Furbabies
When I adopted my first Shiba Inu - I was floored by how fast I
could fall for a sad little ball of off-white fluff. She reeked like a
dirty hamster cage (she was from a puppy mill raid) and she peed on me
during the 4 hour drive home. But I loved her immediately. Like
immediately.
Then our second Shiba was from a rescue - and
when we got him - we told family and friends (we actually considered
sending out e-notices with his picture.. ha). We were delighted and all
a majority of people could say was 'don't you already have a dog' or
'why in hell would you want two dogs?' and 'are you sure you want
another vet bill'.
Don't they get it? These are my
furbabies! I don't want children - I have dogs! My husband and I have
already found a common ground on the fact - we hope to rescue Shibas in
the future, there are no children plans in our future! And to most
people, that is disturbingly odd!
Why is that? These
animals depend on us for everything, and to me, that is as far as I'll
go with that unless my Maker has other plans for me - which I am open
to - I really only want furbabies!!
Do other non-child-bearing dog owners feel this way too?
Comments
I'm right there with ya.
I have a "no trying" thing. If I end up pregnant, I'll love it but I'm not going to go out of my way to have one. I'll be perfectly happy being surrounded by my dogs, cats, rabbits and whatever else I'm with at the time. My family doesn't understand it and doesn't support it. If I'm ever in trouble, I could expect no help from them unless I get rid of my animals. Easy to say I wont be asking them for help anytime soon...or ever.
I'm with you Jennifer. We have some folks on here who have the time and love to give to bothe fur and human babies.
NOT ME
Dogs and kitties all the way.
They will never ask for cell phones, or borrow the car, and tuition is WAY cheaper.
Yay furbabies!
I agree with all of the above!!
My family is not supportive of this of course like some of you have
said. They also don't approve of me cohabiting since I come from a
staunchly Catholic background, but I'm not one to follow the rules. Where I come from, it's like you 'prove' your womanhood by having kids.
I really DO NOT see myself as a mother, at all! I don't have the patience for kids and I don't remember liking kids when I was a kid myself! I've always been 'a little adult' and preferred to hang around adults because what they said always seemed more interesting. I've been a TEFL teacher for 8 years now and very quickly switched to teaching adults because I just hated having to babysit the brats. I have to say though, especially after the way an adult student acted with me today - adults are sometimes no better!
I've thought for quite a few years now that I don't have a motherly instinct when it comes to human babies, I don't coo over other people's babies much either. That is not to say I hate babies, but I go nuts for kittens and puppies but not babies.
All the time we were looking for a cat and it seemed like we weren't getting anywhere I kept telling Rui, I feel like a sterile mother who can't find a baby to adopt - perverse, I know! Leaving my cats behind when I moved to Portugal was one of the hardest things. I remember crying frequently just because I felt the absence of something furry on my lap - the anguish!
I am with all of you, having kids have never really heald any appeal to me. Right now we are in the stage of "if it happens, so be it" but neither of us really are wanting kids too much. We much prefer our animals and doing things with them. Actually both of us get pretty irritated at restaurants when people bring kids that we feel are not well behaved (ie, loud). But both of us love our cuddly animals. Let's see, now we have 5 house cats (3 of them are indoor/outdoor), 10 barn cats, 1 Shikoku (and another on order), and 6 horses! Where would a kid fit into that mix!
Luckily in 6 years of marriage, no one (my family or friends) have ever asked if we wanted kids and why don't we have them instead of pets.
Wow..just have a baby? Sure..I wouldn't wanna hear just get a puppy either but still...wow.
It's like the article I read saying celebrities are having kids nowadays to cash in on the baby photos rather than for the purpose of raising a human being.
Jen and I are the same way - not really sure if we want human kids ever. I actually don't like human kids, to be honest.
As for the reaction thing... yea, no one in my family gets it. We always get the "you got another dog" or "why don't you stop with the dogs and have a kid". So annoying. Dogs have changed every aspect of Jen and my life, and I NEVER wish they hadn't. Our lives would be so empty without our little buddies.
I think that is what's cool about forums like this one, you get a sanity check and realize you are not alone when it comes to your furbabies... I mean, we have 6! lol
Rachael - If you no longer love your dogs when you have a kid I will drive to ATL and kick both of you in crotch! I know I will never have to do that tho... I mean, how could you not love Niko or Sasha? They are so cute. Kitty... well she's a cat. (I am totally kidding guys!)
I don't really like kids either, lol. A friend of ours had a baby five days before Isaac was born and they asked me if I wanted to hold him and I remember saying no. It's different when they're your own. I still don't really like kids and I'm not all gushy over babies.
We're only having two kids, which by some people's standards isn't enough. I know people who want five children or more and they can't believe I'm "only" having two. Of course, they always describe the situation as me wanting more dogs "instead of" having more children, as if a dog is a child substitute or vice versa. Then there are the people who are rude to me now because I stopped going to university when I found out I was pregnant and decided to have my two kids and then go back. Of course, now that I'm talking about finishing my degree I was told by someone that I should "just be a mother" and not try to do anything else. There are also the people who get on my case for getting a dog and cat before having a baby, because in their mind, that means that I somehow view the pets as more important (not sure how that works).
Point being, people just like to be judgemental. They assume that because one thing works for them that everybody should do it. They don't want lots of dogs, therefore, it's somehow wrong for someone else to do so. For me, I want my two children, my education, and a bunch of dogs. That's what makes me happy and sucks to anyone who tries to give me guff about it.
Brad you need help!! LMAO! How would you know what stalkers do??
My mom has been here the last month and wont leave her alone. Right now she is sitting and staring at my mom and has been for the last 20 minutes. The funny thing is that Kitty used to HATE my mom because she had to live with her for a few months when I had to move out of my apartment and she avoided her like the plague....now kitty has no idea who I am.