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

[Toby's my baby]

I noticed today in class how different some people in class were then others. I just started my Small Animal Managment 1 class this week, and we were going over statistics. The statistics were on people celebrating their pets birthdays, having parties, giving them presants, and making them a cake, or letting them sleep under the covers with you at night. Well for ME and I'm sure most of you all on here, we are all guilty of this. You should have heard some of the obserd comments in class! "why would someone do that for their CAT?!?" "why would you bake a cake just for you dog, and have a party?" I laughed, and when she had us raise our hand if we were "guily" of this, I was one of the only ones.

Proves just how much some people care, and how others think it's crazy!!


Just thought I'd share.

[LilacDragon]

So - if you treat your pet like a child then you must love it more?

I have a dog and a cat. I have never thrown a party for them, baked them a cake, given them "presents" or let them sleep under the covers with me.

I do, however, vet them, give them quality kibble, make sure that they get plenty of exercise and that they are always safe. My dog is trained. Maybe not quite as well as I would like but better then most of the rest of the dogs that I run into in my neighborhood.

I have to wonder when we stopped treating our pets like pets and started treating them like people. They aren't people. They don't think like people or act like people. I wonder if that is part of the reason that there are so many puppy mills and dogs being euthanized in shelters?

[Argranade]

That's for the crazy pet lovers for sure lol,

The only thing I do out of those things is let my pets sleep beside me, I have a specail pillow and blanky that I use for my pets when they want to sleep beside me at night lol, I also give my pets presents sometimes ... I always buy them toys and treats for Christmas or just when I feel like it. I don't know when all there B-days are lol I only give my indoor pets toys cause my pigeons realy don't care for them but I'll feed them treats.

I geuss I do spoil my pets weirdly the odd times!

[chocolatepuppy]

My furkids have partys and get presents.

[animal_rescue]

hahaha I agree! I just bought the Three Dog Bakery cookbook and have yet to try it out, I still need to go to the store to get ingredients. But yes everyone's b-days will be set!

[Danegirl2208]

*raises hand* guilty and proud

[junescrater716]

So - if you treat your pet like a child then you must love it more?

I have a dog and a cat. I have never thrown a party for them, baked them a cake, given them "presents" or let them sleep under the covers with me.

I do, however, vet them, give them quality kibble, make sure that they get plenty of exercise and that they are always safe. My dog is trained. Maybe not quite as well as I would like but better then most of the rest of the dogs that I run into in my neighborhood.

I have to wonder when we stopped treating our pets like pets and started treating them like people. They aren't people. They don't think like people or act like people. I wonder if that is part of the reason that there are so many puppy mills and dogs being euthanized in shelters?


That's not what we're saying at ALL! Some people are different with our pets. On Curly's B-day we feed him half a twinkie, sing him happy birthday, and get him a present or two. He sleeps under the covers with his head on a pillow, and is treated like a human. To us he is my little brother and parent's son. lol I am not kidding I wish I were!!!

[G535]

My cat is my only family, I don't spoil him I just love him.

[Tollers-n-Dobes]

I don't even have parties for my own birthday, so I would've been one of the ones who'd of voted no for throwing my dogs a party. They might get an extra cookie for their birthday or a new toy, but very rarely. They don't know it's their birthday, and they get tons of things throughout the entire year. I probably love my dogs jsut as much as anyone else on here though. However, I don't see throwing parties for your pet as absurd like a lot of people do. That being said, I do see what you're getting at.

[Sophist]

I also find the "what seperates the REAL pet lovers from the pet owners..." title a little bit upsetting. I am not going to chastise you or anything since I trust that you didn't mean for it to be even remotely offensive, but I really and truly do not think birthday cakes and parties are what seperates the lovers from the owners.

[borzoimom]

(raises hand...) We also celebrate wins at shows..

[jackmilliesmom]

Jack and Millie have just had a joint birthday we got Jack this time 2 years ago and got Millie this time last year so they both had a joint birthday celebration got a new cushion each and some toys as presents had a birthday cake and some chocolate buttons for their party and had snowie my parents-in-law's dog down for the day and we played with them all day. They also had some roast beef, potatoes, veg and gravy for their dinner (not that that is unusual - they get whatever we get most days anyway and love it....)

They also have breakfast with us and for that they have tea and toast with butter during the day they have some dried food at night they have what we are having..... all in small amounts though

Sorry I must now be considered one of the crazy ones - but I don't care I love them dearly and so does my husband my signature picture is not always normal though this happened one evening when I turned my back to put away some items from the table and the two of them hopped up to lick the plates clean they got scolded but not before taking the picture because it looked so cute

[Pawsitive Thinking]

I don't throw parties for my pets but I do get them special food to mark their supposed birthdays.

Like LilacDragon mine are well looked after and loved but I try not to anthropomorphise them - doesn't mean I don't love them to bits though just because I don't dress them up and things

[BC_MoM]

That's funny.

But I don't agree that just because someone doesn't (or wouldn't) make a cake for their dog or cat, that they aren't a "REAL pet lover".

[Karen]

Miss Hoppy would not eat cake!