Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

To think having a dog is NOT the same as having kids.

47 replies

LayMeDown · 19/12/2013 12:46

BIL and partner got a dog. She's a gorgeous little thing, really friendly and gentle and very quiet.
They are besotted with her. Sleeps in their bed, dressed up in little outfits, presents under the tree etc. All fine. She's their baby I get it.
However several times now they have empathised with us saying they understand how difficult it is having kids since they've got her. That its just like having a kid themselves with the early morning rises, responsibility etc.
While I accept there is responsibility in dog ownership am I U to think it is actually nothing like being a parent and all that goes with rearing a child (hopefully) successfully into adulthood?

OP posts:

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 19/12/2013 12:48

Of course it is nothing like having kids. No-body batted an eyelid when we cage-trained ddog1......

TheReturnoftheSmartArse · 19/12/2013 12:49

No. It's a whole lot easier. Had I known what I do now, I'd have stuck with dogs ...

eurochick · 19/12/2013 12:51

I have observed that many of the same trainign techniques can be applied to both puppies and toddlers.

Felyne · 19/12/2013 12:51

Can I put my kids in a kennel and go on holiday for two weeks then?
Sure there are similarities but no. Pets =/= kids.

Bumbolina · 19/12/2013 12:52

Dogs sleep don't they?

My kids don't.

Shockers · 19/12/2013 12:53

Shockerdog was much harder as a puppy than any of the children!

She's much easier to please now though.... and cheaper to run.

gamerchick · 19/12/2013 12:54

It's not the same but it doesn't hurt unless they turn into bitey snappy snarling things who can do no wrong in their owners eyes. They still need proper training.

AvonCallingBarksdale · 19/12/2013 12:54

OP YANBU in the slightest. Anyone rationally knows it's nothing like the same. A friend was telling me that a friend of hers had posted on FB about their dog dying, saying that this would be the equivalent of someone losing their child. Er, no. I get that pets are very, very important to people and can become one of the family, but it is categorically not the same as having kids.

fivegolddeblooms · 19/12/2013 12:55

YANBU.

I've always though the effor/return ratio is much better on my dog than it is on the kids.

All the dog needs is walks, food, clean water, grooming and a clean bed and I get unconditional love in return.

The kids need so much more and the love isn't always that forthcoming!

HesterShaw · 19/12/2013 12:55

They might be over compensating perhaps? Do you know if they're TTC or anything?

On the face of it, I'd say no having a dog isn't as full on as a child. They are bloody hard work though! And as a teacher, I often compared training 6 year olds as very similar to puppy training.

sewingandcakes · 19/12/2013 12:56

Not the same at all, although getting a dog can be a good practice run before having children that's what I did.

Lj8893 · 19/12/2013 12:56

My cousin got a puppy around the same time dd was born.

When I first met the puppy, I said to my cousin that I had it alot easier with dd than she did with the puppy !!

Unfortunately I know that won't last once dd is walking/talking etc

BrownSauceSandwich · 19/12/2013 12:57

Eurochick, that's so very true. Puppies throw tantrums when they're tired too!

But yeah, having a dog is a responsibility, but nobody's going to call social services if you leave them home alone to go to the shops. And last time I checked, you couldn't put kids in kennels for the week so you can piss off to the algarve.

HesterShaw · 19/12/2013 12:57

Though actually I would argue that if you are childless, losing a much loved pet is absolutely devastating.

HesterShaw · 19/12/2013 12:58

Hi Euro. Love how we made the same observations about puppies/toddlers :o

treaclesoda · 19/12/2013 12:58

In some ways I found having a dog worse than having children.

If I go out somewhere, I take the kids with me, I don't have to worry about getting home in time to let them out to pee in the garden.

When I go on holidays, they come too, I don't need to put them in kennels.

treaclesoda · 19/12/2013 12:59

I should also have added that yes, of course, having kids is a much bigger responsibility!

SettingPlaster · 19/12/2013 13:01

When someone refers to a pet as their baby, or, worse, their 'furbaby', I have to stop myself from stabbing them with a fork.

OP, you are a saint for even continuing to keep company with someone who dresses their dog up in little outfits and puts its presents under the tree.

MamaPingu · 19/12/2013 13:04

I think there are similarities in having a dog or a child but a child is much harder!
Like another poster said you kind of teach them with the same techniques and they are a lot if responsibility. However you can't bob out and leave a baby in the house or leave the baby in a kennel while you go on holiday, not that my dog ever had that!

So you aren't being unreasonable
They need to babysit for a week haha

VivaLeBeaver · 19/12/2013 13:05

I've found a dog harder than a child.

At least with DC they stop waking in the night at some point. My last dog every single night about 3am would cry to be let out. Then be up at 6:30am. Every night for seven years.

Going out for the day somewhere? Normally can't take the dog with you, kids etc can pretty much go where you can.

TheToysAreALIVEITellThee · 19/12/2013 13:08

Yabu, they are much harder work, I don't remember ever having to stop the kids from chewing the chairs, humping my leg, tricking me into feeding them twice. Stepping in turds with socks on, listening to them whine when I don't let them sleep at the bottom of the bed ....

Katnisscupcake · 19/12/2013 13:11

Having a dog is MUCH harder than having a child. I had the dog first and DD turned up about 3 years later. DD is much easier to look after than our dog. Then we got another dog aswell - we must be mad!

GuffSmuggler · 19/12/2013 13:12

Oh my goodness viva you've just put me off ever getting a dog and I quite fancied one once kids had got older!

I do know a couple without kids who got a puppy and 'couldn't cope' with the early mornings with it crying to be let out at 6/7 am. How that made me laugh!

It's probably quite a good insight at brushing the surface at what kids might entail if you are used to a selfish, quiet life!!!

Golddigger · 19/12/2013 13:15

They probably meant the sentiment rather than the substance iyswim.
That there are similarites, which there are to a degree.

revivingshower · 19/12/2013 13:20

Lol op you should be kind to them in their little delusion as maybe they do want kids and ddog is a bit of a substitute child.
Puppies are hard work and very full on, they do take a lot of time and attention. Its not the same exactly but hard work, yes. The difference is by 1-2 yrs the dog is a mature adult and if you have a well trained good natured dog they are not hard work except for needing exercising and a reasonable amount of company.

Flip

1 2