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Original poster

Pet owners referring to each other as mummy and daddy

177 replies

Perfidy · 19/04/2020 07:29

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!

OP posts:

Tumbleweed101 · 19/04/2020 15:31

I hated it when I had small children and childless friends referred to themselves as mummy/daddy to their pets. It felt like their was no level of comparison to the hard work of parenting small children. Still not keen and don’t refer to myself in this way with our pets but it doesn’t bothering me as strongly as it did back then.

saraclara · 19/04/2020 15:34

I’m trying to imagine telling the dog “Go to Mr Missy he has your dinner” grin
Of course I say Daddy what else am I going to say?

I presume your husband has a name?

How about "go to (Dave), he has your dinner"

EnthusiasmIsDisturbed · 19/04/2020 15:35

Pusscat soldier also signs cards 🐾

Not to everyone he is picky

And many family and friends include the greeting to him

EnthusiasmIsDisturbed · 19/04/2020 15:37

And has joined in on the work video calls

Seems all dogs and cats in our team have at some point

KatherineJaneway · 19/04/2020 15:41

Some of us can't have children. Surely such a small thing as calling yourself Mummy to a cat or dog is not such a big thing in the scheme of things.

Dontfuckingsaycheese · 19/04/2020 15:49

I consider myself Mummy iro ddog. However, I'm the only one who uses it. Though ddog knows who Gran and Grandad are (he gets very excited when told he's going to see them) and he knows ds's name as in 'where's ?' and he runs up to ds's bedroom, he doesn't know my name as nobody else refers to me as that . There's no 'where's Mummy?' going on from DS (who at 17 could probably not care less where Mummy was unless he's after food, money or a lift). TBH we'd be more likely to get a positive response from ddog if he was asked 'where's the twat?' which is practically a term of endearment in our house .

MogeatDog · 19/04/2020 15:50

I hated it when I had small children and childless friends referred to themselves as mummy/daddy to their pets. It felt like their was no level of comparison to the hard work of parenting small children. I don't understand your need for recognition of the hardship of bring up your kids - we all have vastly different experiences - some kids are challenging from the start and others are a breeze - where would comparison get you?

Gotaprettypup · 19/04/2020 15:53

We had a friend with a dog years ago, when we were in a pub someone said to the dog, who is your mummy and daddy, our friend responded with 'I may have shagged a few bitches in my life but not produced a puppy' We were and He made a point of referring to his dog as his friend not his kid.
Our dog at the time got used to the kids calling us mum and dad. We didn't call him in a 'kid way' though.
Now we have DPrettypup..kids left home years ago..but we are mummy and daddy to her. DD calls her the furrysister
I don't like 'furbaby' but I have referred to her as a giant 4 legged furry toddler!

AwrightDoreenTakeAFuckinDayOff · 19/04/2020 15:58

Was a mummy to the dog who saved my soul after my children didn’t make it.

Now a loving and doting aunt to another darling dog.

I wouldn’t have it any other way. 💕

bluebell94 · 19/04/2020 16:01

We are 100% our dogs mammy and daddy! My parents dogs and my siblings are his aunts and uncles, the whole lot he is just like my baby, I adopted him and brought him into my family.
Loving people getting so offended by this. As for the poster who said they then ask how the birth was and if the midwife was surprised, not sure if you know this but you can ~shock, horror~ adopt a child too!

GiantKitten · 19/04/2020 16:04

I refer to DH as Daddy sometimes when talking to the cats because it ENRAGES him

Not seriously but he goes AAAAAARGH & has to leave the room. We are both OAPs, which makes it worse in his mind.

Dontfuckingsaycheese · 19/04/2020 16:11

I take my pp back. . I asked ds. He does refer to me as Mummy with ddog.

Helmlover1 · 19/04/2020 16:13

I am not just my cat’s ‘owner’ and she is not just my ‘pet’. She’s my fur baby and I’m her fur mummy. I don’t care if it sounds weird, cringeworthy, whatever- she’s a very spoilt, loved member of our family

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe · 19/04/2020 16:16

Our vet always used to call our dogs by their first name and our surname so he'd pop his head out of the door and call, "Max Williams?". I used to like that.

Also when I took one of dogs in for an x-ray and she was carrying on a bit and being uncooperative and the nurse said, "Your mum's only just outside, we'll be done in a minute'. I liked that. I miss them so much, we all do.

I don't have an opinion on people referring to themselves as their pets mum or dad. I'm not fussed on mummy or daddy myself, but mum and dad is fine. :)

I know these threads can get a bit pointed and judgemental at times but I've skimmed the first page and it's just nice reminisces so far.

Namesgonenow · 19/04/2020 16:17

My 4 year old DA most definitely thinks I have 3 babies and counts them loudly each morning -

This is your BABY baby (12 week old DD)
This is your big boy baby (4 year old himself DS himself)
And this is your hairy baby (5 year old DDog).

Spouse and I most definitely refer to each other as mummy and daddy and that’s how dog knows us. Everyone said when we got her as a puppy that we’d change these terms and our minds and hearts once kids arrived. Well - first a boy arrived and then a girl - and ddog still v much has her mummy and daddy. Wouldn’t be any other way.
My three babies indeed DS!

PleasePassTheCoffeeThanks · 19/04/2020 16:17

Really cringe... BUT I agree, there is no real alternative. First names maybe? Seems weird also for some reason.
Oh well, who cares

MogeatDog · 19/04/2020 18:06

We call our kids and the dog collectively "the puppies" . I know it's a bit weird - but they like it though!

Cherrysoup · 19/04/2020 19:28

We are definitely mummy and daddy. Don’t care, it would be a bit weird to say ‘Go and see xxxxxx’ or whatever.

BoBomian · 19/04/2020 19:38

Super cringey OP! I always thought it was most ridiculous to do this and still do.

Saying that, I am mummy, dh is daddy, my mum is nana and my dds are the non-fury big sisters to our 1 year old lab. . It happens when your fur baby (super cringe) becomes a family member.

I would most definitely NOT talk like this in front of non family members!

MogeatDog · 19/04/2020 19:42

Dogs make you a bit silly - and I don't see that as a bad thing...maybe we need to lighten up a bit. My kids aka the puppies said to me can you imagine going through lockdown without a dog! They are our diversion and light relief and we all love them more than is sane to admit! So call us Mummy or Daddy to our lovely dog as we do - it just strengthens our bond with them and that's always a good thing! An judge us if you want - we love them so much we don't care - how liberating is that?

Dreamersandwishers · 19/04/2020 19:54

Have to say - I have found my people 😁

ChardonnaysPetDragon · 19/04/2020 20:00

My dogs have FaceTime with Granny. They bark, she loves it.

MogeatDog · 19/04/2020 20:02

My dogs have FaceTime with Granny. They bark, she loves it. Our dog has zoom with the work team - mostly he just snoozes through the meeting though - after his initial star appearance!

nicky7654 · 19/04/2020 20:05

I have two furbaby Staffies who love their human mum and dad very much

ChardonnaysPetDragon · 19/04/2020 20:09

I pretend the barking comes from next door when I WFH.

People pretend they believe me.

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