Dogs vs. babies

Lurk

Just a wistful musing while I'm waiting for my eggs to boil:

I've a good few friends with young children and they seem to be pretty competitive with other parents...when they meet it's all "my jimmy can throw a ball 10 feet..." and the response would be "that's great, my little one can throw it 20 feet and/or speak 6 languages etc..."
I've no kids, but when I meet someone who also has dogs, the first thing I think of is "that's a gorgeous looking creature, or it has a great character or whatever." There's no competitive feelings at all.
(However, when I'm visiting someone who has a cat, i think "get that rat thing away from me")
Anyone else notice this difference between having children and owning dogs?

Rigsby

Yes, I can identify with a lot of what you say. Since I got my dog about two years ago I have made casual acquaintance with lots of other dog owners. We mainly meet while walking our dogs in the local park. We'll often stop and talk while petting each others dog. I doubt if this would happen if I was accompanied by a child. I disagree though, about your attidude to cats. I like all animals and while I prefer dogs I recognise that cats have their own personality albeit a very different one.

racso1975

"get that rat thing away from me")

LMAO

I'm the exact same bout cats but i do honestly think it that i grew up with my dad hating them yet loving every other animal.

I used to walk my father in laws dogs and when i'd have the labrador out every body would love to pet him but if i had the rottweiller people would nearlycross the raod yet all she would do was lick ya to death.

Sigma Force

I like all animals, their owners on the other hand..lol

Oriel

I only read the subject title, but dogs generally win.

Sangre

Lurk wrote:

Just a wistful musing while I'm waiting for my eggs to boil:

I've a good few friends with young children and they seem to be pretty competitive with other parents...when they meet it's all "my jimmy can throw a ball 10 feet..." and the response would be "that's great, my little one can throw it 20 feet and/or speak 6 languages etc..."
I've no kids, but when I meet someone who also has dogs, the first thing I think of is "that's a gorgeous looking creature, or it has a great character or whatever." There's no competitive feelings at all.
(However, when I'm visiting someone who has a cat, i think "get that rat thing away from me")
Anyone else notice this difference between having children and owning dogs?

Did your sperm contribute to the genetic nature of your dog?

Rigsby

Sangre wrote:

Did your sperm contribute to the genetic nature of your dog?

There's always some smart alec.......

smallpaws

I know what you mean about people competing with their children's accomplishments, but dog people not competing with their pets. It's a weird thing, I always like animals better than most children and I actually have rated bad behavior of children with that of my dog (how's that for competitive?), and my dog is always better behaved and more easily controlled than *some* other people's children. I had my dog at a family Christmas party several years ago and one cousin (a twat anyway, jebus, what a twat) was staring and glowering at me and generally being snarky, was making a point of looking at me and my dog while rolling his eyes in the "oh she brought her DOG, what a fool" look, and was watching to see my dog freak out from the noise and activity.
I was not surprised to see small children running around for most of the evening, past tables of food, adults trying to talk, bumping into each other occasonally, screaming and shouting out of their minds on sugar, soda and Santa thoughts while my dog sat serenely and calmly in my arms, never uttering a bark or a peep. I was also delighted in a bitter, vindictive way to see his own small child join the fray this year and run around screaming and out of control all night acting as awful as the other children while he and his wife looked on and did nothing.

junkyard

I'd have to say I prefer dogs to kids any day, I like all animals but I'm not a big fan of cats, even though we had 18 of them at one time, there was only 1 I ever liked and she was the friendliest creature I think I ever came across. We always had dogs in our family and they are regarded as family and spoiled even more than other human family members.:)

scorphonic

Sangre wrote:

Did your sperm contribute to the genetic nature of your dog?

Whats this about, A Moderator should never speak like this on a forum, for any reason. I am a member in more than five forums concerning different topics and NOBODY would speak to a member with such disrespect. I believe that you owe someone an apology Moderator. Even if you are a moderator for UCD...you should have more cop on and sense...afterall you are in university for a reason!!!

peasant

but when I meet someone who also has dogs, the first thing I think of is "that's a gorgeous looking creature, or it has a great character or whatever." There's no competitive feelings at all

In that case, you obviously haven't met any "real" dog owners yet

The goings on on the show circuit or in competitive agility, obedience, dog dancing, etc are truly sickening and beyond belief.

At least little Jimmy can tell his Mummy to eff off, the dog usually has no such choice.

Jotter

totally agree peasant - take a trip to a dog show and youll meet some really nice people - when youre talking about their dog and how lovely it is but the rest of the time theres no manners involved, theyre arrogant and rude and could do with some basic training themselves and the bitchiness omg ...Really put me off getting involved!
I have kids as do some of my friends and none of us are competitive about them and although I know people like that theyre people I tend to avoid like the plague.
I had a dog up until a few weeks ago when he had to be put to sleep but he was so well behaved and in our walks Id meet some lovely dog owners but also some that havent a clue and think their darling is lovely - one in particular is a lovely lady but she was praising her dog to me meanwhile it jumped up and bit my little finger and she continued talking like as if nothing happened!!
Personally I think that people can live their lives through their children and or pets and this is where the problem arises with little brats whose parents/owners think theyre wonderful - I esp hate going to my vets where the receptionist would constantly refer to me as my cats/dogs mummy!! wtf:)

daiixi

I agree with peasant and Jotter. A lot of people who have pets have just that, a pet. Then again there's the people who specially train and breed and show their dogs and wow, they can bore the ear off ya!

As for what sangre said, well that's a perfectly valid point and does not come across at all condescendingly to me. People have children, raise them and teach them skills expecting them to be extraordinary. A lot of people are happy if their dog will sit and therefore don't start bragging "oh Scooter learned to sit yesterday didn't you Scooter. SIT Scooter SIT!" However a person who really trains their dog is happy to show off that their dog can bark hello.

TempestSabre

Lurk wrote:

...
Anyone else notice this difference between having children and owning dogs?

No.

You meet competitive pet owners too, and non competitive parents.

peasant

totally agree peasant - take a trip to a dog show and youll meet some really nice people - when youre talking about their dog and how lovely it is but the rest of the time theres no manners involved, theyre arrogant and rude and could do with some basic training themselves and the bitchiness omg ...Really put me off getting involved!

Then again there's the people who specially train and breed and show their dogs and wow, they can bore the ear off ya!

Pople who insult or bore other people ...well I can live with (or rather ignore) that.

But lots of those so called "dog-lovers" do actual harm to their dogs just in order to satisfy their competitive streak, and that's just wrong.

TempestSabre

In fairness http://www.thenydog.com/

junkyard

"Lingerie for Lassie" I can't wait to see that feature, I mean wtf?????:rolleyes:

Lurk

Sangre wrote:

Did your sperm contribute to the genetic nature of your dog?

Highly unlikely seeing as I'm female, but my eggs didn't contribute to the makeup of my car, yet I'd be competitive about that.

smallpaws wrote:

It's a weird thing, I always like animals better than most children and I actually have rated bad behavior of children with that of my dog (how's that for competitive?)

That's brilliant...will have to start doing that:D

Jotter wrote:

totally agree peasant - take a trip to a dog show and youll meet some really nice people - when youre talking about their dog and how lovely it is but the rest of the time theres no manners involved, theyre arrogant and rude and could do with some basic training themselves and the bitchiness

Well my two little ladies are complete mongrels (whispering is so they don't hear me), so I don't know much about the competition circuit. Although Best in Show (one of the best films ever) did give an idea of what it's like!