[NYer]

Jennessa Durney has earned a MA in Theological Studies and an Advanced Apostolic Catechetical Diploma from Christendom College’s Graduate School. She also holds a Certificate in Youth Ministry accredited by Franciscan University of Steubenville. Jennessa is currently serving as the Coordinator of Youth Ministry at Our Lady of Hope in the Arlington Diocese, under the pastoral direction of Father Saunders. She is passionate about serving teens and young adults and seeks to enrich their lives through her speaking and writing apostolate.

[NYer]

I know several individuals who match this description. With legalized same sex marriage, how much longer before states recognize bestiality?

[oh8eleven]

until I read the caption which read, “Baby’s First Christmas.”
Just today, Cindy Anthony referred to her first dog or two before she had kids as, "You know how they're your babies before you have kids."

[LibertarianLiz]

I have been observing the same for a few years now. First was a woman in her 60’s who referred to her single son’s german shepard as her “grandchild”. Then, my husband works with a man who had a couple of corgis who he referred to as his “son” and his “daughter”. My husband said to me that when he talked about his dogs,he(hubby) felt “icky”.

[JoeProBono]

[bopdowah]

Q: Why are dogs better than kids?
A: When you get sick of your dog, you can put it to sleep.

[sam_whiskey]

This does appear to be happening more and more. I can think of several examples. Why, though?

[sodpoodle]

There is an Ancient Legend of the Cherokee Nation:*
Early in creation, man and animals lived side by side.
But one day the Great Spirit decided to separate man from the animals by giving man an eternal soul.
The Great Spirit caused a huge chasm to open in the earth with man on one side and the animals on the other side.
The chasm grew wider and wider until, at the very last moment, the dog jumped across the chasm to stand by man.

[paul51]

One of the places I live is so called ‘dog friendly’. It's sick the way some of these people (attempt to)relate to their animals. It makes me wonder what kind of empty void they have inside them that they are trying to fill with a bizarre relationship with an animal. For information, I was the very happy owner of a very great golden retriever for 13 yrs....but...I never lost sight of the fact she was a dog.

[Gaffer]

When a dog can respond correctly to the following question like any of my grand daughters can, I’ll think about it. “Sweetie, please get Poppy a beer out of the frigermalator and bring it to me”......

[Emperor Palpatine]

My dog Tojo is very much like a kid. Its like having a perpetual two-year-old around the house.

(Plus he’s almost as expensive as a kid and listens about as well....)

;-)

Seriously, my dog IS a valued family member, and dog people understand this. I’m willing to bet that this over-educated hectoring bimbo Jennessa ever had a dog.

[kingpins10]

I love dogs, but to see the way some people treat their pets is just plain old idolatry. It can be sickening at times.

[wideawake]

Of course they are. Children require commitment, yopu have to set an example for them, they are expensive, and you need to build a serious relationship with them.

Dogs don't care how vilely you behave, they are happy with the bare minimum, and they will love you no matter how badly you treat them.

Perfect child substitute for the lazy and selfish.

And although it does not need saying: yes, dogs are wonderful companions for decent people too.

[antiRepublicrat]

At least the social ramifications of a dog spoiled rotten to the core are nowhere near that of spoiling a child. Just look at Obama and imagine how much better the world would be if his mom had just bought a poodle.

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

Apparently a similar trend was ongoing at the end of the Roman Republic: Plutarch reports in his “Life of Caesar” that the great man had just returned from Gaul when he saw a group of Roman women making much over a monkey. He asked those with him: “What is the matter have these women no children?” Juvenal in his Satires reported and satirized, many years after Caesar, the childlessness of Roman women-the Roman race simply died out.

[Joe 6-pack]

"WOOOF!

The Doggie Ping list is for FReepers who would like to be notified of threads relating to all things canid. If you would like to join the Doggie Ping Pack (or be unleashed from it), FReemail me.

[discostu]

Pets are a better bet than kids. They’re cheaper, they like you more, and if they turn out to be a loser you can give them to the Humane Society.

[9YearLurker]

Loving kindness to animals is not IMO a false expression of love. Though it’s nice and fulfilling for people to love other people too, I don’t see it as a zero sum game.

[Bean Counter]

This phenomenon is not necessarily a bad thing. Some people ought not reproduce, and at least they aren’t making too much of a nuisance of themselves; although a case can be made for sympathy for the dog, depending on the breed.

On a side note, one of those yappy little dogs with lots of hair make excellent bait for Chinook salmon. You just put the yapper in one of those doggy life vests with a sturdy hook tied on with a sturdy leader to your favorite rod, and just heave the little bastard over the side. The more he splashes around in the current, the better your chance of landing a real citation fish. You can even rig up a spinner for some extra action.

If you reel fast enough you can usually recover your live bait with minimal damage, but they are usually good for only one fish per weekend of fishing. You really need to let the little yapper rest for a few days if he manages to land a big one...but be advised that after a while he may become afraid of your boat.......

[HereInTheHeartland]

It’s considered more acceptable to kill a unborn child than to kill a baby dog or cat.
That’s an outrageous; sick thing but most people don’t see why that is a problem.

[Mamzelle]

People can be so selfish, and leave you bereft and lonely. Pets don't care what you look like, they're always glad to see you.

I remember when my kids were growing up and I was always frazzled and untidy, and knew lots of "child-free" couples and they invariably had beautiful dogs. They lavished affection on the dogs, and the dogs loved them back. Sometimes it doesn't work out so well between people and their children. There's a little envy for their leisure and orderly lives...

But dogs don't live long, and they don't graduate from college and go on to become successful adult humans. There's a lot of joy and satisfaction in that. And then you can really enjoy what pets have to offer in the way of stress-free companionship.