It's a bloody dog!

Yes the best reply would have "have you got our cats a gift?"

We do get a little treat for in-laws dog and they do ours and we also get ours a couple of pressies. But I would never assume anything or expect him to be treated like a child. Taking him home when he's playing up Is actually quite considerate.

Actually... yeah, they are.

Humans have selectively bred dogs over the years (I mean, 40'000 of them) to accept humans in the 'parent/primary care giver' role... to the point that our domestic dogs now wean puppies and leave them far far younger than any comparable mammal or wild canid would...because we'll take over.

We've also selectively bred them to retain babylike features, big eyes, soft ears, but also behaviourally, to still play and offer appeasing and deferential behaviours (mouth licking for example, is what a juvenile/puppy does to an older family member to prompt them to give food)...

Ignoring all the affectations and silliness (and yes our dogs 'call' us Mummy and Daddy, but only in our house when no ones there, we don't do that in public and if I ever catch myself I'll give myself a slap)... you should be your dogs parent.

You should keep them safe, you should educate, you should manage, you should meet their needs, feed them, deal with medical needs and you should love them.
If that isn't a parental role then I'm fucked if I know what is.

And taking the dog home because they're overtired and need a rest is very responsible dog ownership indeed. If more people did this, we would see far fewer dog bite incidents!

Expecting other people to buy their dog a christmas present is batshit though!!

I doubt they would recognise themselves because sadly there are so many of these weirdo owners about.

I love dogs, have fostered them and rehabilitated them for adoption for years (as well as adopted a few myself that would have been pts otherwise), but these types of owners raise anxious and neurotic dogs. I get the end result of this type of ownership, when they can no longer deal with neighbours noise complaints of howling/barking from neurosis and separation anxiety.

As I said love dogs, but wouldn’t in a million years compare to human children. Expecting gifts, cringing so hard on their behalf.

I have a gorgeous dog that I love and care for like a child BUT he is treated like a dog.. and better behaved than my boys were!
I bought him a present because he enjoys ripping the paper off but I wouldn't expect anyone else to.. and I certainly would ask where his present was!
They sound OTT, but they may be struggling to conceive or fulfill a need in them who knows

Thank you. The loss is different but the pain is the same. They are massive parts of your life. People don't quite grasp it, if they've not had one.

@IpsyUpsyDaisyDoos sorry for your loss. I know that pain all too well, and it was acutely similar to the loss of both my parents. I know they are totally different experiences, and it is complex, but the initial pain in my heart felt the same.

All sounds a bit unhinged to me. And I have a dog whom I love very much! I would never take him to see father Xmas. Because he’s a dog and would prefer to spend the time eating, at the park or on the sofa!! They clearly have some unmet needs. I’d just carry on being civil but not bend to the bizarre demands!!

‘My four, yes, four cats are well cared for, although I don't know if I am unreasonable for not getting them presents now.’

I know a couple of people who can't have kids and their dogs are their substitute babies. I love my dog like a family member, and will put their needs first, like if they're agitated. I don't expect people to buy them presents or treat them like a grandchild or niece / nephew, but people should understand that we love them like we would any family member. They are different to cats in that they also love you more than they love themselves.

I recently lost my dog, and I am utterly heartbroken. The grief is as bad as some family members, and worse than others. She was a huge part of my life, she was there through bad times and she was there for all my happy too. She was there, when many humans wouldn't have been.

Out of curiosity, for those who object to Mum/Dad I’m guessing you prefer first names? So go to John etc with commands?

It is very odd to behave like this. I don't think dogs have evolved to suit this role. They need a job, a chain of command, a routine and praise when they deserve it, not willynilly like a toddler. I see it as a bit like going to the gym. A new thing that people are using as a substitute for the disintegrating 'nuclear family home owning married by 30' model. But if it works for them, who are we to question it.

This is super cringey and ridiculous imv

This is true - but OP's relatives dog is 3 not a little puppy!

I can't bear the way some parents bring their kids to every social engagement, force them into every conversation and use baby talk when they are speaking to or about them. We can all be a bit annoying sometimes.

Taking a tired dog home is sensible. Expecting gifts is daft. Talking about cousins is insane. Calling themselves mum and dad I’m on the fence over.

Yes, absolutely OP, it’s ridiculous. It’s a dog ffs

I work for a massive company. There was once a woman who was fairly new and used to sit around the corner in a different department. We didn't really know her. One day she came in telling everyone her daughter had died during the night. Everyone was shocked and was telling her to go home and whatever was she was doing in work. We later found out it was her dog who had died and she called the dog her daughter. I'll never forget it.

I allowed my Christmas guests to bring their dog but they were offended when I wouldn’t let him sit on my cream couch. They said it was a shame for him. I sympathise OP.

I'm.a dog owner.

What you describe is Bat shit

I have no problem with people loving their pets. I love my own, deeply. But I don’t inflict them on other people by taking them to their houses, insisting on bringing them with me to every social engagement, and forcing them into every conversation. That shit is tedious, and I’m done with it. So I tend to give those people a swerve when I can. It’s not about being judgemental - they’re welcome to carry on like that. Without me.

I always buy little presents for DD’s cats, and SiL’s, and when we had both dog and cat they always had presents, too. Ditto the 3 dogs of friends who came more than once to stay at Christmas.
This year I also bought a present for DD’s chickens - just a tin of sweetcorn wrapped up (they love it!) - the Gdcs would have been upset if the chooks had been left out.

Sorry, no they absolutely do not. Not until they are older and more sensible. As youngsters they will fight it like a toddler would

It would be fine if it weren't for genuinely expecting gifts for the dogs.. like all the rest of it I'd just ignore.
But I'm not sure I could be kind to someone who genuinely expected gifts for their dogs from family members. Because they are being quite unkind themselves aren't they?

All our rescues have been treated with the same level of love and kindness we show to family and friends. They have all been allowed access to our sofas and our bed.

We do refer to each other as mummy and daddy when talking to our dog 🤣, but we only do this at home, and I've never used the term furbaby.

I wouldn't be offended if someone didn't buy my dog a present, but we have given them in the past, and enjoyed watching them chew them open on Christmas day.

I also don't think that it is appropriate for my dog to go everywhere with me.

If I had to choose the life of my dog, or a stranger's child, I'd choose to save the stranger's child. However, I wouldn't say that all human life is more important than my dog's life, and I would choose to save my dog's life over many nasty individuals.

Call your dog what you like, it may well be a member of your family, as long as it has appropriate boundaries like any member. Frankly some of the humans I've heard about on here over Christmas could do with more discipline and boundaries. That said, being annoyed that someone hasn't got it a present is very demanding.

On the nap, I couldn't be annoyed about that. The best dog owners I know have all taught their dogs to lay down and settle on a bed (and brought said bed to gatherings) - though TBF there may not have been room and sometimes it is good to remove a dog from an overstimulating environment. I'd think of that as good ownership rather than pretending it was a child.