[indentKew]

Loki, my beardie, thinks he's a dragon and acts as such. He requires more care than my cat Morgan le Faye but since I've got his diet and heat and light sorted it's a bit more routine now. Morgan thinks she's a panther/dog lol, she sniffs everything but moves around like she owns the place. Both are treated like the animal/reptile they are but they both have personalities that are quite different. I love them dearly and do everything I can to keep them safe and well, however, they aren't treated as if they are human. I'm very careful not to anthropomorphise my pets but they are still part of my family.

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[Loolasant]

Keeping the relations and emotions with the animals is best option. We heard many great stories and many of us inspired by them but we need to be strong to face the reality that pet will always be pet.

[pirinosa]

Like all hookbills (parrots), my bird see everybody in the household as part of his flock. That's just the way birds are. Whether he thinks he's human, or he thinks the rest of us are birds, I can't say.

I don't take him everywhere with me or anything like that, but I do have a set routine for him, I talk to him, and I put him to bed at night (I put him on his sleeping perch, cover his cage, and say goodnight. He won't go to sleep if I don't). People who don't have experience with birds might think that seems crazy, but it's just good bird care.

[GuitarLoverBe]

How many of us are guilty of treating our pets as surrogates to not having children? I hope that if any of you on the forum do that it is a balanced relationship. The reason I am stating this is because I feel that owners of their pets seem to lose sight of the fact that they are looking at an animal and see it as a human. Tiny is basically a spoiled dog but she is certainly not treated as if she were a person, baby fed and burped then placed in a bed with a blanket with pink frill. A healthy relationship with your dog doesn't mean they have to sleep outside in the cold with the rest of the barn animals but you should certainly make them feel like they are loved, wanted and cared for. Your pet must know that they can't get away with everything. Tiny gets away with just a few things but these little pleasures are actually given to her as a treat for good behavior when we take her out.

What do you do in caring for your pets? Do your pets know that they are the family pet and not a human?

[KahiroSamo]

I talk to all my pets. I have a "reptile room" and whenever I go in there I say out loud "right. so whos made a mess, and whos hungry?" Type thing. Jens mum thinks i'm nuts :P

[fuesquemill]

There are so many people who treat their dogs like children. Personally, I think it is silly, but others get very defensive about it. I know someone who will take her small dog into the stores with her and hide her in her purse. She also has an all pink, very girl car seat for her dog as well as only gives her brand name bottle water. She also dresses her dog for all holidays, and everyday as well as puts ponytails in her hair. I think this is out of control. She has two children however, they are both grown, so she probably just misses her kids. I could never treat my dog like a human. I don't even let her sleep on my bed haha.

[vRmy0Fzg]

Ours definitely know they're still animals, even when spoiled to a certain extent. I tend to think of them more like teenagers, I guess? So they're independent, don't get tucked in, etc, but they're still our "babies" who we treasure and protect the best we possibly can. They still have to follow certain rules and they can't be left alone for long periods of time or they'll get in trouble, hehe.

[Dayreive]

I probably do baby my cat a bit but she doesn't eat people food and I don't dress her in clothes, bows, etc. She does sleep in my bed. She has a pile of pillows near the headboard covered in towels so I can keep the area clean. If anything, she thinks we're cats. She flops on top of my head is always trying to groom me.

So I'd say it's a little of both with her. She's treated like a cat, just pretty pampered.

[TiepayWrary]

Certainly! They are not privileged as kids are...hahaha, but they have the tendency to be spoiled by other members of my family, especially my special son!

Imagine cats and kittens sleeping inside my son's shirt at night? Tell them to leave the room, but they more they hide inside the shirt (which, by the way, my son is wearing!)

But know what, I know a number of people who really treat their pets as surrogate children. They even took them to dog school, and celebrated a graduation! They get real human food, too, special beds, toys, the likes! Sometimes I wonder... those pets are born luckier than many kids I know!

[errolurberozy]

All of ours know they aren't human, they don't think they are what they are though!
Bart the dog acts more like a thoroughbred and Drake a cat thinks he's a wierd hybrid of dog/tortoise/humanoid

[xochex]

Both of my dogs know that they are loved. They are not spoiled. They get attention from us, but yet they know when it is time to go and lay down. They are both treated like a family dog and not a human being. They are not allowed to be at the table when we are eating. We don't dress them. They do know that they need to behave and they are very well behaved dogs. They do not sleep with me in my bed but they do sleep with my son on weekends when he is home from school. They know that they are dogs. I do know people that are quite different than we are when it comes to their pets.

[topbonuscasino]

This is so true. A lot of pet owners do tend to go a bit overboard. I have always treated my dogs as pets though, not that they were treated so much less, but I just wasn't overly taking care of them or anything. They are great companions, but to go overboard in terms of care and affection will just make it more difficult for both the pet and the owner in the long run. Great post!

[dogdesign]

Anything you can do to show your pet that you love them, you should do. I take my cats out for stroller rides every other night in pet strollers. If you think that this is unnecessarily spoiling them, let me tell you that they clearly look forward to their rides. They jump into the strollers when I get them ready, just as a dog jumps into the car when they know they are going for a ride. They sit at attention the whole time and look and listen to the sights and smells. It's not a matter of treating them as humans, it is a matter of going the extra mile to make your pet feel like they are loved.

[Juersdodfs]

We try very carefully to treat him as a dog because he's had so many behavioral problems. However, I do sometimes feel he is my surrogate child. I find myslef always wanting to buy him treats to make him happy and can't say no to his sad puppy eyes.

[SasortFkire]

My cat Dusty knows well that she is the pampered loved cat but not a human. I love to tickle her or hug her and pet her, but you won't see me stroll her around in a baby stroller or eat human food or get license plates dedicated to her. I sometimes have to wonder about the people that take owning a pet to a whole new level as if they were actual children. Some people treat their pets better than their own kids. That's a problem.

[Loolasant]

hi....

my dog behavior like the human and love to sleep with the me on the bed but I didn't let him sleep with me as I know that is not a human and may be cause of dust mites related allergy.

[lorryuncori]

Oh I think my dog really believes he's human He sometimes sits in a chair, or sleeps like a human in the bed, and it's a big dog.