone with a pet chimes in. It’s not the perspective from an outsider w/ no children that gets to me because anyone can do the research and I’ve received tips from non-parents that helped me (very recently I might add) but the ‘this is what I do when my dog/cat is going through that situation’ response makes me shake my head. Um…thanks, but no thanks. There are a few people on this thread that I would put in that extreme category (most pet parents I know do not do this)

 

[elrohwen]

Date: 6/10/2010 9:09:02 AM
Author: Allison D.
For my part, when someone tries to relate to something I'm experiencing, instead of being miffed because she dared to compare her experience to mine, I feel grateful that she cares enough about me to try empathizing, even if the analogy isn't exactly spot on. Is it at all possible that's what others may be doing, too.....not try to compete but maybe trying to relate to what you're living so they can maintain common ground with you?

Word. I am guilty of this, but I just do it as a way to relate to people in situations I haven't experienced. I'm not trying to downplay what they are going through in any way.


I also think there's a huge difference between people who totally humanize pets and have poorly adjusted pets because of it, and those who give their animals what an animal needs. I give my pets what they need as animals, including training, but that doesn't mean I can't call them "kids". Not everybody who calls their pets "kids" has spoiled rotten pets who rule the household with an iron paw. Not everyone is a Mrs Pumphrey.

 

[kenny]

There's a guy who dresses his cat up like a kid.

It's kind of disturbing how lifelike the costume is.

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Date: 6/10/2010 9:35:45 AM
Author: fiery


What does annoy me is when pet ‘parents’ are so determined to compare a dog/cat to a human. Just because your dog poops, that does not mean he/she is like my daughter.

And yes, it is annoying when I’m talking about how my daughter won’t sleep well, how she is sick, what tricks/tips can I use for x situation and someone with a pet chimes in. It’s not the perspective from an outsider w/ no children that gets to me because anyone can do the research and I’ve received tips from non-parents that helped me (very recently I might add) but the ‘this is what I do when my dog/cat is going through that situation’ response makes me shake my head. Um…thanks, but no thanks. There are a few people on this thread that I would put in that extreme category (most pet parents I know do not do this)

Fiery, I agree with you. As a non-parent, I would never feel qualified to give advice to a parent who is having an issue with his/her child. I may have had something similar happen with one of my dogs, but it''s not the same thing. As much as we love them, our dogs are DOGS and a human baby is a HUMAN, so things are very different. And I completely understand how parents might get irritated if a pet-parent did this.

But what I don''t get is why people (parents and non-parents alike) sometimes take issue with pet-parents referring to their pets as "kids." If the pet-parent isn''t making a direct comparison between a specific dog and a specific child, then I really don''t see the problem. I think people sometimes look for things to be upset about.

 

[Shoopy]

Date: 6/10/2010 9:52:31 AM
Author: Irishgrrrl

Date: 6/10/2010 9:35:45 AM
Author: fiery



What does annoy me is when pet ‘parents’ are so determined to compare a dog/cat to a human. Just because your dog poops, that does not mean he/she is like my daughter.

And yes, it is annoying when I’m talking about how my daughter won’t sleep well, how she is sick, what tricks/tips can I use for x situation and someone with a pet chimes in. It’s not the perspective from an outsider w/ no children that gets to me because anyone can do the research and I’ve received tips from non-parents that helped me (very recently I might add) but the ‘this is what I do when my dog/cat is going through that situation’ response makes me shake my head. Um…thanks, but no thanks. There are a few people on this thread that I would put in that extreme category (most pet parents I know do not do this)

Fiery, I agree with you. As a non-parent, I would never feel qualified to give advice to a parent who is having an issue with his/her child. I may have had something similar happen with one of my dogs, but it''s not the same thing. As much as we love them, our dogs are DOGS and a human baby is a HUMAN, so things are very different. And I completely understand how parents might get irritated if a pet-parent did this.

But what I don''t get is why people (parents and non-parents alike) sometimes take issue with pet-parents referring to their pets as ''kids.'' If the pet-parent isn''t making a direct comparison between a specific dog and a specific child, then I really don''t see the problem. I think people sometimes look for things to be upset about.

I agree with you!

Hayden is very much part of the family and Sophia loves her cousin very much

Too bad Hayden couldn''t care less about her. I''m guessing it has to do with her trying to tackle him every time she sees him

 

[iheartscience]

Date: 6/10/2010 9:09:02 AM
Author: Allison D.
I don''t have an opinion one way or the other with respect to people treating their animals like kids, etc, but I gotta say that I see a pretty consistent theme these days that I just don''t get. It usually runs along the lines of ''when X person attempts to compare their situation to mine''.

When in world did every little thing in life become a ''contest'' about who more deserves the ''she who has it harder'' designation? Is there some prize that comes along with the claim, because if not, I just don''t get it.

Is that what''s happened to the generation of ''no winners/no losers in soccer?'' Now we have to find another way to ''win'', and it means we have to be clear that your situation isn''t nearly as authentic as mine? Do we now have to earn out sense of validation and authenticity only as compared to someone else and at someone else''s expense?

Maybe my perspective is different because a friend of mine is gravely ill, so it seems pretty insignficant that people actually worry about who trumps whom in the ''who''s earned her stripes more'' war.

For my part, when someone tries to relate to something I''m experiencing, instead of being miffed because she dared to compare her experience to mine, I feel grateful that she cares enough about me to try empathizing, even if the analogy isn''t exactly spot on. Is it at all possible that''s what others may be doing, too.....not try to compete but maybe trying to relate to what you''re living so they can maintain common ground with you?

Great post!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Just want to agree with Allison D. and the others who are in the "to each his own" category.

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Date: 6/10/2010 9:55:21 AM
Author: fiery

I agree with you!

Hayden is very much part of the family and Sophia loves her cousin very much

Too bad Hayden couldn''t care less about her. I''m guessing it has to do with her trying to tackle him every time she sees him

LOL! I''m sure the tackling will stop as she gets older, and then I bet Hayden and Sophia will be best buddies!

 

[Asu]

Date: 6/10/2010 9:35:45 AM
Author: fiery

Date: 6/10/2010 9:11:43 AM

Author: Irishgrrrl

I really don''t understand how anyone could be bothered by hearing someone else refer to their pets as ''kids.'' They''re not hurting anyone else by doing so, so why does it matter?

It doesn’t bother me when someone refers to their pets as their baby, kid, or furbaby (whatever they choose to call it). I refer to my brother’s dog as my nephew and I leave a gift under the tree from “Santa” to Hayden. His birthday is July 3 and we celebrate it.

What does annoy me is when pet ‘parents’ are so determined to compare a dog/cat to a human. Just because your dog poops, that does not mean he/she is like my daughter.



And yes, it is annoying when I’m talking about how my daughter won’t sleep well, how she is sick, what tricks/tips can I use for x situation and someone with a pet chimes in. It’s not the perspective from an outsider w/ no children that gets to me because anyone can do the research and I’ve received tips from non-parents that helped me (very recently I might add) but the ‘this is what I do when my dog/cat is going through that situation’ response makes me shake my head. Um…thanks, but no thanks. There are a few people on this thread that I would put in that extreme category (most pet parents I know do not do this)

Well,but this kind of people are just nuts

As much as I love my cats,I will never ever dream of going to my bestfriend and tell her what to do with her daughter based on what I''ve done with my cats

If she does ask for opinions or advices,I try to give her a serious advice,but based on my experience raising my sister since her birth (long story),not surely based on raising my blind kitty from his birth,because for as much he is sure to be a human kid (why,I don''t know...the other two never had this kind of beaviour),he isn''t one.

 

[stepcutgirl]

I don''t have a child of my own, but I have a soon to be step son and a nephew that I see and feel very very close with. Just like my soon to be son in law and my nephew I would jump in front of a car, run into fire to save them or into the mouth of another dog to protect my dogs. I protect them, nurture them, feed and shelter them, give them affection and make sure their needs are met before my own. Maybe my feelings will change when I have my own child but I feel parent like with my dogs.

I don''t call them my children, I call them my boys which is sorta close.

 

[MissMina]

Many people I know who have pets and children sign everyone''s names to Christmas cards etc.
I have never really thought much about it.

Those child less/free folks who compare caring for their pets to caring for children
are speaking I think out of innocence. They have no way of knowing.

 

[stepcutgirl]

Date: 6/10/2010 10:35:48 AM
Author: stepcutgirl
I don''t have a child of my own, but I have a soon to be step son and a nephew that I see and feel very very close with. Just like my soon to be son in law and my nephew I would jump in front of a car, run into fire to save them or into the mouth of another dog to protect my dogs. I protect them, nurture them, feed and shelter them, give them affection and make sure their needs are met before my own. Maybe my feelings will change when I have my own child but I feel parent like with my dogs.

I don''t call them my children, I call them my boys which is sorta close.

I mean soon to be step son, not son in law. Oops!

 

[kenny]

There are 6,826,428,832 people now so I don''t think people having dogs instead of kids is a problem.

In fact, I''ll bet dogs have smaller carbon footprints than humans.
Maybe we should be encouraging dog ownership via tax deductions etc.

 

[elrohwen]

Date: 6/10/2010 11:46:36 AM
Author: kenny
There are 6,826,428,832 people now so I don''t think people having dogs instead of kids is a problem.


In fact, I''ll bet dogs have smaller carbon footprints than humans.

Maybe we should be encouraging dog ownership via tax deductions etc.

I''ve read articles that bunnies have much much smaller carbon footprints than dogs or cats (since they don''t eat meat, and all waste is fertilizer). Bunnies for all!