Do you ever get annoyed with childless people who treat their pets like kids?

It does bother me a little, yes, when they refer to them as their "fur babies" and say it's the same as having a child. I'm thinking, no, it's not. If you want to go out to dinner, or the movies, you just put the dog in the yard, or if it's an indoor dog, you leave it there and go. I would have to either take the child, or arrange for a baby sitter. I can't put my child in a kennel and head off to Vegas for a week. Hell, I can't just put her in the yard when I go home, throw some kibble in a bowl, and then go about my life. She requires constant attention, and loving and nurturing, and conversation and stimulation. That I could just walk to the park and throw a stick for half an hour to amuse her would be great.

But it doesn't work that way. She's not a companion, content to worship at my feet and fetch for me. She's a whole other person.

Dogs and cats are not people.

I have lost a friend over this and it makes me very sad. We used to hike together. She and her husband never had children. After they retired they moved to a city with great outdoor hiking trails. My husband and I moved there, too. We invited them for dinner, but were told they could not join us without their dog. We do not have pets, nor do we entertain the pets of others in our home. We do not dislike animals, but believe people who visit should respect the house rules. I was also told that this friend could not hike with me unless the dog was allowed to ride in my car. My friend has been cited twice by Forest Service personnel for letting her dog run off leash. Each time the fine was $250. Once she commented she did not understand why people put up no trespassing signs to keep un-welcomed people and animals off their property. It seems so rude to behave this way. She just does not get it. I do not wish to conform, so I am sad to say I have lost a friend.

Hold on it will be a minute I have to take my dog out to pee-pee.

Okay, Back. LOL. Well, walking a dog on a schedule is important. IF the dog needs to go then they need to go. Just like with you children you don't tell them to wait and hold it just so you can chat with a friend (that is if you don't want a mess to clean up). If these people are you friends then it is not acceptable for you to monopolize the conversation with your children. You guys should share the conversation. They need to listen to you about what you want to talk about and you do need to listen to them too.

Now, I have two children and a puppy. I know how hard it is to deal with both. If you friend's dog is still a puppy then soothing her and dealing with her misbehavior like interpreting is just as important as if your child was pulling on your pants leg saying mama mama while you were having a conversation. That behavior has to be stopped right then, same goes for a puppy jumping up and barking while someone is having a conversation.

Having said that, some people are crazy over their pets. I had a friend that wanted me to come to her dog's birthday party and I was suppose to bring a present and wear a party hat. She didn't even come to my kids' party. As a veterinary technician I have seen some people go way to over board for their pets. I knew a woman who's dog rode in a baby stroller and only drank name brand bottled water from a squeeze bottle, it only ate top brand canned dog food and it had never ate from a bowl. It was always fed with a little silver spoon. The dog had clothes too. It was crazy. I love my dog and I spoil her with toys, good food, lots of snacks, and playtime, but there has to be a limit.

I feel bad for individuals like this. I agree it could get annoying but they are really lonely and just have these pets. I use to work with this lady that was a willow and her kids were all already married so all she had was her dog that was like her baby. She would bring her in a stroller,dress her up and call the dog her baby. I just would be nice and pet the dog and tell her how cute is she. I just personally felt bad because I know that dog is all she has now so I didn't want to be mean to her. But it is kind of crazy how some of these dogs have better strollers then some real babies in this world do.

Yes, but I realize that she has so little in her life that the dog is pretty much it. I have yet to find a way deal with it, but as I'm not on facebook and don't see her all that often I guess I haven't had a pressing need to.

Perhaps you could meet somewhere pets aren't allowed and when they start going on about fluffy saying that you are more interested in how you are more interested in how THEY are doing, not their dog. Maybe not friending the dog could be a conversation opener. "Well, we really don't hang out much and our taste in music and movies is so far apart. And don't get me started about our political differences!"

I always wonder if these people ever watch the Dog Whisperer. Treating your pets as humans only makes them unhappy. It's like people who do nothing but pacify their kids. It makes for an unhappy kid. People and animals need boundaries relative to their experiences.

Well, your relatives are just nuts, period. Like most moms I am pretty wrapped up in my son and daughetr due in October but I try to be a little more restrained that your relative! For pete's sake, I don't make a facebook page for my son and expect people to respond! My sister once told a coworker that having a new kitten was just like him caring for a newborn, lol. She also complained I wasn't as "bonded" with my cats as sh was with hers as if that was neglectful, I have a 2 year old, a full time job, and a baby on the way!! I pay attention to them every day but there's a limit!!

I am a huge animal lover but I realize someone who isn;t a parent may just not be able to understand. Its fine if people are obsessed with their pets, but it sounds like they are just over the top.

Not as much as I get annoyed by people bringing their bratty unruly kids in my house and not making them mind!!

I don't get simply annoyed by people like that, I get furious when I see my friends compensating their egregious marriage relationship with a furry love toy. They live in a bloody lie! It gets even worse when they eventually become physical. I simply abhor dog-worshipping.

My babysitter's neighbor is like that and I absolutely cannot stand her. She has a miniature doberman and its like 11 yrs old. She kept bringing it around the toddlers and my son, I flipped out on her. She was acting like it was a child and shoving it in the kids faces. Im sorry but its a DOG and its old and my kid doesnt want anything to do with your PET. She dresses the thing in clothes and talks about it's playdates with other animals. Its ridiculous.