Dog/child

[dotdashdot]

My dog is like "practice" child, I believe I'm not ready for children yet at 21 years of age, but I still have maternal and caring instincts that I need to fulfill and Cleo is a willing "fulfiller".

That doesn't mean that she is babied (hard to baby a 22kg dog will endless energy anyway) it just means I provide the best care suitable to a DOG, i.e premium foods, having money for veterinary care should the need arise and being there for her social and exercise needs.

I think it is cruel to deny a dog its "dogginess" and treat it like something it is not. We (well the majority of people, hopefully) would not treat a child like a dog, so why treat a dog like a child?

[Odin-Genie]

My dogs are 'dogs'. Not 'just' dogs or 'still' dogs. Those words to me denote an inferior status in the priority list. My dogs are incredibly important to me, not because they are child substitutes but because they are dogs. I don't think I could have children around me 24/7.

Dogs have different training and companionship requirements. They can't be treated like human children. But saying that, I also believe that a lot of things that people do to spoil their dogs would also result in spoilt children. For example giving in to a stubborn child, or pampering them all the time.

[JulesP]

Oh dear I was just standing outside asking the dogs if I had given them lunch as I couldn't remember. Amber licked her lips so I assume that meant 'no'. :rofl:

[Staffyluv]

I refer to the two I have here (my boy, Ziggy and Pippa our current foster pup) as the babies... I say to my son, watch the babies don't get into stuff while I am out and things like that but I don't actually think they are babies..

Ziggy is a total mud monster and loves to be wet and dirty. The more water and mud in his life the happier he is. Pippa not so much but she will dig occasionally.

Ziggy sleeps on the end of my bed and Pippa sleeps in a crate beside my bed... This works for us but Pippa comes up for cuddles of a morning...

Ziggy is not a big cuddle bug but Pippa is...

They both love training sessions and will actually get the squeaky ball and bring it to me (one of the tools I use to get attention)...

I am quite attached to Ziggy and we have only had him for about 6 months (pound rescue). I adore Pippa and will be sad when she finds her forever home but that is the way of rescue...

I won't start talking about Ollie dog but it goes without saying I would have done anything for him.. Those that knew him and I know our story and how irreplaceabley precious he was and always will be to me...

Dogs are wonderful additions and family members but they need to be able to be dogs..

Edited April 8, 2012 by Staffyluv

[raz]

My dogs are dogs, not children. I can give my dogs raw meaty bones for dinner, shut them in a crate to drive them somewhere and let them crap in the backyard or pee on a tree. I'd probably be in a bit of trouble if I treated a kid like that.

[westiemum]

I refer to Justice as my furkid and me and his Mum and my Mum calls him her grandson and he knows her as Grandmama but it's really just for our own amusement, not because we think he is a child. He also gets called Mr Joostice, Snooky Bear, Woofy Bug, Stinky Pants, Wiggle Butt etc... so I don't think referring to your dog as your furkid is a big deal. Thinking of them as an actual child substitute though does your dog no favours whatsoever. They are awesome, intelligent, funny beings in their own right and need to be respected for just that. I didn't know it was possible to love a dog this much before I got him and I love doing doggy things with him that he enjoys and seeing how happy that makes him. :)

As usual Snook has summed it up beautifully - and it's the same here. I'm under no illusion that the westies are dogs even though as a sign of affection I talk about them as my 'babies' and have funny names for them too ( Sarah was 'stinky butt' last night too! Today she's just the 'grubby girl'!) But I never forget that they are dogs and deserve the respect that comes with that uniqueness. It's precisely because of their 'dogginess' that I love them so much. Not because I think they are substitute humans on four legs.

[Danois]

My dog is my dog. He is a part of my life but he is not my life.

I despise the term furkid and find it a little disturbing people use it to refer to their dogs.

[Emily3875]

I have two kids and two dogs. Dogs are dogs. Humans are humans. Although I despise people who carry their dogs around in handbags and dress them up and coddle them like children, I'm not one to tell them not to do it. If that's what they want their dogs for, that's their problem. Dogs will always be dogs, weather they are a Maltese or a wolfhound. Some people just don't see them as dogs... Which is sad for the dog

[flame ryder]

I have two kids and two dogs. Dogs are dogs. Humans are humans. Although I despise people who carry their dogs around in handbags and dress them up and coddle them like children, I'm not one to tell them not to do it. If that's what they want their dogs for, that's their problem. Dogs will always be dogs, weather they are a Maltese or a wolfhound. Some people just don't see them as dogs... Which is sad for the dog

I dress my dog up...but I think I can be excused as he is a Chinese Hairless. I think he currently has more outfits than me. I've dressed other dogs up such as Chihuahuas or other dogs with short hair, especially as they are getting into old age. But I can't see the point in dressing dogs that have good, thick coats of their own fur. That's just plain stupid and the dog doesn't need it.....although short term for a special occasion would be ok. I was never into rugging my horses either...I reckon mother nature does a good job giving them their own winter coat...but that's another issue.

[juice]

My dogs are dogs and get treated as such.

There is no comparison, i can only assume people who treat dogs like children are missing something, and 'furkids' annoys the crap out of me too :laugh:

[Erny]

To treat a dog as anything other than a dog is insulting to the dog. Like a human being treated as something other than a human - not on. IMO, if a human loves their dog enough they'll acknowledge and honour their 'dog-ness'. Of course we all have dogs for our own different reasons. It doesn't mean we can't take advantage of what dogs are able to give us, as long as we give back to them for their dog-needs as well.

Edited April 8, 2012 by Erny

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

My dogs are dogs and get treated as such.

There is no comparison, i can only assume people who treat dogs like children are missing something, and 'furkids' annoys the crap out of me too :laugh:

I'll have to remember not to refer to mine as such or I might end up with purple hair ....

[RubyStar]

I haven't read the replies to this thread, but for me, yes I call my dogs my kids, but they still get treated like dogs. They sleep in the laundry at night (or on my bedroom floor), are not allowed on beds or furniture, eat dog food outside in a dog bowl, are not allowed to beg humans for food, pee/poop outside on the lawn, get walked on a lead, are disciplined and trained, and are loved and receive hugs and affection from me. I don't see it as unhealthy to treat them like dogs but love them so much that I affectionately refer to them as my kiddies.

[RubyStar]

I think if you treated a dog how you would ideally treat a child it would be fine, you have a routine, you care for thier health, you make sure they are mentally stimulated and exercise and show them appropriate discipline as well as love and affection. And also that they are a priority and main part of your life. But I don't think I would call that treating a dog like a child, just taking good care of my dog.

If you treat a dog like a human infant it will obviously not work and when I see people say they treat thier dog "like a child" this is what I think of.

I don't understand what people mean when they refer to dogs being treated as children. Are we talking dogs eating at the dinner table, wearing clothes, sleeping in a cot kind of thing? It just doesn't make sense. If anybody truly treats their dogs like children then I think there must be some mental imbalance, but all the things RV listed above, and then some, are just part of being a good dog owner.

Edit: I just briefly skimmed a few pages of the thread that urged the creation of this one, so I think I understand the dogs treated as children, thing. Um nope, I don't treat my dogs like children, they are treated very well just like dogs, but sue me if I still want to lovingly nickname them as my kids!

Edited April 8, 2012 by RubyStar

[Allerzeit]

My dogs are my children, and will be given every opportunity.

I find this a strange question - every opportunity for what??

The OP in that other thread said that her dog was her child and was given every opportunity to be human. Is that what the people who have answered yes to this question mean? What's involved in giving your dog every opportunity to be human? Why would you do that when they're NOT human?

Exactly what "every opportunity" are you giving to your dog that I'm not giving to mine because I don't treat them as human?

[juice]

To a degree we treat them in a similar fashion, they are a commitment, we have routine's and have boundries.

However the danger happens when we allow either to do as they please because we love them.

Certain breeds need a very firm leader ( as do some kids :laugh: ), and i believe treating some like this is a recipe for disaster.

Dogs need stong leaders, food, shelter, stimulation and exercise, they think in the now.

Everything else is for our benefit. :)

[Guest lavendergirl]

I think if you treated a dog how you would ideally treat a child it would be fine, you have a routine, you care for thier health, you make sure they are mentally stimulated and exercise and show them appropriate discipline as well as love and affection. And also that they are a priority and main part of your life. But I don't think I would call that treating a dog like a child, just taking good care of my dog.

If you treat a dog like a human infant it will obviously not work and when I see people say they treat thier dog "like a child" this is what I think of.

I don't understand what people mean when they refer to dogs being treated as children. Are we talking dogs eating at the dinner table, wearing clothes, sleeping in a cot kind of thing? It just doesn't make sense. If anybody truly treats their dogs like children then I think there must be some mental imbalance, but all the things RV listed above, and then some, are just part of being a good dog owner.

Edit: I just briefly skimmed a few pages of the thread that urged the creation of this one, so I think I understand the dogs treated as children, thing. Um nope, I don't treat my dogs like children, they are treated very well just like dogs, but sue me if I still want to lovingly nickname them as my kids!

I don't understand what this really means either. I think many people lavish the same amount of love on a dog as they would on a child - that does not mean they think they are children. I don't understand people giving dogs birthday parties etc but I don't condemn them for it - what harm are they doing? Companion dogs in particular were bred to develop a close bond to humans. Lets face it in Australia you can only treat animals as children to a very limited extent - they are not as welcome in restaurants, shops etc as they are in some countries in Europe for instance.

[raz]

Exactly what "every opportunity" are you giving to your dog that I'm not giving to mine because I don't treat them as human?

It's got me beat. Maybe they let the dog drive the car. I couldnt understand the comment that dogs are 'the new children'. What on earth does that mean?

[PuddleDuck]

I'll never forget when my BIL got his labs and we went to meet them. Asked where they were and got told that as they were having people over that night the pups had been 'put down for a nap' a couple of hours earlier. I laughed and walked into a partially demolished puppy room :laugh: they abolished naptime and moved them into the yard-much better for everyone :laugh:

[Weasels]

To a degree we treat them in a similar fashion, they are a commitment, we have routine's and have boundries.

However the danger happens when we allow either to do as they please because we love them.

Certain breeds need a very firm leader ( as do some kids :laugh: ), and i believe treating some like this is a recipe for disaster.

Dogs need stong leaders, food, shelter, stimulation and exercise, they think in the now.

Everything else is for our benefit. :)

Actually, after reading this post I realised that I see far more of people treating dogs 'like children' in a more immediatly negative way than the OP in the vet thread probably meant. Things like punishing a dog for something it did an hour ago, expecting it do obey out of "respect", calling them stubborn, and generally ascribing a higher level of abstract reasoning than dogs posess. All reasonable things for children; for dogs, not so much.

Edit - just to clarify, I agree with everything you wrote Juice, it just got me thinking.

Edited April 8, 2012 by Weasels