Mommy and Daddy

EGAR

It is one of my pet peeves when people call their dogs/animals their baby and themselves Mommy and Daddy of the said dog/animal.

I love my animals dearly and they are part of my family, regardless of being my own "private" animals or my rescues waiting to be rehomed.

And even before I had my son 4 years ago I would have never called my animals my babies.

Anyone?

Lauragoesmad

Doesn't bother me to be honest. Lots of the people I petsit for do it. I hate when people let their dogs lick their tongue. Nasty.

Sigma Force

Always refferred to himself as Daddy with our critters for the past 14 years, just came out and now it's a habit. Don't see what harm it does we certainly know they aren't human and there's a lot worse thing that people do to their pets.
It's a term of endearment where's the harm the animals don't know what it means they just know that daddy means a certain person I sure don't care if anyone thinks it's a bit barmy I rekon at least half the dog/pet owners do it.

This will really annoy you lol aparently with our next dog I'm going to be the granny and yet my two dogs are going to have a new brother

Blueprint

Hah, he's not my baby, more like a mad 3 year old!

It isn't what they call themselves that's the problem though, it's the fact that they treat the dogs like a baby!

junkyard

I always regarded my dog as my baby and always will, sorry OP.:)

EGAR

I am not preaching that you should not do it - I am just saying that I personally find it annoying and sickingly anthropomorphic.

Blueprint

Since I grew up calling my parents by their names, I think it would also feel just plain weird!

Lauragoesmad

EGAR wrote: »

I am just saying that I personally find it annoying and sickingly anthropomorphic.

Yeah, because everyone knows what that word means.:rolleyes:

To be honest, the clients of mine who do call their animals their babies look after them so well and their pets are always very happy so TBH I wouldn't care what they called them. One of my clients calls his dogs his monsters.:D He'l text me to ask "Can you take the monsters on Friday?"

Call me Socket

It's only anthropomorphism in its mildest form so at least it isn't harmful.... it used to annoy me too but not anymore. I'd prefer to see a dog anthropomorphised than ignored.
Men refer to their cars as 'she'. That annoys the crap out of me, though embarrassingly it has slipped out of my own mouth a couple of times!

arybvtcw0eolkf

I often refer to my older lad as "buddy or "sonny", and I ask my puppy Ruby is she "coming to Dad"..

It might sound silly, it might even make at least one person in the world sick or disgusted, but its offence taken and not given.

I've rared them and look after their everyneed 24/7, when their sick or just generally feeling under the weather I fret about them and spend more money on theur health and welfare than I do on my own.

When I seen my older guy entering early middle age, and acting it and view the deceased pets thread here I worry for him and me and our remaining years together.

When I'm complimented on their behaviour or appearance I take great pride, and when I encourter ignorance because of theur breed it hurts me, and I'll give 'em an extra rub.

I smile inside when Ruby sits looking at TV with me, and am greatful when Jericho feels its his duty to protect me, my family and my home.

Yup, I'm talking about my dogs and I could say similiar about the joys my children have brought me over the years.

.

Our man in Havana

I consider all my pets to be my babies & will call me & the other half mummy & daddy etc.

Call me Socket

That's a lovely post, Makikomi

spiderdog

yes i am guilty too......and proud:D

in fact when my mam calls to me, i say to the gang "heres your granny" it makes her laugh and really its the closest shes getting to grandchildren too haha!!

so...while i suppose i humanise my dogs to an extent......i know they`re dogs and so do they;)
..........but they are also our family too:D:D

cloudy day

EGAR wrote: »

I am not preaching that you should not do it - I am just saying that I personally find it annoying and sickingly anthropomorphic.

i get what your saying and yes it annoys me when people go over the top and actually treat them like little humans.

but i have to say i'm guilty of calling all pups baby and will call them it when i pick them up.

and i do tend to do it to the older dogs, i think it's just a general love thing and a term of endearmant.

wouldn't dream of calling OH baby though, urgh, sickly sweet. so i guess i'm weird or what. or just a heartless cow. his job is to pay for the food. for my real babies. ha ha. joking.

seanybiker

Anytime I ring me missus I ask her hows the child and me daughter doing.

sorella

EGAR; speak with some US pet owners. They have this down to an art.

Love the new word "sickingly" ; perfect!

Animals are animals; not humans. Not child substitutes. It seems to somehow mininise their nature and identity.

We honour their true natures.

Mrs Fed

I totally agree with you. I find myself staring at these people who treat their animals like they were their babies.
I think it is not completely sane.
An animal, whatever its size and nature must continue living like an animal.


:eek::eek::eek::eek:

getz

is ireland still comming to terms with having dogs as pets ?if you travel around the uk enough you will see many strange doggy things, like dogs sat in the front carrier on disability buggies,dressed up in football shirts, and hats,when i take my dog to the vets ,the nurse will always come out and call his name teddy d....n with my surname,i think over here we all treat our dogs like our babies.

The Sweeper

Yeah drives me nuts too tbh. I have no kids. I'm certainly not the cat's mummy.

(Though given the face one of them is currently giving me for pushing him off the keyboard, he may be about to commit matricide?)

sorella

What can one say? A dog is a dog; with great dignity and dogginess.

They don't need clothes.

We would never belittle any critter like that.

When a pine marten used to come to us for food, people said, oh you will soon have it eating from your hand. As I replied, Why would I want to do that? This is a wild creature with its own dignity. It just needs a little bit of help to feed its young in a bad year. And the empty cottage we moved into was ITS territory. We were the invaders.So food was left at a distance and we made no demands on her.

Small wonder there are so many crazy dogs; it is an identity crisis.

getz wrote: »

is ireland still comming to terms with having dogs as pets ?if you travel around the uk enough you will see many strange doggy things, like dogs sat in the front carrier on disability buggies,dressed up in football shirts, and hats,when i take my dog to the vets ,the nurse will always come out and call his name teddy d....n with my surname,i think over here we all treat our dogs like our babies.

woofie87

I am guilty as well. Both of my 'babies' had a rough start in life and now they have a great life and we love them dearly. I never called myself 'mummy' until we got a second rescue Sasha, who is the most affectionate and friendly dog ever. Woofie is a lad lad and we call him 'buddy''. But it is 'come to mummy/daddy' when we call Sasha and she runs to get hugs and treats! I even heard my OH ( big manly rugby/football lad, who is not in a rush to use affectionate names or words even for me) calling her 'my little princess' :pac:. I completely see the point of people saying it is too much and a bit weird, but guess sometimes we just cant help ourselves!!!

peasant

eejit, sausage, noodle, mouse, oldy and "shut the eff up" ...but never baby

getz

when my sister inlaws pet died he was a yorkie she kept his ashes on the dresser,when she died 2 years ago my brother in law asked the under taker to turn a blind eye,and he had the dogs ashes buried alongside her.i often take my bullie for a walk with me in cleveleys [near blackpool]it is a small tourist town on the coast,it has a very high oap retired population ,and everyone has a dog. most are pedigree animals,the area must be a nightmare for anyone who is frightened of dogs.i think there must be every breed you can think of, that walks down the streets or on the beach on sunday mornings

sorella

peasant wrote: »

eejit, sausage, noodle, mouse, oldy and "shut the eff up" ...but never baby

~Thalia~

I don't see any problem with it. Rather people are overly doting and considering their pets as babies rather than the way many Irish pets are treated.

ISDW

getz wrote: »

when my sister inlaws pet died he was a yorkie she kept his ashes on the dresser,when she died 2 years ago my brother in law asked the under taker to turn a blind eye,and he had the dogs ashes buried alongside her.

Aww, I think thats lovely.


EGAR, I know my dogs are dogs, but I do sometimes call them baby, not cos I think of them of them as human, just sometimes if they're hurt or something, its just a word that comes out of my mouth, "come here Sky baby", just kinda slips out.

My Dad is Granddad to my dogs, but my Mum refuses to be a grandmother to dogs, so she's the woman who lives with Granddad!:D

I do sometimes get confused as to what to call the owners of some of the kennel guests, sometimes I do call them mum and dad, if I'm bringing the dogs out to their owners, after their stay, I might say "wheres your mum" or something similar, the dog doesn't really know what I'm saying, and it sounds more personal than "wheres your owner". I know, I'm weird - but fairly happy.

getz

i am daddy to my bulldog ,my wife is mummy my son is his big brother, and to my friends otter hound i am his uncle bill.

Noopti

How does calling an dog "baby" reduce it's identity as an animal would you mind telling me?

If people think someone calling a dog their "baby" is wierd, yet they themselves refer to their dogs with human names then they are nothing but hypocrites. :P

Jip

Who cares ? Jaysus, some people have little to be worryng about. When messin about with our dogs I tell them go any annoy your mammy, here's mammy or my wife would say daddy is bringing you for a walk etc ec. It's all in good fun and affection. It doesn't mean we actually see the dogs as our kids for gods sake or dress them as little babies and walk them to school every day. The two boxers in our family are my buddys, doesn't mean I give them a call every Friday night to go out for a few beers, although that would be kinda cool.

If you have issues with this being anthropomorphic I'm presume you just call your canine/canines dog or bitch if you have any ?

sorella

Actually, yes, most of the time; I call "dog" more than their names.

And have you noticed how few mention names here?


Almost always, "the dog" or "the cat"


"If you have issues with this being anthropomorphic I'm presume you just call your canine/canines dog or bitch if you have any ?[/quote]

Sigma Force

"What can one say? A dog is a dog; with great dignity and dogginess.

They don't need clothes."

Some dogs do, elderly and ill dogs esp. ones with short coats or have had an op need them to keep warm or to cover up a healing wound so they don't go near it.

I don't see the harm in putting a t shirt on a dog for a dog show or whatever as long as the animal isn't stressed and it's for a short time. Don't like anything on their feet though that's unfair on them they can't walk properly.

My collie hasn't got much dignity have you seen what they roll in and eat lol.

The majority of people know their dog is a dog heck I've been called a bitch many a time but people can still see I'm human.