What separates the REAL pet lovers from the pet owners....

[cali]

Guilty.. lol though I am also guilty of forgeting my babys B-days lately, since I started working and my moms job is shutting down I have been the one who has to pay the bills, buy the grocerys, gas up the van(never mind that I dont drive lol) etc.. I get so busy trying to figer out how I am going to pay all this on minimum wage that I barly notice the days anymore, as a result I have been barly remebering my babys b-days , some I remeber some just slip, or I remeber as I am heading to bed and I dont have the time bake them anything, so all they end up getting is a "Happy Birthday" and a pat... my babys are still spoiled though:

off leash runs in open feilds
regular grooming
cuddles
sleep on my bed under my covers
huge cages for the small creatures
big baskets full of toys for both dogs and critters
the critters get the best food plus veggies and treats
the dogs get home prepared raw

well they are waaayyyyy more spoiled then random pet owners spoil their pets lol

[Sevaede]

Sorry to burst anyone's "bubble" but MY ANIMALS ARE MY CHILDREN. They are my babies and I WILL treat them as such, NO ONE needs to call it ridiculous.

You better bet it makes Kiara excited and happy to dress up. Simba and Nala, not so much which is why I don't do it to them often. Each furkid is different. You may speak for your pets specifically, on what makes them happy, but you do not know everyone else's pets or their personailities/likes/dislikes.

Maybe not other pets, but dogs do realize the difference in days. They know when it's a special day by our actions in the past. Sure, maybe their first party/celebration may be confusing. However, they begin to relate objects to different celebrations. Just like when a box comes in the mail - it makes them incredibly excited and YES, it makes them happy. It is very easy to tell when a dog is happy over something or has no general emotion over something. It's become such a routine over the years, they know what's going on, and their emotions are happy.

They DO understand. They may no understand "Hey, it's my birthday!" but they certainly understand that something special is going on and they are happy.

I agree. My furkids are living, breathing, creatures with personalities. They are not robots programmed to not know certain things, etc. And yes, for me, animals are up on an equal pedestal with humans.

They recognize that the day is special for one reason or another.

My cats and dog, also, ARE able to and DO distinguish from what is theirs and everything else.

[sandragonfly]

ridiculous?? good gracious..sigh.

there's absolutely nothing wrong with me wanting to celebrating a day with my dear fuzzbutts! not just because they make me happy, everytime I look at them, and I see they think they are in heaven! look here please, god prays for me if anybody tells me he doesn't look happy.

I allow my cats on my bed, they're loving human-cats, they can't live without affectionate. and by law, my service dog cannot sleep on bed with me - here, you really can't judge me I don't love my golden dog! or "as much as I love my cats..."

the other day, my each and every cat deserves a special day as every and each of us do too - better than doing nothing fun and eat same dull raw diet daily, I make them cat/dog-mix brownies, a feast for everyone - goodness, there's nothing better than a cozy-home full of evlated tails, wild hide-n-seek & thundering curve-turn games and a ship of purring motorhearts! see this, I'll bet you those kodak moments will make your heart smile.

I remember the other day, it was near around my cat, clayton's third birthday, I noticed my ark needed a new bed they've worn it out in years! so I went out and got a new bed -- not just for him but he shares it with everybody.

...just one of those days' good time we every one thank them gratefully different way, and also to get them something new stuff so they don't live with holes, disfunction squeakies or broken bells!

[chocolatepuppy]

You know what? I don't believe people throwing parties for their pets, buying them presents, singing 'happy birthday' to them are doing anything special for their PETS. Why? Because the pet doesn't understand. The human does. It doesn't make the pet happy. Pets don't know when its their birthday, nor do they care. All they know is "Yippee...I got a special treat! Yum!" The owners are not doing it to make their pet happy, even though they may believe that. In reality, doing these little 'spoiling things' for the pet is making the pet's humans happy. People do it for 'their' happiness. The pet would get happy if it got an extra treat on any day. Its similar to someone giving a 3 month old a lovely gift. The baby doesn't understand, but it makes the parents happy.

I don't do any of those things for my pets. My pets are birds, and thus, cannot sleep on my bed. I am too scared of rolling on them at night...however, if I had a cat, I would allow it to sleep in the bed with me. I would not do any of the other things listed. Does that mean I don't love my pets? Absolutely not! I buy them treats and toys whenever I feel like it. It doesn't have to be on a particular day. They don't need a party...that would upset them, not make them happy. I just find doing some things for pets ridiculous. Why do animals need to wear costumes, or get 10 toys every birthday? These things make their owners happy. I doubt there's any animal out there who ENJOYS dressing up. It makes their owners happy, so they do it for their happiness. Animals are animals. They are not children. They will never be children. And even though we love them like babies, (I do too), the fact is, they're not. They're our beloved pets, and should be treated that way. Likewise, a child should not be treated like a pet.

My 'pets' understand they are having fun at these *ridiculous* partys. My 'pets' are my children. It doesn't matter to me what anyone else thinks about that. If you don't think it makes my 'pets' happy to have a party, you may come to the next party and see for yourself. They sure don't seem 'upset' to me.
As for the question, who loves their pet more? I don't believe you have to have partys and buy them presents to love them. But it is what I chose to do.

[luvofallhorses]

I'm with you, Kay. My pets ARE my children, too and that's how I treat them. and they are always excited to get stuff and I make their special days special. they even get excited to get Christmas presents.

and

It doesn't make the pet happy.

it makes mine happy!!

[.sarah]

Yesterday I bought a bed for Nova because the crate she stays in while we are gone doesn't have one -- it was ruined a month or two ago and there has only been a sheet in the crate. She watched carefully while I took the bed out of the bag it was in, and when I plopped it on the floor, her eyes got wide and she started wagging her tail real fast and looked back at me with a huge smile as if she was saying thank you. So, I do believe my pets understand these things, and I don't find it rediculous to celebrate birthdays, Christmas, etc. It makes them happy to recieve new toys, and it makes me happy to see them happy.

I bake them a cake for their birthday, they enjoy it.

I give them some of our food on Thanksgiving, and they enjoy that too.

On Christmas they get a bunch of new toys that they probably didn't need anyway, considering we already have basket fulls around the house. But, they enjoy it, and that's what I want.

I don't think that's rediculous Who cares if they don't know why we're doing it? Besides doing what I do every day by caring for them, these little presents and celebrations are the only way I know how to repay them for the never ending amount of love they provide.

[Aspen and Misty]

am guilty as they come.

I have to agree with kay. My dogs are my kids. Konnor has a bear from Build a Bear that says "I love you" when you squeeze it's paws. When I come home from work with a bag they know it's for them and they wag there tails. I will take the toys out of the bag and they are SO exited. We have so much fun. I think my dog's get just as exited with new toys as a child would. They fight over them, play with them, and for the next week or two there new toy is there favorite.

And Konnor opens his own presents on Christmas, he LOVES that one day a year he is allowed to shred paper and through it all over the living room. Do I believe that he enjoys this? Yes. Am I crazy or ridiculous? Nope. I'm just a mom who loves her kids.


Ashley

[shais_mom]

welcome to 2006.
the pet industry has become a BOOMING business over the last several years. Like or agree with it or not it is the precedent now.
If someone does throw their dog a party doesn't mean they love their dog more than I do. And just b/c I don't throw them a party doesn't mean I love my dog more then they do.

[gini]

When my very first kitty, Sugar, turned 16 - I had a sweet 16 birthday party for him.

I think my guests had more fun than he did - they brought a tuna cake, candles, tons of gifts, toys and made such a fuss over him. Sure they gave me a bad time - but they were having a great time, because they had never been invited to a birthday party for a cat before and they loved the excuse.

Sugar was a heart kitty...........my very first...........and he was so well loved.

[wolfsoul]

I don't throw parties for my pets -- they get so much as it is, I could never think of something to add on to that. I do let them sleep with me though.

[K9karen]

*Sigh* Ok, I don't bake cakes for Mz Klo's birthdays, because #1, I'm too lazy, and #2, I treat her like it's B-day every day. I should just glue my lips and hands to her. Nose and lip kisses are cool with me. Heck, I wash her face and wipe her sleepy eyes, sniff her yummy frito feet.
She's first in my heart. After RB Cody, I never thought I could love this deeply again.

[Sevaede]

*Sigh* Ok, I don't bake cakes for Mz Klo's birthdays, because #1, I'm too lazy, and #2, I treat her like it's B-day every day. I should just glue my lips and hands to her. Nose and lip kisses are cool with me. Heck, I wash her face and wipe her sleepy eyes, sniff her yummy frito feet.
She's first in my heart. After RB Cody, I never thought I could love this deeply again.

So, I'm not crazy? My pups feet really do smell like corn chips?

[Blue_Frog]

I really don't see a problem with people throwing a party for their pets - its' entirely up to them

I guess for everyone saying that the pets' don't understand what the party is about, well ... i figure the thought process of a dog is about the same as a 2 year old - i wouldn't expect a 2 year old kid to understand that its their birthday either, only that they're getting to be the centre of attention, and treats and food. I know I don't remember my second birthday, but i'm sure my mom does.

So, a pet party, while making your pet happy with extra attention and treats, is likely more for the pet parents than the pet itself. Plus, you can get some really cute pictures of your pet in a party hat

[moosmom]

A pet LOVER is someone who would go without just so their pets don't have to. A pet OWNER is someone who owns a pet for bragging rights, and considers it a possession.

[JenBKR]

My pets are my kids also, and when I have kids I don't intend on loving my pets any less. I don't think you need to throw parties for your pets or anything like that to love them, but there's nothing wrong with doing it. And as for the parties, dressing up, and special food not making a pet happy.....don't quite understand that argument. Ever had a dog? Just the extra attention it would take to dress them up thrills them to pieces!