Calling your pet your child (a vent)

Yes I am like a lot of you and call Shamrock my son. I also say His cousins (my niece and nephew) Grandma and Grandpa (my parents) etc.
So my family is giving me hard time about this- telling me I am not a grandpa to a dog!!! And E. and T. are not his cousins- he is a dog.

So this morning I had it and broke down. I told my brother that "yes he is my son- I was never blessed to have children when I was younger and he is the only child I will be having. So I am sorry if it bothers you that I consider him my kid but it bothers me that I was never able to have children when I was younger."

It hurts that my family wont accept Shammy as part of the family.

Re: Calling your pet your child (a vent)

Awww don't let it bother you. Unfortunately not everyone gets to know what it's like to love your dog like a member of your family. It's only their loss!

Re: Calling your pet your child (a vent)

My sister in law is single, in her 40's, and her dog is her baby! We all don't evem cpnsider it "accepting" him as part of the family - he simply is.

So much so, that I call Boo Cailen's "fur" cousin. Cailen adores him, and when we stay with my sister in law (she lives out of state) - Cai spends all of his time with him, and even tries to get him to play games with him - the way he would with another kid - it is so cute!!!

Re: Calling your pet your child (a vent)

Re: Calling your pet your child (a vent)

Thanks everyone- I am glad I am not crazy. I just love my Shammy so much and I want my family to love him as much.

Re: Calling your pet your child (a vent)

Awwww.

I consider my cat my child. I do the same thing...my parents are his grandma and grandpa. LOL.

I know it's hard but try not to let them bother you. All that counts is how much YOU love your Shammy.

Re: Calling your pet your child (a vent)

You are not crazy! My dog is like my child and if some one does not like it too bad. I am lucky that my family is on board. Do not let them get you down some people do not understand.

Re: Calling your pet your child (a vent)

Awwww! You are not crazy at all! Our cats are our children, my brother's dog is my cousin, my parents are all of the pets grandparents!

Re: Calling your pet your child (a vent)

I can totally relate! I once said I love my dog so much that I feel like I gave birth to her and get so much crap about it! Some people just see pets as "pets" and that is it, but to a lot of people they're part of our family

Re: Calling your pet your child (a vent)

I am exactly like that Celia! Sam and Lilah are my son and daughter.
We refer to our nieces and nephews as their cousins... (and the younger kids do refer to them that way too!)...

I am lucky that my Mom completely accepts that (and even sends them birthday cards, xmas gifts and signs it to her grand puppies from Grandma - I mean... she even has a small CD for them, just like she does her 2 legged grandkids! )

However, my siblings and Dad & Step mom don't... while they don't say anything back when we say Aunt Elena or Uncle Andy... I know they think we're nuts. My father once said something about them not being his grandkids... and I told him that they're the only kind of Grandkids he's getting from me..

DH even went so far as to give Sam my dad's nick name for a middle name and told him we named our son after him!

Don't let them get you down.. What really counts is how you, your DH and your son feel.... the rest is just back ground noise.

Re: Calling your pet your child (a vent)

I'm the exact same way!! Cosmo is my baby- his nickname is "mama's handsome little man". He calls me mommy (well he knows me as mommy) and DH is daddy.

Re: Calling your pet your child (a vent)

unfortunately people who do not own pets dont understand.

DH and I are having a baby and we found out the sex yesterday and we brought Ozzy (cat) and Casey (dog) into the living room and we told them that they were having a little sister. Dh's parents are nanny and poppy and they play along.

When I refer to them I refer to them as my kids and Casey and Ozzy are bother and sister.

Re: Calling your pet your child (a vent)

I call my dogs my babies!! Dh is Daddy; I am Mommy. I say Grandma & Grandpa when i say we're going to my parents. My niece & nephew are their cousins. And my sister is his Aunt!

They are such a huge part of our family. I even bring them with us to families house for holidays (they're small).

Don't let it get to you...lots of

Re: Calling your pet your child (a vent)

Kane is my son!

My parents go along with it my but In-laws do not.

Kane knows "grandmas" and gets soo happy when we go there.

Re: Calling your pet your child (a vent)

No one can tell you how to feel.... and stand up for yourself next time they make fun of you!
I always called my dog my "baby", my "LO" and my mom made a remark once..... that's when I started calling her "nonna" to my dog. He also has a grandma and grandpa anc cousins and uncles..... it's normal. I also swear I gave birth to him out of my checky sometimes Totally normal. I'd take a bullet to the gut for him.

Re: Calling your pet your child (a vent)

yes i have two kids one human one animal!! love them both the same

Re: Calling your pet your child (a vent)

First as an owner of 3 dogs, I too refer to them as my babies. However, when one of them does something wrong, then they are my husband's sons!!

They give my parents presents/cards and my parents proudly display them. Most recently was an apron that said something to the effect of "Grandma's Angels" and I listed my dogs and my sisters cats. Even my MIL will refer to herself as Nanny (when she ever takes the time to visit.)

Secondly, as a trainer...I will admit, I am great with dog names but I refer to my clients as Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, Big Sister, Big Brother. So far no one has complained. They are a part of the family and why shouldn't they be called as such?

So Celia and everyone else like her, consider me one of the crew!!
-Kimberly

Re: Calling your pet your child (a vent)

My dogs are my children. I have to care for them, give them love and receive love in return. I have a human child as well but my dogs are just as much my children as my human child. Our families love our dogs as they do our child as well. I am sorry your family are being so technical about such a sensitive subject.

Your dog is your baby, don't let anyone make you feel otherwise. Your dog needs you to survive, just as any child you had would as well.

Re: Calling your pet your child (a vent)

you're not crazy at all! OF COURSE Shammy's your son! i would actually think it's strange if you did NOT think of him as your child!

sorry you're family's annoying you

Re: Calling your pet your child (a vent)

We have no kids and we call our dog our baby.

My parents call her their granddogger.

We try and bring her with us where ever we can take her.

Re: Calling your pet your child (a vent)

You are in no way crazy! My pup Bella who is almost one is my daughter. Even if we decide to have children she will always be my first daughter. I treat her better than anyone or anything. I am so attached to her that it scares me sometimes because I know down the road that I won't have her forever. Don't let anyone tell you different. I love her more than a lot of people!

Re: Calling your pet your child (a vent)

I am so glad I am not the only one that feels like this.

Thank you all for reassuring me that I am not crazy

Re: Calling your pet your child (a vent)

I have a daughter now and my cats are still my babies.
I say they are my first borns!
I am still mommy and DH is still Daddy when we talk to them or about them.
I love them just as much.
Don't feel bad.
Some people just dont' have or understand the deep love of animals that we do- and it's their own loss IMO!

Re: Calling your pet your child (a vent)

I'm sorry your family is making you feel this way.

I have fur kids and skin kids. They are all my kids. Sometimes I like my furkids more. I'm lucky that my family is the same way I am. My mother in law thinks we're all crazy but she goes along with it and you know what, for Christmas, she puts money in the cats and dogs stockings too!!!

Re: Calling your pet your child (a vent)

I call my beloved Chihuahua my baby #1 and my DS baby #2. I always tell Rocco (the dog) to give his little brother lovies and vice versa. I dont care what people think.