Is it weird when pet owners refer to themselves as parents?

[bunnyfubbles]

to me, 'weird' sort of implies abnormal, of which I'd say its relatively common for this to happen and thus not exactly weird

that being said, it is stupid

 

[virtuamike]

Bah whatever, have fun, play the puppy card.

 

[Williz]

Yes I find it bloody strange and slightly unnerving.

 

[FuzzyDunlop]

I have no problem correcting people or at least giving them a weird look if they refer to me as "dad" or "father" of my pet.
If it's a hot chick you're meeting for first time... Ok yea, let it slide. Correct it on the fourth date.

 

[JManInPhoenix]

We consider our pup a full fledged family member so I have no problem with anyone calling me a dog-daddy.

 

[UnklSnappy]

I'm just a servant for my dog.

 

[KidNiki1]

to me, 'weird' sort of implies abnormal, of which I'd say its relatively common for this to happen and thus not exactly weird

that being said, it is stupid

this.

i have a dog and she is an important part of the family but im not her parent.

 

[rudeguy]

I'm a pet owner and I refer to myself as a parent.

Does that make me weird?

 

[KidNiki1]

I'm a pet owner and I refer to myself as a parent.

Does that make me weird?

only if you refer to yourself as a parent because of your pet and not because of your son. 😛

 

[rudeguy]

only if you refer to yourself as a parent because of your pet and not because of your son. 😛

OH OK. Gotcha.

Thanks for clearing that up!

 

[waggy]

it doesn't bother me. in a sense you are the pets "parents".

even the paper work has the pets names as "cody waggy". now my question is if i am it's parent can i claim on my taxes?

 

[SKORPI0]

Much weirder if they insist on putting their pet in the family tree. ^_^

 

[phucheneh]

So, apparently:

I'm weird because 'dude, if it's your dog, of course you're the 'dad,' deal with it.'

or

I'm weird because 'dude, it's a dog, not a baby.'

Conclusive as always, ATOT. 😛 I certainly don't get anyone that thinks it's so OMG STRANGE to ask this. I always considered people strange when they acted like pets were their children. Just had never been in the position to have that actually projected onto me by others and realize how common it apparently is.

 

[7window]

dogs are like kids but yeah thats a bit mucch. We have a friend that say i love you so much to their dog like its a baby

 

[nickbits]

I thought it was weird/creepy but then I realized I didn't think it was weird to "adopt" pets so it bothers me a lot less now. If you adopt them, you are their [adoptive] parents. But I would never refer to myself as a pets' parent.

 

[Red Storm]

Yes it's weird.

 

[purbeast0]

yes that is weird as shit.

 

[IronWing]

To most of our cats we are just their people. We have one cat that is extremely infantile to whom my wife is definitely "mama".

 

[Possessed Freak]

It is weird and pathetic. I corrected my sister when she said I was the pet's uncle. I am not, nor ever will be an uncle to a critter... no matter how cute.

 

[SlitheryDee]

People's relationships with their pets vary, but more often than not I noticed that parents with actual children in addition to pets don't do that. I guess we're so stupid that we need a living example of both the pet/owner and child/parent relationship in order to tell that they are entirely different things. It's usually single people with pets and no children, or older people whose children have already flown the coop that try to elevate their relationship with their pets to something that it is not. I'm not sure what that says about them. Maybe nothing bad really. They're just yearning for something they don't have.

 

[Nintendesert]

Of course it's weird. It's for the people with some sort of issue. I'm my dogs' owner and accept my role as the dominant species on the property. Some of you shits are embarrassments to the apex predator community.

I bet you don't even lift.

 

[jhu]

Yes, it is weird.

Pets are not people and should not be treated as people. That means no clothes, no strollers, and no anthropomorphism.

But... but... cat girls...

 

[MrDudeMan]

Yes, it's weird. It's also stupid, but most people are stupid and they don't know it so I'm not surprised you're being ridiculed for your opinion.

 

[IronWing]

I think people who assign names and genders to their cars are far weirder.

 

[Exterous]

I'll be honest we do the whole Daddy\Mommy thing 😳

But we don't have any kids so that makes it less bad...right?

I ended up being the only one who actually cared for the kitten...bottle fed her, bathed her, etc...so I am the only "mom" she's ever known...and that's how she acts...like I am her mom. She follows me everywhere...sleeps so that she can either see me, or (preferably) have at least one paw touching me. She turned 17 people years old last Labor Day.

Who knew you were such a softie 😛