[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.

[Vermont Lt]

Mine will in September when both kids go away to school.

He doesn’t listen to me either.

[Malone LaVeigh]

Human relationships are often difficult. Even under the best circumstances, they require constant effort. People, even close family, will often disappoint or hurt you. When that happens too often, people have a tendency to withdraw from that relationship.
In contrast, pets are much easier. They don't ask for much and as a result are much easier to get along with. They're easier to love, unless they tear up your favorite couch or crap all over your new carpet. Humans need to express love towards something. This need will manifest in varying degrees. Some people take it too far, but we need an outlet of some kind and pets will often fill that void.

[Mama_Bear]

I admit, my dogs are my furbabies. And, honestly, I prefer many people's dogs to the their kids, so this news is actually not alarming to me. :-)

[Some Fat Guy in L.A.]

I love dogs, and they generally love me - I’m one of those people that, if I were to visit your house for the first time, your dog would be in my lap (unless you have a really big dog, of course....). That said, they are not little furry people and we shouldn’t treat them as such.

[Amberdawn]

Yep, and I was flamed when I said how weird this was on an earlier thread.

[grey_whiskers]

Try reading Evelyn Waugh's The Loved One.

The rot always hits Britain before us.

NO cheers, unfortunately.

[Salvation]

I know I will get flamed for this. But God cares about babies more than dogs.

[PzLdr]

I’m not married, never have been. No children. I call my dogs my kids. They’ll never go to college, they’ll never go to jail, and they’ll never live long enough. And to me they’re my family.

[truthkeeper]

I’m with this gal. I like animals too - I used to raise dogs - but enough already. They are NOT people.

[Mountain Bike Vomit Carnage]

4 years ago I invited my mother on an all expense paid trip to her favorite city, Rome, for Christmas.

As part of my gift I also offered to pay all of her bills for December, any lost wages and dog sitter.

She said she couldn’t go because she couldn’t leave her dog as it was her only family.

We haven’t spoken since.

[PittsburghAfterDark]

I’m going to add a spin on this to any single FReepers out there that may be online dating.

Ever see personals ads with women posing with or including their dog(s) and cat(s) as if they were children or part of the package deal?

Run like hell from anyone that does that. Trust me.

[b9]

Reknowned British dog trainer Barbara Wodehouse gave this advice for training dogs, which works well for raising children, too:

Be firm, be fair & be fun.

[tlb]

>>> Are Dogs Taking the Place of Children? (an alarming reality)

Even more alarming, dogs taking the place of our Starships.

[CodeToad]

My dogs are better behaved than most people’s children.

[Krankor]

Actually, I loves dogs. Kids, on the other hand, I can do without. If true, this is a welcome development. A block full of dogs- heaven. A block full of kids- well, I won’t comment.

[GenerationY]

I thought I’d seen it all the first time a saw a dog being pushed around in a dog stroller. Then I saw a mother pushing a stroller made for two kids where one actually sits underneath the other. This woman had her 2ish looking son on the bottom and her dog on the top. The funniest part though was that she was petting and talking to the dog and ignoring the child.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

A few days later, I ran a 5k in some brutal heat. Surely, if anyone had offered me water, I would have happily accepted. That didn’t happen, but I did overhear someone ask the couple behind me if their dog could use some water. I glanced behind me to see a bottle of water being held up to the dog’s mouth.

You have a voice and could ASK for water. The dog couldn't.

One would hope that having earned a MA in Theological Studies you would be familiar with the verse, "you have not because you ask not."