Pet owners referring to each other as mummy and daddy

[Perfidy]

We’ve got an adorable scruff of a puppy. First time dog owners as adults, had cats before. Dh has grown up kids and the dog Is to help with a bit of empty nest.

I’m finding the being referred to as ‘mummy’ by dh, as in go find mummy she’s got your dinner’ a tiny bit cringey. What to do instead....or just get over myself!

You’re not the parents, you’re the owner. To responsibly train you have to make that difference.

Nonsense. The aim of both is to bring up acceptable members of society, who can make the correct decisions for themselves (for instance, don't steal, even when no one is watching), understand boundaries, but still come to you for love, support and guidance.

Dogs function, cognitively, at the same level as a 2-3 year old human. Very similar tactics can be used to train all species - positive reinforcement works exactly the same way.

We don't call the dogs fur babies and they're not siblings to each other or DC, but we are mum and dad to them.When giving commands, they're shorter than our names and it's much easier to say "find Mum/get Dad" than our names.

I strongly dislike other people referring to us as Dog's mummy/daddy, or refering to them as DC's sisters. That's too much for me.

this thread is hilarious.
Growing up our family pets were our sisters.
When I got our dog the dc were soon referring to him as their little brother. My dm who hates dogs generally adores him and calls herself nanny to him. It's everyone else that calls me mummy to him such as 'go to mummy!' rather than me but it's cute.

I find mummy and daddy weird, we just use our names! There's no way I'm the cat's mum - housemate if anything

I am Mum, not Mummy but then I always feel a bit odd about 'Mummy' even when used by older children - totally my own hang up.

Definitely don’t refer to the dog as fur babies, but I do enjoy ‘oh look, it’s your father, kill! and ‘don’t hump your father, darling’. If we’re going to see friends ‘right, go fetch your lead, we’re going to see Aunty Fanny’.

He’s well-behaved for the most part so don’t feel like it’s scarred him too deeply.

We do it too here. We were both a bit embarrassed hesitant at first but it was an easy way to refer to each other.

We are now soundly 'mummy' and 'daddy' of the dogs. They also get referred to as 'the kids' if they're being needy or a squabbling

I love these threads because the suitably offended will be on soon defining why we aren't mummy and daddy to our pets and how it offends them

I talk to my dog a lot and he loves it, it feels right for us to call ourselves daddy and mommy. He is our baby but i wouldn't think he is brother of our kids though!

I am ok with mum/mummy and dad/daddy but 'fur baby' is a step too far for me.

Each to their own, though. A loved dog is a loved dog regardless of the description used.

I disagree with a post above too - the cats are absolutely a part of our family even though I don't consider myself their mum

I adopted my dogs. So, that would make their mum, would it not?

And you can train dogs whilst being their mum or dad. Dont be ridiculous.

I don't give a monkeys what anyone thinks about it. I feed them, I care for them, I clean up after them, I love them. That makes me their mummy in my book

This!

*You’re right to find it cringeworthy. It’s awful. I judge anyone harshly who refers to themselves as the mum/dad to their animals, and even harder those who call them their fur babies and treat them like they’re their kids.
**
*You’re not the parents, you’re the owner. To responsibly train you have to make that difference

I do not own pets, I have pets. Like I have children, I don't own them.

I harshly judge anyone who comments rudely on what other people do when it's absolutely nothing to do with them and affects them in no way at all @heartsonacake

My husband is ‘dad dads’ to our dog. I only have to say ‘is dad dads coming’ when he is due home from work and doggers will sit by the window and wait.

and doggers will sit by the window and wait

that works well for both types of dogger

I also hate it when people talk about adopting an animal, our kids are adopted and it feels massively wrong to put rehoming an animal in the same terms.

I have never articulated that before so fully expecting a backlash. It's just a personal thing.

My dogs know Mil as Grandma and Sil as Auntie, which they both detest; win-win in my book.

I also believe that the cat definitely thinks she looks after me, not the other way around. Grooms me, brings me mice because I'm such a bad hunter, makes sure I get out of bed when she thinks I should

Ah sorry we're mummy and daddy here. But doesn't seem as weird since we had human children.

I'll just leave this here...

http://www.pethealthnetwork.com/news-blogs/a-vets-life/pet-parents-research-shows-dogs-may-view-us-parents

Signed, the dog's Mum

Proud mama of a border terrier here. I personally don't find it cringeworthy at all.

**Mum here.

To responsibly train you have to make that difference

Surely to responsibly train you have to understand the basics of classical and operational conditioning, including the use of consequences - reinforcing, aversive and neutral. Know how reinforcement schedules will impact the efficiency of your training and the animal. And apply all that is a way that gets you the behaviour you want with the minimum amount of stress to the animal?**

Great answer! 😂 😂

I am a dog trainer. I am also my dogs mum!
Owner is horrible, he is not my slave. Guardian is better but not emotional enough.

I do not own pets, I have pets. Like I have children, I don't own them.

ALovelyBitOfSquirrel Incorrect. You have children because you gave birth to your children. You have pets because you bought them and now own them.

No, it doesn’t affect me except for my feeling extremely embarrassed for anyone who does it and very pitiful for them too.

I hate the term fur baby, but DH and I are Mummy and Daddy

I did protest that I wasn’t her mother for ages but even I do it now.

My mum and dad are granny and grandad

I find this awful too.
I always want to ask, so how was the actual birth, was the midwife shocked?
Or, how did you conceive?
🤣