Can you love a dog as much as a child?

[Bluemooninmyeyes1]

I’m not a dog owner and I don’t have children so I’m pretty clueless on this subject but genuinely interested! I work with someone who talks about her dog more than her own daughter and is constantly posting photos of her dog on social media.

So..is it possible to love your dog as much as your kids?

YABU- You cannot love a dog as much as a child

YANBU- You can definitely love a dog as much as a child

Yes, absolutely.
I love my kids, and I love my boy.
My kids have grown and become independent. He will always need me, he will always be an innocent, like a baby, and will only be with us for a limited time, so we make sure we shower him with love and affection and make his life with us as lovely as possible.

Whoever said "when you have teenagers, it's really important to have a dog. That way SOMEONE is happy to see you when you walk in the house" had it spot on.

I can now fully understand the posts that say they can’t trust anyone who loves their dog more than humans. There is something so seriously disturbing going on under the surface that it’s probably best to cut your losses and move on from such people.

@isabellanova

Jesus Christ.

Yes of course I would expect someone to save my child over their bloody dog. I don't think that makes me entitled, just, you know, sane.

And yes, I also think that in your zoo example the animal should be shot if the child would be killed otherwise. Obviously.

@Thewithesarehere

I can now fully understand the posts that say they can’t trust anyone who loves their dog more than humans. There is something so seriously disturbing going on under the surface that it’s probably best to cut your losses and move on from such people.

That's fine with me, I can't trust anyone who doesn't like animals. I wouldn't want a person like that in my life anyway.

@isabellanova as much as I adore my dogs I would shoot my own dog to save a child, never mind a wild animal at a zoo.

Not because I think the animal is more or less important but because I know if my own child was killed it would make me want to die and I wouldn’t want to inflict a lifetime of pain and torture onto someone else.

Choosing to save your pet over an unknown child is absolutely sociopathic behaviour. It's shows unbelievable selfishness and a shocking lack of empathy. You're basically saying you'd prefer an unknown mother to feel absolute devastation and torment for life than for yourself to be mildly upset for a short time. It beggars belief.

@isabellanova
I think you are being goady because surely you realise that your mere existence as a human is a threat to numerous other species on earth?

[quote PopcornAndWine]@isabellanova

Jesus Christ.

Yes of course I would expect someone to save my child over their bloody dog. I don't think that makes me entitled, just, you know, sane.

And yes, I also think that in your zoo example the animal should be shot if the child would be killed otherwise. Obviously. [/quote]
Well I can only say I respect your opinion, but I don't feel or believe the same. Nobody can really give a reason why, other than their belief that humans are automatically better than animals. This is their opinion, it's not a fact so we will just have to agree to have different opinions.

It's not really comparable IMO.

I love our dogs, I absolutely adore them and will be devastated when they die (as I have been when our past dogs have died). Is it the same love I feel for my children? Of course it isn't.

I agree with a pp who said you shouldn't underestimate the love you can have for a dog or any other pet, because it is a very real love. They can bring so much to your life. But my children are part of me and it's a very
different love that I feel for them.

@formerbabe

Choosing to save your pet over an unknown child is absolutely sociopathic behaviour. It's shows unbelievable selfishness and a shocking lack of empathy. You're basically saying you'd prefer an unknown mother to feel absolute devastation and torment for life than for yourself to be mildly upset for a short time. It beggars belief.

I agree 100%. It's a very strange way to think.

@isabellanova so given that accidents can happen to anyone, would you be willing to let your child die in this scenario, to be possibly torn apart whilst people stand and watch?

@formerbabe

Choosing to save your pet over an unknown child is absolutely sociopathic behaviour. It's shows unbelievable selfishness and a shocking lack of empathy. You're basically saying you'd prefer an unknown mother to feel absolute devastation and torment for life than for yourself to be mildly upset for a short time. It beggars belief.

Seriously?

Mildly upset for a short period of time?

Are you serious? This is extremely insulting to any animal lover who has ever lost an animal they love, especially if it was less than peaceful circumstances. You've clearly never known an animal or bonded with an animal or felt the unconditional love that they can provide. That's fine if you don't like animals but how about you show some compassion and empathy to the rest of us. In my experience losing an animal can be worst than losing a person. I was devastated when my cat was hit by a car, I also lost my grandad that year but it was not as bad as my grandad was old and died with his loved ones around him, whereas my cat was young and died alone probably in pain and scared. I needed counselling to help me deal with losing the cat in such a terrible way, I will will always hurt. You are being so bloody insensitive with that comment.

I'm sorry you found it so hard @isabellanova I sobbed my heart out when my dcs hamster died.
But let me ask you...has your life been irrevocably destroyed by the death of your cat? Will you ever feel truly happy again? Because I know if I lost one of my DC I would never feel happy again and my life would be all but destroyed.

@isabellanova
In the nicest possible way, you still need counselling.

[quote SleepingStandingUp]@isabellanova so given that accidents can happen to anyone, would you be willing to let your child die in this scenario, to be possibly torn apart whilst people stand and watch?[/quote]
I don't know. I am thinking about with with my logical hat on. If I start thinking about my own child then it becomes emotional. So my question to you would be, do you want an emotional response to your question, or a logical/ rational response?

Of course any mother would move mountains to save her children, its instinct although that doesn't necessarily mean that it's the right thing to do regardless of the cost. It's not black or white.

Dogs can often be easier to love than kids, I think. But yes, burning building scenario - kid, obviously!

I think DS would struggle if he had to choose between saving me or ddog though

@Thatsmycupoftea

This thread is literally one of the most batshit things I have ever read

You haven't been on MN long. There's a troll on here who likes to fantasise about putting a nappy on Bob Dylan.

I honestly find it disturbing @isabellanova that in that scenario, you'd actually consider letting an animal kill your child. And ok kid in a zoo enclosure, pretty rare. Walking through a park, going to a neighbours, buying a new dog and the dog attacking? Not so rare.

So yeah, let the dogs maul kids to death because there's plenty of other humans in the world.

I really do despair of people sometimes.

Are you a member of extinction rebellion @isabellanova? I think you'd like them

@formerbabe

I'm sorry you found it so hard *@isabellanova* I sobbed my heart out when my dcs hamster died. But let me ask you...has your life been irrevocably destroyed by the death of your cat? Will you ever feel truly happy again? Because I know if I lost one of my DC I would never feel happy again and my life would be all but destroyed.

Honestly I have not felt happy since we lost him. I get fleeting moments where I forget what happened then I am brought back down to earth again with a massive bump. I've had time off work, my mental health took a beating and we are now moving because I hate living so close to where he passed away. I get flashbacks of finding him every time I cross that road and my counsellor thinks I have some form of PTSD. So yes, it has had a huge effect on my life and my health and that's why I found your 'mildly upset for a short time' comment so upsetting.

I don't have children. My animals feel that void and I would never want to go through the pain of losing an animal I love like that again. I don't think that makes me selfish.

@SleepingStandingUp

I honestly find it disturbing *@isabellanova* that in that scenario, you'd actually consider letting an animal kill your child. And ok kid in a zoo enclosure, pretty rare. Walking through a park, going to a neighbours, buying a new dog and the dog attacking? Not so rare.

So yeah, let the dogs maul kids to death because there's plenty of other humans in the world.

I really do despair of people sometimes.

Not what I said at all but ok.

[quote CakeRequired]@LindaEllen

That's awful, your poor friend. Can't believe that another friend would actually say that. I get its hard to know what to say in that situation, but jesus, that's not even close to trying to show empathy.[/quote]
You know what the bad thing is - my friend felt sorry for her, and asked was she okay whenever we met up etc. I was astonished that she even entertained the comparison - or kept in touch with the friend at all actually. But she is truly a marvellous woman in every way. Much better than I could ever hope to be.

isabellanova
Soooo, you're under attack from a bear, it's about to get you, you see a hunter raise their gun to take aim and save you from the bear... you shout out
'no stay your hand, I deserve to be bear food'
yes?