Just because someone treats there pets like there own kids does that make them insane?

Question

Ok well a couple of friends of mine and my husbands said I need help because I treat my 5 year old german short hair dog aunt bee and my 10 month old guinea pigs tootsie roll and carmel like my kids I take them out with me and buy stuff for them and just talk to them and the such make me insane or need to see a therapist? Please let me know how you feel on this subject, it inrages me a lot what can I say to them to make them understand any help would be appreciated I feel like I have exhausted all my options. Thank you in advance, Heather

i just treat my animals really really really well and get told im insane im not one of those people that dresses there pets up and what not i just make sure they are comforatable and have a good life. I am a HUGE aniaml lover and cant help that.

Answer 1

I don't think there is anything wrong with treating your pets well as long as it doesn't interrupt your daily life. Your life shouldn't be centered on your pet but I do beleive that if you own a pet you should be a responsible pet owner and love and care for your pet. A pet is part of the family who's home its taken into but a lot of people do not understand that because they see the animals as just that animals who to them are lower than humans. Animals feel, dream and even have their own "personalities" just as humans. The only difference is that they don't talk. You shouldn't feel bad for caring for your animal. Its what a responsible pet owner should do. There is really nothing you can do to make them understand. If they've never felt love for a pet they just won't get it. Now if you give your pet more attention than you do everybody else, then perhaps that may be why they may feel that its not correct for you to be this way. If that is the case, remember your pet is a part of your life not all of it.

Answer 2

No! not at all, you're not crazy or insane. I mean if you treated your pets better than your kids than there would be a problem. I talk to my birds..lol even tho they kinda talk back...I also take them places with me too. and about the friend thing...it would depend on the person really. like my best friend of 21 years, not so much but one I see every now and than that ignores me at time...I would pick my parrot over her.  

Answer 3

I am a big animal lover as well. You are not insane. You are person who loves and cares for animals and if you aren't offended by religious talk that is what God intends us to do. He gave us the earth and its creatures for us to care for not to abuse or be cruel to. I would ignore

your friends and your husband UNLESS you are so involved in your animals to the extent that you have no other life and no other friends. That is carrying it a bit far. If you are using animals as a replacement for human relationships than I would be worried. Also when you say you buy them things what  kind of things? Piles of toys etc. that they don't need.That is getting extreme as well. They are animals and all they really need is companionship, care,food,water and medical care as needed. They do not need clothes, toys, tv sets furniture etc.

Answer 4

NO!!! you are not crazy or insane!!! I have a dog and i love her so much. I do the same things as you. I hang out with her, I talk to her like she was human. I treat her as a human. My mom thinks im weard, she says dog sont have feelings, but they are living creatures, they have feelings, and i take care of her and her feelings, I want her to be happy. you are perfectly normal hun.

Answer 5

sometimes pets are better then people they are more loving and giving and respond to the person more and sometimes we need this. they are with feelings i am sure and the fact that you treat them as you do is good sign dont' worry about what morons say to you you are with the best bunch of things animals and pets they make ap ersons day. you are not nuts.

Answer 6

Better to spoil them than beat them across the head with a bat repeatedly for "fun".

Ask your "friends" this when they call you insane for loving your animals and taking good care of them:

Would you rather me beat the s**t out of my animals with a barbed club or spoil them rotten with treats and soft, cozy beds?

I personally prefer pets over children! But that's just me. And no, I don't think you're insane for providing excellent care for your animals. My guinea pigs have a 60" x 50" enclosure that takes up about half of my room. They're spoiled, but at least they're not suffering.

Answer 7

There's nothing bad about a pet getting all the love and care it deserves.  You may not be able to make a lot of these people understand, but tell them that you are enough of a caring and open-minded individual to want the best for the lives you chose to take into your home no matter how they happened to be born.

Answer 8

When people say that they treat their animals like children they usually don't consider that if they treated human children that way (spoil them, don't set boundries, coddle them) they would be raising children that were destined to be total wrecks as adults.  No parent in their right mind would spoil their human children like I've seen people spoil their pets.

You're a grown woman?  Married?  Yes, I think it would benefit you and probably your husband/marriage if you went to talk to a counselor.  Perhaps talk about why you are treating your pets this way.  What emotional bucket are you trying to fill?  Do you feel your husband is lacking in some way?  Something is clearly unbalanced for you if you'd choose animals over your own kind.  Don't think for a minute that you're insane, just take care of yourself.  Okay?  

Answer 9

You should not have to explain or apologize how you feel. They are your feelings and they belong to you. I have been grooming over 42 years, and usually it is the pet that has the better life due to loving, caring people like you. You cannot possibly explain how you feel. These people have obviously been raised where a dog was simply agriculture and not a member of the family. I would tell them that what they are saying hurts your feelings, and if they continue to do so, well then you know they don't care.

We recently had an older client that had her dog for 7 years when a new man came into her life. We all held our thoughts when he dropped the dog off for grooming , he was a monster. She told us they would marry soon. We were all concerned. Then, a few weeks later she came in with her dog and told us she had discovered he didn't like her dog and told her to make a choice,.....yep, the dog stayed!

Answer 10

Many people feel very differently when it comes to the care of animals.  I get that allot mostly due to the number of animals I have.  Family and friends complain about how much money I spend to care for my animals.

I say take it with a grain of salt.  They are my animals and I will care for them as I please.

You will  never make them understand.  They can either get over it or stay home.  I wouldn't get rid of my pet for no one.

Answer 11

Yes, and it makes them pathetic losers.  

Answer 12

Your animals are lucky to have you. Some people actually think animals don't have feeling. I hate to see animals suffering. Your not insane. And you don't need counseling.