It's a bloody dog!

[MammaKel]

Ugh, I didn't realise how batshit crazy people were about their "furbabies."

We went to a family gathering yesterday where SIL and BIL and their DDog were - they don't have kids, and DDog is their baby but omg.

I could get past the calling each other mummy and daddy, calling my in laws grandma and grandpa and telling my kids he was their fur cousin and showing us pictures of taking him to see " Santa Paws" but there were two instances that genuinely made me cringe a bit ..

We were exchanging gifts, and they asked me where DDogs were, I laughed because I thought they were joking, but nope, totally serious and was upset he'd be left out, so I apologised (for some reason) and moved on very quickly..

The next one was that the dog was getting a bit agitated, and they said he was tired and getting a bit cranky, so they were leaving so he could have a nap..

I'm mostly being light-hearted, and I'm an animal lover (have 4 cats), but I just didn't realise how far it went AIBU or is this just the norm now?

Sometimes it's due to the attitude of other people. DM used to tell people she had a grandson called Harry but just didn't mention that he was furry and meowed a lot. If other people had kept their unwanted opinions to themselves (asking when I was having children, saying I was cruel for 'denying' her grandchildren etc.) she wouldn't have done it.

Personally I'd have told them to fuck off but DM wasn't like that.

Creepy

It pisses me off when people don't buy for my dog. Pack of treats cost 99p! I have to buy for kids, for their birthdays, Christmas, couples engagement and wedding presents. Yet they won't buy anything for my dog.

Hell, yeah. The day I give birth to a foal I really will be worried.

This reminds me of why we are no longer in contact with my in laws, because their 'DDog', 'granddog', 'fur baby'/(insert batshit name for their animal here) tried to attack their actual grandchild on several occasions. Each time they denied it, justifying it as 'showing friendliness' and never once enquired after my son, who almost ended up in hospital on the last occasion. As I said above, we recognised their misplaced priorities as potential signs of insanity, and are no longer in contact.

we adore our dog and I have a name that’s not mum, or Mama (which the teens call me) but is a name that’s meant to be mum. It’s pretty normal for me that a dog’s owner is ‘mum’. All my family and friends have dogs and are mum / dad and they buy their dog a gift. I buy a bday and christmas gift for my mums dog and she does the same for mine, but I don’t expect other people to. My dog stayed home alone on Christmas day for 5hrs whilst we visited family so i’m not someone who can’t leave him / expect him to come everywhere with me. But we do all adore him and don’t see why others would have a problem with me being referred to as mum to the dog. What I do have a problem with is people who abuse and mistreat animals.

YABU.

you buy for HUMAN kids, HUMAN birthdays, HUMAN Christmas, HUMAN couples engagement and HUMAN weddings. Notice the common denominator?

@Jennyathemall you're missing the point. I will never have kids, gets married etc. I care about my dog and other people should see that. Why do you view human life more than animals? I have a problem dog and he's much harder to look after than a child. Dogs are like toddlers that will never grow up.

Santa Paws 😭🤣
FFS
YANBU

MY DSis has kids, and my parents buy gifts for them. I have a dog, no kids. My parents buy gifts for my dog.
What is wrong with that?

Of course I view (value?) human life more than animals. Or are you telling me you view all animals the same? So ants and cockroaches, spiders and sea slugs? Or is it only the warm furry ones that have a higher value as a result of their fluffiness?

Santa Paws is about as bonkers as taking a baby to see Santa.
In both cases, it is for the photos and memories.

It wouldn't even occur to me to start buying Christmas presents for random pets of other people 😕
I'd buy for kids I know (whether family or friends)
but not their pets as well, where does that end if you start buying for the dog, rabbit, goldfish.....

What I do have a problem with is people who abuse and mistreat animals.

Hear, hear. If these people who can't abide human and animal interaction put as much energy into solving the negatives of human and human interaction, the world would definitely be a better place.

I also wouldn't piss on animal abusers if they were on fire.

My brothers mum drove 4 hours on Christmas morning to spend Christmas with him and my SILs parents for the first time. On sitting down for dinner she asked for a spot to be cleared and produced the urn of ashes of her dog who died in the summer stating she couldn’t leave her alone on Christmas. So the whole family had to sit and eat Christmas dinner with an urn of ashes in the middle of the table.
Totally bizarre how some people carry on.

Her dog clearly meant a lot. Would you be criticising them if it was the ashes of a human?
People grieve in different ways, and at different rates.

Nice attempt to move the goalposts but simply “loving” animals is not what this thread is about.

”Mum”, “dad” and “parenting” are all human frameworks or human constructs, they mean nothing to animals yet we impose on them anyway.

That’s actually the creepy part, because we know rationally this is true it’s essentially a one way transactio. A species is filling a void of connection and intimacy by using a lower animal who can’t ever understand or reciprocate.

Not really about the animals it’s about the love given & taken by sentient beings. My dog knows my mom as Nanny her dogs want kisses from me when I leave & sit waiting for their goodbye kisses. My mom has just lost my dad & she said the only thing that has kept her going is the dogs. Just because you don’t understand a connection doesn’t mean it’s not real or worthy.

You can buy for whoever you like and I will buy for whoever I like and if that includes cats , dogs , Guinea pigs and horses then that is my business .

No attempt to move the goalposts, it's you that came out with some bizarre comments.

A person who uses the term mummy and daddy for their dog isn't putting human frameworks or expectations on their dog.

Most us don’t have to follow YOUR rules. We can do as we please.

Literally all of that would make me cringe...

Honestly, yes. I'd find it odd and inappropriate and it is absolutely batshit to insist on putting the ashes of a dead dog in the middle of the table while having Christmas dinner. This thread is bizarre.

I actually did pass the parcel presents for the dogs so they could tear them open, mine had a great time to get the fish chew in the middle my moms dogs have never been allowed to tear things open so I had to help them. All 3 dogs enjoyed it bought a smile to my 80 yr old mom who is grieving.