"You treat your dog like a child"

Hello all! I am wondering what your thoughts are on people who criticize dog lovers for "treating dogs like children". I was just telling a friend (who doesn't own pets) about my dog Logan who has been acing his beginner flyball class and how he was asked to compete in the fall. I admit, my proud dog momma side was really coming through a little more than i usually let it. She laughs at me and says in a demoralizing tone "You are talking about him like a child". Personally, there is nothing more irritating to me than when someone says that. I do not have children of my own but I DO know the difference between a child and a dog. There is nothing more important than your child. But I feel like human beings are capable of giving love in many ways. I can love my dog. I can feel proud of my dog when he succeeds. I can miss my dog when he's not around. I can find comfort in my dog when I am sad. I can find happiness in spending time with my dog. In fact, I would rather spend the day doing something with my dog than most humans lol. To say that kind of love should be reserved for our children alone is, in my view, incredible small-minded. The more love we spread, the kinder our world becomes. If someone finds happiness in their dog, cat, rat, snake, whatever. .. I think it's wonderfull! The amount of animal abuse and neglect that goes on behind closed doors is what should be concerning people, not who is being "too" kind to animals.

What do you guys think? Has anyone ever criticized you for "treating your dog like a child"? How does it make you feel?

My children have grown up and to an extent a few of my recent dogs have helped me cope with the "empty nest" syndrome.
I try not to humanise my dogs, they are dogs but quite a few non dog people have said that I spoil Pepsi.
Dunno why

Nowt wrong at all with being proud of your dog. Nowt wrong at all with loving 'em.

It's those without the capacity to love animals I feel sorry for

Relodin, that's daft your friend saying you treat your dog like a child. I love my dog Poppy, I talk to her, play with her give her plenty of hugs etc but don't treat her like a child. It's a different kind of love we have for our dogs and other pets that show. They show trust in us and bring us such joy that naturally we want to tell people how great they are! Welcome to Dogsey!

Welcome to Dogsey and Well Done to Logan You have every right to be proud of him,that's brilliant

I treat my dogs like my kids, I love them, nurture them, teach them right from wrong, correct them, I feed them, I look after their health, I take responsibility for them and I'm proud of them. Personally I can't see anything wrong with it. I don't treat them like babies and I don't dress them up, I know the difference between a human and a canine but yep I treat them like my kids.

My Nigredo is such a good guy. He's my shadow at home, and he puts smiles on so many faces when we go out or volunteer. His beautiful coat and personality shines wherever we go and I get so many compliments. He's my main squeeze, though I love both my dogs... my other is aloof and likes other family members more than me, and doesn't do well in public so can't travel with me.

I'm have no trouble agreeing that I don't treat my dog how I treat random kids I meet. Would never let my kid (if I had one) in my bed, would never hand feed them anything once they were old enough to feed themselves, would never massage them or do many things I do for my dog. I don't even like kids. I'd not make a good parent at ALL, I admit that.

I dress Nigredo when I can find something that fits, and he is treated like my best buddy. He's not a child, but he's my baby. Jade gets to do nearly whatever she wants in the house. Jump on people, walk on furniture and in the kitchen, ignore commands etc. She's old and she gets the big break. They're just dogs, as long as they aren't doing any harm, I don't require much of them.

They aren't like kids, who if you let them turn into brats, eventually go out into the world by themselves and begin terrorizing good, law abiding people due to your epic failures as a parent. Nope, my old, sweet, pretty disobedient girly stays here and causes no trouble at all for others.

I love my dogs and their individual quirks and am very proud of both of them, but do I treat them or even think of them as children ... nope!

But then my dogs don't ....

raid the fridge in the middle of the night ....
complain about my cooking and refuse to eat cabbage ....
use my phone to make expensive overseas calls ...
hog the bathroom for hours ....
argue over which TV programme to watch ...
need new jeans and trainers every few months ...
object to a cuddle by telling me they're too old for all that sloppy stuff ...

like my children used to do, and life is so much more peaceful just having dogs around!

Actually, I pretty much DO treat Ben as my child. When Holly was young, I expected the following from her:

To come to me when requested, get off the bed, sit down, etc. etc.

To not make a noise when asked to be quiet.

To show consideration to her peers.

To wait patiently for her food without making a noise.

Etc. etc.

I don't think dogs are a lot different from a child. I would say my Ben has the intelligence of at least a 5 year old, he can understand whole sentences, and I expect the same standard of behaviour from him as I did my daughter. I speak to Ben and to my grandson alike, not in baby talk, but in whole sentences. The former understands, the latter being only 1 not so much, but he is learning!

I hate to see dogs and children being spoken down to. As pack animals, humans and dogs are very similar, and both respect and actually enjoy rules, boundaries and limitations. Both need to know where they stand.

Me too - we are all animals, and it just makes no sense to me when I hear humans saying they don't like horses, cats, dogs, whatever. It just seems so extraordinary to me.