Pets are not the same as babies

[Ejperchenough]

Hi everyone,

What would be the right thing to do when a dog owner keeps telling you, directly or indirectly, that her dog is just like your baby. In other words, when you say, for instance, “my baby keeps waking up due to bad dreams and then I have to rock/ feed/soothe him” and you get told back, " I never go to my dog when he cries due to a bad dream, he usually soothes himself".

Do you ignore it?
Do you look back in utter shock?
Do you say pointedly " babies are not the same as pets?
Do you stay silent and let the silly statement remain in the room for everyone to also feel the silliness of it?
What should one do/ say?

Ps: to all pet owners, don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against them. I love animals but they have their own place and that is not the same as a baby’s.

 

[PolarGuy]

I guess it would depend on the person. Maybe I’d make a joke of it and say, “wow, just imagine how it is with a baby!”

I actually think your post raises something the Pope commented on a while back, i.e., people who think pets are substitutes for children. It actually sort of bothers me when I read someone’s short on-line bio like some lawyers, politicians, etc., have, and it says something like “Ms. X. is the devoted parent of 2 golden retrievers” or something like that. They aren’t parents at all.

 

[pensmama87]

Hi everyone,

What would be the right thing to do when a dog owner keeps telling you, directly or indirectly, that her dog is just like your baby. In other words, when you say, for instance, “my baby keeps waking up due to bad dreams and then I have to rock/ feed/soothe him” and you get told back, " I never go to my dog when he cries due to a bad dream, he usually soothes himself".

Do you ignore it?
Do you look back in utter shock?
Do you say pointedly " babies are not the same as pets?
Do you stay silent and let the silly statement remain in the room for everyone to also feel the silliness of it?
What should one do/ say?

Ps: to all pet owners, don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against them. I love animals but they have their own place and that is not the same as a baby’s.

I’ve been fortunate enough that whenever someone makes a comparison to a pet they have, they add, “Of course, I know that’s not the same as having a baby/child.” I think some of it is just wanting to be able to relate to a person, so they use the life experiences they have.

You might have to choose other people to vent to/ask for advice. Otherwise, I would just ignore it as it’s probably well intended. I wouldn’t embarrass the person in front of others.

 

[Siegehammer]

With the exception of those with profound mental health issues, people who refer to their pets as their kids or babies understand the difference between humans and other animals. They know dogs, cats, and hamsters aren’t human children. Referring to pets as babies is an affectation. If you find it irksome, just ignore it. Confronting them about it isn’t going to get you anywhere.

 

[Aggie414]

With the exception of those with profound mental health issues, people who refer to their pets as their kids or babies understand the difference between humans and other animals. They know dogs, cats, and hamsters aren’t human children. Referring to pets as babies is an affectation. If you find it irksome, just ignore it. Confronting them about it isn’t going to get you anywhere.

Exactly. I refer to my dogs as my babies – I usually do say furbabies, though.

I wouldn’t be so quick to judge. In my case, I always wanted children; but God had other plans for my life. I’m single, and my “furbabies” are who I talk to when I walk in the door. They’re happy to see me.

Do some people take it too far? Probably. But most if not all of us have some issue that we go overboard on. And as long as what they’re doing is not illegal, immoral, or fattening, what does it really matter?

 

[agnes_therese]

I really doubt that they don’t know the difference. Why say anything? It’s no big deal.

 

[PennyinCanada]

Chatting with pet people, some know all too well what awful things are done to animals. There are some sickos out there. Many people adopt animals that have been abused and give them a second chance for a better life. I know many people call their dogs or cats their ‘fur-kids’, and it’s because they want to emphasis that animals need food, shelter, and vet care and are not to be abused, kicked or set on fire or thrown from a vehicle on the highway. Allow them this small indulgence. They’ve probably seen something that made them cry for the cruelty that people are capable of.

 

[Et_Cetera]

There are way more important things to worry about than what someone calls their pet. Live and let live. If it bothers you that much, then you need to find a way to chill yourself out.

 

[DeniseNY]

Hi everyone,

What would be the right thing to do when a dog owner keeps telling you, directly or indirectly, that her dog is just like your baby. In other words, when you say, for instance, “my baby keeps waking up due to bad dreams and then I have to rock/ feed/soothe him” and you get told back, " I never go to my dog when he cries due to a bad dream, he usually soothes himself".

Do you ignore it?
Do you look back in utter shock?
Do you say pointedly " babies are not the same as pets?
Do you stay silent and let the silly statement remain in the room for everyone to also feel the silliness of it?
What should one do/ say?

Ps: to all pet owners, don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against them. I love animals but they have their own place and that is not the same as a baby’s.

I think people are entitled to feel the way they feel, and since it has no real impact on you, I’d just let it go.

 

[robwar]

Hi everyone,

What would be the right thing to do when a dog owner keeps telling you, directly or indirectly, that her dog is just like your baby. In other words, when you say, for instance, “my baby keeps waking up due to bad dreams and then I have to rock/ feed/soothe him” and you get told back, " I never go to my dog when he cries due to a bad dream, he usually soothes himself".

Do you ignore it?
Do you look back in utter shock?
Do you say pointedly " babies are not the same as pets?
Do you stay silent and let the silly statement remain in the room for everyone to also feel the silliness of it?
What should one do/ say?

Ps: to all pet owners, don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against them. I love animals but they have their own place and that is not the same as a baby’s.

Basically let it go. You are not going to win the argument here nor are you going to change that person’s mind. I would imagine that this person does not have children or that the children are older and gone and they are lonely and the pet fills the void. This isn’t something to pick a fight with and if you stated something that pets shouldn’t be elevated to the status of a child or baby, you will cause more of a fight that isn’t worth it. Realize that this person has loneliness in their life and these sorts of attachments come out of needs that are not met by fellow humans.

 

[gardenswithkids]

I don’t know. It depends. A couple I was friends with were obsessively involved with their dogs and used to annoy me with all the dog talk. I learned one day through a mutual friend that the couple was suffering from infertility. It humbled me.

Sometimes people who treat animals as their “babies” would rather have a human baby but can’t for a variety of reasons. And sometimes they prefer pets to children. You just can’t always tell which type of person you’re facing, even if you think you can.

They scenario presented in the original post sounds like the other person is trying to engage in a conversation. Smile. And when there’s a break in the chatter, change the subject to something you share in common.

 

[Mary2014]

Lots of childless people talk about their pets like that. I don’t know why it would bother you.

 

[tabycat]

Exactly. I refer to my dogs as my babies – I usually do say furbabies, though.

I wouldn’t be so quick to judge. In my case, I always wanted children; but God had other plans for my life. I’m single, and my “furbabies” are who I talk to when I walk in the door. They’re happy to see me.

Do some people take it too far? Probably. But most if not all of us have some issue that we go overboard on. And as long as what they’re doing is not illegal, immoral, or fattening, what does it really matter?

When asked if I ever had children, I sometimes anwser that all my kids had four feet and I do know the difference between a pet and a kid (the pet doesn’t leave at age 18 ).

 

[marymary1975]

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Exactly. I refer to my dogs as my babies – I usually do say furbabies, though.

I wouldn’t be so quick to judge. In my case, I always wanted children; but God had other plans for my life. I’m single, and my “furbabies” are who I talk to when I walk in the door. They’re happy to see me.

Do some people take it too far? Probably. But most if not all of us have some issue that we go overboard on. And as long as what they’re doing is not illegal, immoral, or fattening, what does it really matter?

I agree. I also call my pets my furbabes because me and my kid love them but we know that they are not human.

I know that some people take it over the line. Personally I have to say that it really bugs me people that are defending animal rights and against no kill shelters and saying all animal life is precious… While they are actively support abortion :banghead::tsktsk::tsktsk::tsktsk:

That really really bugs me. They have no problem in killing a human child but they are campaigning for animal life??? In that specific case I’d say something (as that is clear indication their priorities are messes up) but for most people I think they have their priorities in good order.

 

[tabycat]

Chatting with pet people, some know all too well what awful things are done to animals. There are some sickos out there. Many people adopt animals that have been abused and give them a second chance for a better life. I know many people call their dogs or cats their ‘fur-kids’, and it’s because they want to emphasis that animals need food, shelter, and vet care and are not to be abused, kicked or set on fire or thrown from a vehicle on the highway. Allow them this small indulgence. They’ve probably seen something that made them cry for the cruelty that people are capable of.

Not cruelty just to animals but to other people (like their kids). I grow up in the country and I know by the time that I was 5 or 6 I know that ‘city folk’ did with their unwanted dogs and cats (like dumping the amimals out like trash along the side of a road).

 

[NeedsMercy]

---

I agree. I also call my pets my furbabes because me and my kid love them but we know that they are not human.

I know that some people take it over the line. Personally I have to say that it really bugs me people that are defending animal rights and against no kill shelters and saying all animal life is precious… While they are actively support abortion :banghead::tsktsk::tsktsk::tsktsk:

That really really bugs me. They have no problem in killing a human child but they are campaigning for animal life??? In that specific case I’d say something (as that is clear indication their priorities are messes up) but for most people I think they have their priorities in good order.

I cannot understand why people think that being an animal activist and being pro-life are mutually exclusive. I know the great conservative masses like to propagate this nonsense, but I wonder if they understand how offensive it is to people like me–who are both–to hear this swill. I hear it so often it makes me want to cry.

 

[pensmama87]

I cannot understand why people think that being an animal activist and being pro-life are mutually exclusive. I know the great conservative masses like to propagate this nonsense, but I wonder if they understand how offensive it is to people like me–who are both–to hear this swill. I hear it so often it makes me want to cry.

I don’t know about marymary, but I know two people who fall into that category, one of whom has called me a horrible breeder for being so irresponsible as to have children. It is inconsistent, but you’re right that it definitely doesn’t define all animal lovers (hello, St. Francis.)

One time I was sitting at a traffic light and the car in front of me had a bumper sticker that said something like, “I love my grandbaby shih-tzu!” I spent way too much time trying to figure out if it was the driver’s dog’s puppy or her daughter’s dog!

 

[andrewstx]

I guess it would depend on the person. Maybe I’d make a joke of it and say, “wow, just imagine how it is with a baby!”

I actually think your post raises something the Pope commented on a while back, i.e., people who think pets are substitutes for children. It actually sort of bothers me when I read someone’s short on-line bio like some lawyers, politicians, etc., have, and it says something like “Ms. X. is the devoted parent of 2 golden retrievers” or something like that. They aren’t parents at all.

I think a bit of understanding is in order for the unmarried, infertile, and elderly. For a lot of those individuals pets are the only “babies” they can have.

I am a 59 nearly 60 year old man who is handicapped. I have two female pugs. They are the closest thing to babies I will ever and can ever have. Since I can’t drive I am at home with the pugs nearly 24/7. They bring me much joy, and yes they are my babies. At night they even sleep in the bed with me.

 

[andrewstx]

Exactly. I refer to my dogs as my babies – I usually do say furbabies, though.

I wouldn’t be so quick to judge. In my case, I always wanted children; but God had other plans for my life. I’m single, and my “furbabies” are who I talk to when I walk in the door. They’re happy to see me.

Do some people take it too far? Probably. But most if not all of us have some issue that we go overboard on. And as long as what they’re doing is not illegal, immoral, or fattening, what does it really matter?

I completely agree with you.

GIG 'EM

 

[GEddie]

When asked if I ever had children, I sometimes anwser that all my kids had four feet and I do know the difference between a pet and a kid (the pet doesn’t leave at age 18 ).

Lamentably, they tend to leave for the animal afterlife even before then…

I call my dog baby; I have no-one else to baby; so what the heqq???

ICXC NIKA