what do you think about...

My best friend is 28. She has had a few long term relationships fail and she wants children so bad. Two years ago she bought a min pin, and she is her baby. I think there is nothing wrong at all with people having a pet in place of a child. Some people can not have chilren for many reasons.
 
I know exactly all about grief over pets. I have to say ALL of my family and friends were so supportive. Even family members of friends were sending support. I lost 18 ducks and still cry when I think what happened. I couldn't believe how much people cared. People sent me cards and treats. I had my son's best friends grandfather call me to tell me he has a mother muscovey duck laying on 20 eggs and when they hatch I can come pick up all of them at no charge.
 
I know there are some people though that could care less when a family pet passes. I don't get it. I would cry if my kids hampster died and i don't even really like him.

I have no problem with a dog being a child substitute so long as the dog is treated like a dog and not a human child []. I'm at a point in my life where I don't think I want to have children, but I know I want dogs (and cats!).

I have no problem with dogs as substitutes for children, because I absolutely plan on doing it. Well, actually, I don't really want children. Not that I don't like them, because I do, but I wouldn't like them if they were my own. I like the type that go back to their parents at some point. I'm not really planning on dressing the dog(s) up like little humans and treating them as such though. Ok, I might dress them up sometimes, but I won't put pants on them. 

I totally agree!  I hate how people see that you are a good and loving dog owner, so they automatically assume you are just "practicing" for a human baby or deep down you MUST really want a human baby or you wouldn't be so good to your dog.
 
I too probably won't have kids and to be honest I just feel more "maternal" type feelings toward dogs.  I never felt comfortable holding a baby but I feel very comfortable around dogs and have so much fun with them. 
 
But, I would not dress up our dogs and treat them like humans either.  They are probably a bit spoiled but they still know who their pack leader is!

People who dress up their pets, treating them like "people" are rather doing the Drag Queen thing. They are living their own fantasy of what they consider to be that relationship/image. It's exaggerated, and sometimes extreme...but romantisized and full of none of the day to day, messy and stressful realities that come with the real deal, 24/7 lifestyle.
 
I hope we can avoid knocking children, the child having, or parenting experience too hard in this thread, pretty please? I might start bawling...lol.

I think having a dog is good practice for the real thing... if you cannot commit to a dog who needs a lot less (well, in some cases) than a baby, how can you have a baby?  Dogs in general are a ton less expensive to care for, can be left alone during the day, etc.
 
Now, for me... Zoe is my baby.  Neither my bf nor I want children at this time or anywhere in the near future.  I am figuring maybe when my friends have one it will get my clock ticking, but I am not even so sure of that.  If dogs are the only "children" I have, I will be content.

Xerxes is my child.  I don't really want the responsibility of grooming a human child for adulthood.  I've got nephews and nieces for that.  And besides, I don't ever really want to grow up anyways.

Gina, sorry if I was getting a little harsh about parenting. It's not because I don't like kids (I would certainly hope I like kids, otherwise, what am I doing in education?) It's just that somewhere I seem to have established these ridiculously high standards, that it would be impossible to be happy living up to. I figure if I don't try, I can't fail, and my doggie raising standards are attainable. Yup, that's right, i'm a sore loser!

Touchy subject for me and one that gets me really upset.

I lost my husband on a head on collision, (we had also found out that day I was pregnant) saw the accident happen and my husband died in my arms, I miscarried on the spot.  I will be 39 yrs old this August, and I am at a point in my life where I don't want to get remarried and I don't want kids either. 

Romeo is not a substitute for the child I lost, but Romeo equals "love" for me, and the way I see it if you are loved and love, it does not matter if it is human love or K love...I know he is a dog, but he is the love of my life.

One of my friends told me I had a problem and needed psych help, because my love for Romeo was not normal, the way he sees a dog is that they are animals, with no feelings and need to be outside the house all the time.  Needless to say, that person is no longer welcomed in my home.  He has apologized many times over, but finally said he was right, "how can you choose a dog over your friend
Elizabeth"  for me it was really easy.  My dog is not a jerk.

My Romeo is pure tenderness, loyalty, happiness, clownish, sunshine on a rainy day, and he is a great conversationalist, what more could a girl want?

I don't mean to bash parenting... I commend anyone that can raise a (or several) good children! I just don't think, at least right now, I have the patience to be with a kid 24/7. I am also a little afraid of raising a kid when it seems there's a pedophile (sp?) on every corner, sex is in everything (including kids stuff!), and violence/anger is considered the norm.
 

I like the type that go back to their parents at some point.

 
I can completely agree with this. I like kids, I teach them to ski during the winter, but if I had to take them home... forget it! LOL... well, some of them I wouldn't mind because they are just sooo good, but others... well.

ORIGINAL: pumaward

I don't mean to bash parenting... I commend anyone that can raise a (or several) good children! I just don't think, at least right now, I have the patience to be with a kid 24/7. I am also a little afraid of raising a kid when it seems there's a pedophile (sp?) on every corner, sex is in everything (including kids stuff!), and violence/anger is considered the norm.

I think that's kinda where my problem is. I could protect them for some time, but eventually I would have to send them out into the crazy world, to school, or to daycare or something. At least with my dog, if I take him to school or daycare, I don't really have to worry about him becoming morally corrupt or anything.

As a teacher, I think the world is getting worse every year.  I am only 26 and i know things were different when I was in school.  I am not concerned about my ability to raise a child, but you cannot assume others will do a good job and you can't hide your child from those kids.  I have considered homeschooling if I were to have my own kids but then again, I feel they'd miss out on "life" that way.  For now, no kids.  I get annoyed by them too easily and at this point feel it is more work than I want to take on.  Zoe is just the perfect amount of work for me at this point in time.

I don't think I want children.   I'm only 26, but I've been married for four years and have never really had any interest in having kids at all.   Honestly, I'm just not good with kids.   But I am good with animals; I have my cat and my dog and the horse I part-board.   I volunteer with animals.  I just love them - they're fun and fascinating and I am a thousand times happier when I'm sharing my life with them.   If I felt that way about kids I would have 45 of them, but I just don't.

I love kids. I really do. I'm not anywhere near ready to have them, and I don't know if I'll ever decide that I want some of my own....

My best friend has a two month old baby. Her husband grew up in a pet-free (dog eating) home. She told him that these dogs are my children, and he should treat them like he wants me to treat Hannah. This led to him feeding Teenie ice cream off of a spoon, LOL.

My dogs know that they're my dogs. They have structure, and training, and play time, and smooshie face love time. They require pretty darn close to what a human child does, except that people don't look at me funny when I put a leash on them, and I can't go to jail for leaving them in a crate![sm=eek.gif]