To worry about a friend that has taken a day off work to celebrate her dogs birthday, alone, with hats, personalised cake and those blowie things

[jdoe8]

It's just her and her dog, there have been 14 photos posted. She took her last breakup badly and has been forced to move somewhere that she doesn't like with work.

Is this normal for a woman in her mid 30s to do?

Not sure If I should call her or try to visit her soon

My dog is part of our family. She gets spoilt rotten and I have baked her a (stinky) cake in the past. If your friend has had a tough breakup, then right now her dog is her family. The party is a bit odd but people do all sorts of things that are really just for the benefit of social media.

I was really suprised by the intensity of love that I felt for my dog when we got her, and part of that was probably down to me going through a difficult time. As you pointed out elevenswan, she's become a focus for my need to nurture. After three miscarriages, she is definitely my substitute child, but I'm well aware of the limitations of that and I'd be hurt if a friend felt that they had to point out that she was just an animal.

piglet My Ddog understands birthday and christmas rituals enough to get excited

She always gets Christmas presents from my mum and aunt as well as cards from their dogs, and has learnt from this that wrapping paper = present for her (usually edible), so she always gets very excited whenever someone gets a present.

she sometimes gets cake too but only if it's not chocolate

I have a cat who gives and receives Christmas presents. She gives birthday presents too but doesn't receive any as we don't know when her birthday is.

"plastered" all over face book, indeed. Hahaha!

I used to make a big deal out of my dog's birthday, before I had kids. Sounds like a very loved dog.

Could be worse, could be a teddy dog. I know of a couple who couldn't have kids and have teddy 'babies' who they talk about all the time and even buckle into the back of their car and buy presents for. Very sane people in every other aspect of their lives...

I want a hamster now just so I can make it some hats.

borpborpborp that gave me a good laugh.

sparechange my cats want to follow your dog on IG.

The hamster pics are so cute, our hamsters never sat still long enough for pics.

My DC like to celebrate the cats birthdays, i was in trouble for forgetting the last cats birthday. In my defence they were all rehomed/rescued by us so we don't actually know an accurate birth date. The cats get tuna on a party plate and we get cake.

A new pet in the way you've described is definitely a coping mechanism, but i don't think it sounds like an unhealthy one. If it's helping her through a tough time and the dog is happy then it's a lot better than not coping, or than other things she could be doing. I would try and be in more regular contact though, meeting up semi-regularly might help her to cope too. I had to move to a place i don't like and it can be miserable at times, my best friend is 4 hours away and meeting up would definitely cheer me up.

Posting a few silly pictures on FB doesn't mean she's spent all day playing pass the parcel and musical statues with said dog. She's taken the day off and is probably going for a lovely long walk with her best furry friend.

Send her some messages and a funny picture back to show a bit of support.

She'll go back to work tomorrow with her tail between her legs

Hope she didn't make a dog's dinner of the cake...!

Throw us a bone, please...!

Sounds like fun! We had a birthday party for my sister's rabbit a few years ago.

doesn't mean she's spent all day playing..musical statues with said dog

Bwah ha ha I'd be disappointed if there weren't any pictures of that tbh.

Oh, and no doubt whatsoever that dogs absolutely understand presents. This Christmas my boy waited patiently until it was his turn and then got wildly excited....until he opened it with some help and realised it wasn't the squeaky chicken he wanted but yet another bloody honking pig.

He slouched away looking like a sulky toddler without the manners to even try to look pleased.

She gives birthday presents too but doesn't receive any as we don't know when her birthday is

Solved that for you!
www.lovemeow.com/catober-1st-birthday-for-adopted-cats-1607956747.html

Oh MewlingQuim let's not fight.
Not on the dog's birthday.
If it reads this it will become upset and its birthday wil be ruined.

I think it's really sweet! Why be a killjoy about it it's harmless fun.

It's her annual leave I suppose. My dogs and hamsters get Christmas dinner and birthday presents but your friend is a little excessive. Still if it makes her happy there's no harm in it.

Some of the best parties I had started out as dog's birthdays.

Embrace the Birthday.

as said upthread it's a better reason to take a day off than a random birthday.

Did the dogs think they were the best parties ever though Chardonnay or were they hanging around watching the humans get pissed?

Each to their own.

We're not slaves to our jobs. It's her annual leave to take and use as she pleases. Sounds to me like maybe she just needed a day off, which is fine.

I often use days of annual leave to have the odd day off just to have to myself. I don't feel the need to be around people most of the time.

Well, sausages were involved and no one was complaining, except maybe the neighbours.
Details remain hazy.

I don't think you should phone her. You sound judgy and dismissive and that will come across in your call.

Incorporating sausages into the party was thoughtful Chardonnay