NationStates Jolt Archive

not really.

My neighbor showed up on my porch today and said

"did you hear? we are going to be grandparents!!!"

"I thought your kids were the same ages as mine (under 5)"

"They are, but my dog is pregnant"

"oh, so you are going to be a puppy grandma?"

"yeah, and you are too"

"how's that?"

"your doggy is the daddy"

:eek:


What is it with people who think thier dogs are people? I love my dog, don't get me wrong but, because he got some bitch pregnant I am supposed to be all excited about being a grandma?

I don't get it.

anyway, the puppies are due this month (I thought thier dog looked fat) so if anyone in the area wants a really ugly puppy just in time for valentines.........



and I mean really ugly, they will be german shepard/ chow/ red wolf/ pittbull mixes



so anyway, what about you? are your pets members of the family?

Do those people who talk about thier "babies" when they are talking about thier dogs annoy you?

Maybe you'll feel different once the babies arrive. ;)

and I mean really ugly, they will be german shepard/ chow/ red wolf/ pittbull mixes
They sound adorable.

All puppies are cute.

On the one hand, it is pretty stupid to start viewing them as equal to people.
On the other hand, I'd probably have killed my own father if I thought I had to to protect my own stupid dog when I was younger.
Being so overly attached to an animal shows that you haven't developed sufficient attachment with other people and that hollowness is making you become attached to whatever is willing to hang around with you. Generally, getting attached to a dog is a bad plan, as they have a rather limited shelf life compared to humans. However, you can't have a taxadermist stuff your wife after she's dead and display her by the hearth, so you really just have to choose whatever poison best suits your tastes.

They are members of my family until they pee on the carpet.

Maybe you'll feel different once the babies arrive. ;)
I doubt it, I told her that I didn't want any responsibility for getting rid of the things, since her dog was in my yard, and not the other way around. I hope that when she see's how ugly they are she doesn't try to give me 1/2 the litter.




All puppies are cute.
sure, until they start pooping everywhere and chewing up all your stuff.............

we do become very attached to our pets but its a mistake to make them one of the family and treat them like babies.

unless you have a parrot or turtle they dont live long enough to have it be safe to give your heart to. in 10 or 15 years they are going to be dead. over the course of a lifetime it might well be like losing 10 children.

oh and

GET YOUR DOG NEUTERED

geeez did you WANT to be a grandmother at such an early age?

Being so overly attached to an animal shows that you haven't developed sufficient attachment with other people and that hollowness is making you become attached to whatever is willing to hang around with you.

I am probably too attached to my dog, we are renting and I have been looking for somewhere else to live, but I refuse to move somewhere if I can't take my dog.

It's mostly practical though, if my husband travels then the dog protects us. Buddy is the only dog I have ever had that hasn't had an accident in the house, or chewed up any of my stuff. He even puts up with my kids. I doubt I would find a better dog.

I'm not saying dogs are people. But about the shelf-life thing... Most of the people you know won't be around you for ten or twenty years, so in that regard a dog has an average shelf-life. Though they're not all too useful, at least they give you something to do if you're bored.:D

I love my dog, don't get me wrong but, because he got some bitch pregnant I am supposed to be all excited about being a grandma?

Funniest line of the day!

I'm sorry, people with pets, I understand you love them and all, but I just find that some people get creepy about it. It especially bothers me when I visit someone, and my child is clearly terrified of you 'cute little dog' and you refuse to put it in a room or something...I wouldn't let my kid terrorise your dog, maybe you could do me the same respect?

It's gotten so I won't even visit someone who has pets in the house unless we've had a talk about boundaries.

I thought you were in your early 20s, so yeah.

oh and

GET YOUR DOG NEUTERED

geeez did you WANT to be a grandmother at such an early age?
I was gonna, I swear. :p

I was stupid and figured since he was in the house most of the time and didn't jump the fence that I could wait (didn't figure that other dogs would jump into our yard)

and I don't want to be the one to take him in, maybe he will hate me forever (I didn't even take my husband in for his vasectomy, because I am a wimp when it comes to those things)

Funniest line of the day!
both funny and accurate. (see you can use the word bitch without cussing)

I'm sorry, people with pets, I understand you love them and all, but I just find that some people get creepy about it. It especially bothers me when I visit someone, and my child is clearly terrified of you 'cute little dog' and you refuse to put it in a room or something...I wouldn't let my kid terrorise your dog, maybe you could do me the same respect?
people come first, and kids are the most important form of people. I myself have a fear of unknown dogs, so Buddy gets put out when people come over, he knows too, when the bell rings he heads for the outside door. I don't even want a kid to be confronted with him. (he weighs like 80 pounds, even though he is super laid back, he just looks scarey)


I thought you were in your early 20s, so yeah.
23 yep.

Phew. Close call. I was going to have to make fun of you for being old. :p I like my dogs and all, but pets are not people, and people who treat them as such are stupid. And they probably hate America. (just kidding)

I'm not saying dogs are people. But about the shelf-life thing... Most of the people you know won't be around you for ten or twenty years, so in that regard a dog has an average shelf-life. Though they're not all too useful, at least they give you something to do if you're bored.:D
oh i agree. dogs are great companions. much better than your stinking kids are. THEY never call you up to tell you they decided to go to vermont for a skiing christmas instead of coming home!

you just have to keep them in a special place in your heart because its all but guaranteed that you will outlive them.

Never mind you being attached to the dog, what about the poor dog who is attached to his testes?

Never mind you being attached to the dog, what about the poor dog who is attached to his testes?
I didn't think he would get a chance to use them, I didn't want to put him through (what seemed like) a needless surgery. I am calling the vet today to see when we can go get him "taken care of"

If my pet is my baby I have to reconcile how I treat my baby, making him go to the bathroom outside, leaving him to his own devices for weeks at a time. Encouraging him to attack and eat vermin. Spinning the chair he's sitting in because it amuses me to watch him try and walk afterwards.

Nope, it has to be a cat or I'm a monster.

23 yep.

Oh okay. So it IS absurd to think you could actually be a grandma.

If my pet is my baby I have to reconcile how I treat my baby, making him go to the bathroom outside, leaving him to his own devices for weeks at a time. Encouraging him to attack and eat vermin. Spinning the chair he's sitting in because it amuses me to watch him try and walk afterwards.

Nope, it has to be a cat or I'm a monster.
I never thought of it that way..............

Maybe if her dog is her baby then I should be worried about her kids, since her dog runs the neighborhood without supervision about 18 hours a day:(

I didn't think he would get a chance to use them, I didn't want to put him through (what seemed like) a needless surgery. I am calling the vet today to see when we can go get him "taken care of"


He's gonna be a different dog, then. Good luck.

He's gonna be a different dog, then. Good luck.
I hear that they get fat and lazy, but if he is already fat and lazy then what have I got to lose?

I mean he won't even fetch, I throw the ball, he looks at it, then he looks at my 2 year old and she goes and gets it and brings it to him. :rolleyes:

I hear that they get fat and lazy, but if he is already fat and lazy then what have I got to lose?

I mean he won't even fetch, I throw the ball, he looks at it, then he looks at my 2 year old and she goes and gets it and brings it to him. :rolleyes:


How old is he? There may be a little resentment. If I woke up with no more balls and that cone around my head, I'd be pretty pissed off at the world.

How old is he? There may be a little resentment. If I woke up with no more balls and that cone around my head, I'd be pretty pissed off at the world.
He is about 2.

I doubt that he is resentful, he is just a lazy laid back dog. He was never socialized to play rough because of the kids, and I think I forgot to teach him to play, he runs after the wildlife in the back yard though.

It especially bothers me when I visit someone, and my child is clearly terrified of you 'cute little dog' and you refuse to put it in a room or something...I wouldn't let my kid terrorise your dog, maybe you could do me the same respect?

I find it interesting that you put it this way. If you visited a friend and her husband terrified your child, would you expect her to put her husband in a room or something? If an animal lives in a house, it belongs in that house moreso than your child, who doesn't live there. It has claim to that home, and it isn't going to understand or deal with being put in a back room away from everything else any better than a young child would. If you are visiting another person's home, you do it on their terms. If you don't like the way they run their household, then don't visit.

I'll put my dog on a leash, even in the house, if someone comes in who is afraid of him (although I don't understand how anyone taller than him could possibly be afraid of him). I won't put him in another room because he doesn't understand that, and he has separation anxiety and slobbers all over everything.

However, I would worry about a child who is terrified of animals. Children should be socialized with animals early on, as they will eventually have to deal with them (whether the parent likes/has pets or not). The same goes for the reverse situation - animals should be socialized with children. If your child really is terrified of dogs - that may be something you need to work on.

I hear that they get fat and lazy, but if he is already fat and lazy then what have I got to lose?

I mean he won't even fetch, I throw the ball, he looks at it, then he looks at my 2 year old and she goes and gets it and brings it to him.

My dog has been neutered since we got him (he was a rescue case and they require that). He has never bene fat or lazy, hehe. And we visited him and got to know him a bit before the surgery - no changes that I could see afterwards.

As for the original discussion - I called my mother when we picked him out and told her she was going to have a grandpuppy. There was a short pause and she replied, "You did say grandpuppy, right?" Of course, now that she has a grandchild through my step-sister, she's all about me having kids, hehe.

As for the original question, my dog is a member of the family, but not on par with people (he would never come before any person, family member or not). I am attached to him (and he's a little velcro dog). We make sure to get him good food, treats, play with him, and he goes to daycare once a week (sometimes once every two weeks) for socialization and playtime with other dogs. I'm thinking about getting him another dog so he'll have a buddy at home - which might help him get over the remnants of separation anxiety he still has.

I don't harbor any illusions about this. My dog is definitely my child-substitute. I'm sure that part of the reason I baby him is that I want a baby. But he'll be a member of the family (albeit a sub-human one) as long as he lives.

I find it interesting that you put it this way. If you visited a friend and her husband terrified your child, would you expect her to put her husband in a room or something? If an animal lives in a house, it belongs in that house moreso than your child, who doesn't live there. It has claim to that home, and it isn't going to understand or deal with being put in a back room away from everything else any better than a young child would. If you are visiting another person's home, you do it on their terms. If you don't like the way they run their household, then don't visit.

I'll put my dog on a leash, even in the house, if someone comes in who is afraid of him (although I don't understand how anyone taller than him could possibly be afraid of him). I won't put him in another room because he doesn't understand that, and he has separation anxiety and slobbers all over everything.

However, I would worry about a child who is terrified of animals. Children should be socialized with animals early on, as they will eventually have to deal with them (whether the parent likes/has pets or not). The same goes for the reverse situation - animals should be socialized with children. If your child really is terrified of dogs - that may be something you need to work on..
oh, come on, it's a dog. If my guest was terrified of my child then they may need some couseling, but my dog is not a person he is a dog.

being afraid of a dog you don't know is perfectly natural, esp. if you are a kid.

I hear that they get fat and lazy, but if he is already fat and lazy then what have I got to lose?

I mean he won't even fetch, I throw the ball, he looks at it, then he looks at my 2 year old and she goes and gets it and brings it to him. :rolleyes:
That doesn't sound like he's lazy, he's just got your daughter trained well.

oh, come on, it's a dog. If my guest was terrified of my child then they may need some couseling, but my dog is not a person he is a dog.

I didn't say the dog was a person. However, the dog is a dog, and dogs do have emotions and they are affected by things they don't understand. A person who is terrified of a dog, unless that dog is being threatening, needs some counseling too. I've seen people who will cross the street to stay away from my dog - on a leash. There's a problem there.

being afraid of a dog you don't know is perfectly natural, esp. if you are a kid.

It may be natural, but it is dangerous. A child should learn not to be terrified of an animal that isn't being threatening - cautious yes, terrified no. Otherwise, they have a much greater chance of eventually being harmed by an animal - even one that would not normally attack. If you don't teach your children how to properly deal with animals, you have done them a great disservice.

It especially bothers me when I visit someone, and my child is clearly terrified of you 'cute little dog' and you refuse to put it in a room or something...I wouldn't let my kid terrorise your dog, maybe you could do me the same respect?Fair enough, but children can be very annoying too, yet parents rarely seem willing to put them out of the room. Most seem unwilling to even tell them to shut up. I'm always impressed by those children that do exercise some manners, but in my own experience at least they're very few and far between. At least once an animal has been taught something, they generally stop pushing boundaries and behave in the manner expected of them :)

No, they are like a member of the family, but not like equal or whatever and they are still pets.

Oh look: Puppies! They're so cute :D (and tasty!*)
*not that I knew from personal experience...

I didn't say the dog was a person. However, the dog is a dog, and dogs do have emotions and they are affected by things they don't understand. A person who is terrified of a dog, unless that dog is being threatening, needs some counseling too. I've seen people who will cross the street to stay away from my dog - on a leash. There's a problem there.
I don't often go to petsmart because I am afraid of dogs (yes I know it's ironic that I have a dog) but it probably has something to do with seeing my best friend attacked by one when I was about 3.



It may be natural, but it is dangerous. A child should learn not to be terrified of an animal that isn't being threatening - cautious yes, terrified no. Otherwise, they have a much greater chance of eventually being harmed by an animal - even one that would not normally attack. If you don't teach your children how to properly deal with animals, you have done them a great disservice.
how exactly is it dangerous? I teach my kids to stay away from dogs they don't know, dogs bite, sometimes completely for no reason.

I don't often go to petsmart because I am afraid of dogs (yes I know it's ironic that I have a dog) but it probably has something to do with seeing my best friend attacked by one when I was about 3.

how exactly is it dangerous? I teach my kids to stay away from dogs they don't know, dogs bite, sometimes completely for no reason.

It is dangerous because an animal - any animal - is more likely to attack when they sense fear. You certainly shouldn't walk up to strange dogs (or cats or any other animal) without caution. Unless the animal itself is in danger or the owner is there, it is generally a good idea to leave strange animals alone. And this is certainly something you should teach your kids.

However, there is a huge difference between being cautious and being terrified. A child who is terrified of an animal runs a much greater chance of being attacked because animals can sense fear - and animals that would normally leave you alone can be driven to attack by it.

Meanwhile, being afraid of dogs because you saw one attack isn't exactly rational. I have been bitten by a dog - at a young age, but I am not afraid of dogs. I saw my mother get hit so hard by a man that she fell over and her feet flew over her head, but I am not afraid of all men.

Fair enough, but children can be very annoying too, yet parents rarely seem willing to put them out of the room. Most seem unwilling to even tell them to shut up. I'm always impressed by those children that do exercise some manners, but in my own experience at least they're very few and far between. At least once an animal has been taught something, they generally stop pushing boundaries and behave in the manner expected of them :)
yikes.

This was the whole point of my thred

Dogs are not people!!!!!!!

They are dogs.

Maybe I have a little bit of a different view because I grew up around farmers in the family. Animals aren't people, they are animals, sometimes you eat them sometimes you play with them, sometimes they work for you, but they are less important than people.

maybe I should expand my rant. Kids aren't pets, they are people, I have met many adults that are stupid and annoying, but thier spouses don't put them in another room when I come to visit. Of course kids make mistakes (everyone does) they are not easy to train like animals, you can't just pop them a snausage and tell them "be good". They are just like the rest of us, with thier own personalities, and thoughts, and feelings. It is perfectly natural for them to test thier boundries sometimes (and any parent can tell you they do it at inopertune times a lot) I would worry about a kid that didn't test the waters though.

yikes.

This was the whole point of my thred

Dogs are not people!!!!!!!

They are dogs.

So? Does that mean that we should mistreat them? Does it mean we shouldn't consider them at all when people are involved? If it would save a human being, I would kill my dog myself. However, that doesn't mean that I am going to treat my dog like he is in trouble just because someone in my home doesn't like him.

Like I told Sin, if someone doesn't like the way I run my home, they shouldn't visit me.

Meanwhile, being afraid of dogs because you saw one attack isn't exactly rational. I have been bitten by a dog - at a young age, but I am not afraid of dogs. I saw my mother get hit so hard by a man that she fell over and her feet flew over her head, but I am not afraid of all men.
I know it's irrational, but he ripped her scalp off, I am still traumatized because of it. I am getting better, I got a dog.;) I don't want my kids to have irrational fears, so I didn't tell them about this. I can see how if you are like deathly afraid though, and scream or act overly nervous that might freak out a dog.

but that is also a good reason to put my dog out when someone who is deathly afraid comes over (for my dog's protection of course, since if they freaked him out and he attacked I would have to put him to sleep ;))

So? Does that mean that we should mistreat them? Does it mean we shouldn't consider them at all when people are involved? If it would save a human being, I would kill my dog myself. However, that doesn't mean that I am going to treat my dog like he is in trouble just because someone in my home doesn't like him.
putting my dog outside isn't like a punishment for him, it's routine. when the bell rings he goes out. same as when he has to potty, or when we are vacuuming.
but if you punish your dog by locking him up, then he might take it wrong if you do it for no reason (although I don't agree with punishing a dog at all)

Like I told Sin, if someone doesn't like the way I run my home, they shouldn't visit me.
I can agree with that to a point, but when you are hosting a guest in your house, being a good host is keeping them comfortable within reason. I don't play punk music when my grandpa visits, and when my friends who are afraid of dogs come over then the dog goes outside.

yes, it freaks me out to a huge extent when my mother tells me to "go and take your brother out for a walk".

yes, i tell her every single time that i have no siblings. as i don't consider pets to be anything near human.

which, of course, is not to say they are not to be treated with all due respect. they are not "just" animals, they are animals. but animal!=human.

p.s. of course the dog gets to stay outside/in his room when somebody who's afraid of him comes to visit. as, of course, i will arrange for my flatmate not to be around when i have somebody over who for some reason really can't get along with him.

yes, it freaks me out to a huge extend when my mother tells me to "go and take your brother out for a walk".

yes, i tell her every single time that i have no siblings. as i don't consider pets to be anything near human.

which, of course, is not to say they are not to be treated with all due respect. they are not "just" animals, they are animals. but animal!=human.
exactly.

My dogs were definitely my babies. Alas, both are dead now and all I have is a step-cat (I'm not so much a cat person - she's down a notch on that poll).

There are plenty of reasons why I'd much rather have dogs than kids.

Nobody calls child welfare when you don't send your dog to school.
Nobody calls child welfare when your dog is kicked out of the house to sleep in the backyard every night.
You don't have to fork out thousands of dollars on clothes and education (mind you, I did pay $1500 for a state-of-the-art kennel with heated floor, but that was a one-off).
Dogs never turn into rebellious teenagers - they always love you no matter what.
You don't lose your precious evenings taking your dogs to ballet class or footy practise.

My dogs were definitely my babies. Alas, both are dead now and all I have is a step-cat (I'm not so much a cat person - she's down a notch on that poll).

There are plenty of reasons why I'd much rather have dogs than kids.

Nobody calls child welfare when you don't send your dog to school.
Nobody calls child welfare when your dog is kicked out of the house to sleep in the backyard every night.
You don't have to fork out thousands of dollars on clothes and education (mind you, I did pay $1500 for a state-of-the-art kennel with heated floor, but that was a one-off).
Dogs never turn into rebellious teenagers - they always love you no matter what.
You don't lose your precious evenings taking your dogs to ballet class or footy practise.


* kids never chew up your Jimmy Choos
* kids can pay for your nursing care when you are old and in diapers

okay I am about out of things that are good about kids, maybe I will have a better list when my kids are older.

Dogs never turn into rebellious teenagers - they always love you no matter what.

maybe. but dogs never come up to you and hug you and say "you're still my mum and i love you no matter what".

damn, did i actually just write that? i must be deluded day today. whatever.

plus, kids will give you presents for christmas, even if they are one hell of a crappy self-made paper stars. pets usually don't. (they just chew those up)

Fair enough, but children can be very annoying too, yet parents rarely seem willing to put them out of the room. Most seem unwilling to even tell them to shut up. I'm always impressed by those children that do exercise some manners, but in my own experience at least they're very few and far between. At least once an animal has been taught something, they generally stop pushing boundaries and behave in the manner expected of them :)

Well excuuuuse me! I have very good manners, when people are around (Just ask my neighbors... Well, not the ones in the yellow house.) I am sure to pay everyone who has ever said something nice that I can remember, a compliment.

There are plenty of reasons why I'd much rather have dogs than kids.

Nobody calls child welfare when you don't send your dog to school.
Nobody calls child welfare when your dog is kicked out of the house to sleep in the backyard every night.
You don't have to fork out thousands of dollars on clothes and education (mind you, I did pay $1500 for a state-of-the-art kennel with heated floor, but that was a one-off).
Dogs never turn into rebellious teenagers - they always love you no matter what.
You don't lose your precious evenings taking your dogs to ballet class or footy practise.
I hear you, my friend. Dogs don't cost the average of £100,000 to raise like a child apparently does (and that figure from the UK government has probably gone up since it was released). And let's face it, will many children - even when they grow up - repay such a debt, whether in kind or financially? Some will, and kudos to them - but I see so many people, and hear of so many others, that end up not giving their parents half the credit they probably deserve. I would personally find bringing a child into the world, and raising it, a pursuit without much reward. At least dogs are almost always unconditionally loyal and loving.

Well excuuuuse me! I have very good manners, when people are around (Just ask my neighbors... Well, not the ones in the yellow house.) I am sure to pay everyone who has ever said something nice that I can remember, a compliment.Good for you. Seriously. In the post to which you replied, I did state that I have a lot of time for children who behave in such a manner. All I was saying is that I haven't met many such children.

I would personally find bringing a child into the world, and raising it, a pursuit without much reward.
well, sure if you are looking for what you can get out of the situation.

well, sure if you are looking for what you can get out of the situation.If I did have adequate enough skills and desires to be a mother, I would at least expect some gratitude for doing so. That is not to say that all offspring are not going to provide said gratitude, but I really do think there are a lot of them that take their parents for granted. I will happily admit that I was certainly one of them up until fairly recently; probably the only reason I realised what a selfish brat I had been was that my mother developed pretty bad health problems, and I thought, "do I want to stand up at her funeral and go on about how much I loved her, or do I actually want to demonstrate it to her before we reach that point?" I chose the latter, but without the wake-up call I may well have remained in my state of taking-her-for-granted.

Parenting really isn't for everyone; some of us just want different things from life. As you may have guessed, I'm not keen on children in general, but there are many other much more rational reasons for my childfree status which, for me, would still prevent me from wanting children even if I really loved them.

I can't wait for my first grandchild. Hope everything goes well for you and yours. Here are some prayers you might enjoy.

CHILDREN AND YOUTH

Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! Graciously grant that this infant be fed from the breast of Thy tender mercy and loving providence and be nourished with the fruit of Thy celestial trees. Suffer him not to be committed to the care of anyone save Thee, inasmuch as Thou, Thyself, through the potency of thy sovereign will and power, didst create and call him into being. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Knowing.

Lauded art Thou, O my Best Beloved, waft over him the sweet savors of Thy transcendent bounty and the fragrances of Thy holy bestowals. Enable him then to seek shelter beneath the shadow of Thy most exalted Name, O Thou Who holdest in Thy grasp the kingdom of names and attributes. Verily, Thou art potent to do what Thou willest, and Thou art indeed the Mighty, the Exalted, the Ever-Forgiving, the Gracious, the Generous, the Merciful.

- Bahá'u'lláh

O Thou peerless Lord! Let this suckling babe be nursed from the breast of Thy loving-kindness, guard it within the cradle of Thy safety and protection and grant that it be reared in the arms of Thy tender affection.

- 'Abdu'l-Bahá

O God! Rear this little babe in the bosom of Thy love, and give it milk from the breast of Thy Providence. Cultivate this fresh plant in the rose garden of Thy love and aid it to grow through the showers of Thy bounty. Make it a child of the kingdom, and lead it to Thy heavenly realm. Thou art powerful and kind, and Thou art the Bestower, the Generous, the Lord of surpassing bounty.

- 'Abdu'l-Bahá

O God! Educate these children. These children are the plants of Thine orchard, the flowers of Thy meadow, the roses of Thy garden. Let Thy rain fall upon them; let the Sun of Reality shine upon them with Thy love. Let Thy breeze refresh them in order that they may be trained, grow and develop, and appear in the utmost beauty. Thou art the Giver. Thou art the Compassionate.

- 'Abdu'l-Bahá

O Thou kind Lord! These lovely children are the handiwork of the fingers of Thy might and the wondrous signs of Thy greatness. O God! Protect these children, graciously assist them to be educated and enable them to render service to the world of humanity. O God! These children are pearls, cause them to be nurtured within the shell of Thy loving-kindness.

Thou art the Bountiful, the All-Loving.

- 'Abdu'l-Bahá

O Lord! Make these children excellent plants. Let them grow and develop in the Garden of Thy Covenant, and bestow freshness and beauty through the outpourings of the clouds of the Abha Kingdom.

O Thou kind Lord! I am a little child, exalt me by admitting me to the kingdom. I am earthly, make me heavenly; I am of the world below, let me belong to the realm above; gloomy, suffer me to become radiant; material, make me spiritual, and grant that I may manifest Thine infinite bounties.

Thou art the Powerful, the All-Loving.

- 'Abdu'l-Bahá

O God, guide me, protect me, make of me a shining lamp and a brilliant star. Thou art the Mighty and the Powerful.

- 'Abdu'l-Bahá

O My Lord! O my Lord!

I am a child of tender years. Nourish me from the breast of Thy mercy, train me in the bosom of Thy love, educate me in the school of Thy guidance and develop me under the shadow of Thy bounty. Deliver me from darkness, make me a brilliant light; free me from unhappiness, make me a flower of the rose garden; suffer me to become a servant of Thy threshold and confer upon me the disposition and nature of the righteous; make me a cause of bounty to the human world, and crown my head with the diadem of eternal life.

Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty, the Seer, the Hearer.

- 'Abdu'l-Bahá

(Compilations, Baha'i Prayers, p. 31)

Perhaps, your dog can say the prayers to the neighbors dog.;)

not really.

Good, aren't you like 23? you'd have had to given birth to a daughter at 11, who also gave birth at 11. *shudder*

Good, aren't you like 23? you'd have had to given birth to a daughter at 11, who also gave birth at 11. *shudder*
yeah, something like that.

since you are good with the math I have kinda a funny story, recently an aquantance of mine guessed that I was about 35, and then 5 min later quessed that my mom was 42, she couldn't figure out why we were laughing at her. :D

for the record yeah I am 23 and my mom is 54.

If I did have adequate enough skills and desires to be a mother, I would at least expect some gratitude for doing so. That is not to say that all offspring are not going to provide said gratitude, but I really do think there are a lot of them that take their parents for granted. I will happily admit that I was certainly one of them up until fairly recently; probably the only reason I realised what a selfish brat I had been was that my mother developed pretty bad health problems, and I thought, "do I want to stand up at her funeral and go on about how much I loved her, or do I actually want to demonstrate it to her before we reach that point?" I chose the latter, but without the wake-up call I may well have remained in my state of taking-her-for-granted.

Parenting really isn't for everyone; some of us just want different things from life. As you may have guessed, I'm not keen on children in general, but there are many other much more rational reasons for my childfree status which, for me, would still prevent me from wanting children even if I really loved them.

being childfree is a valid life choice, I don't think anyone who doesn't want to have kids should be pressured/forced to have them.

I just get kinda touchy when people go around spouting their "I hate kids" stuff, mostly because I used to be a kid and I think hearing about how people hated me for something I had no control over (being a kid) probably screwed me up more than the adults that said it realized.

What's wrong with the way Chows, German Shepherds, and Red Wolves look?!

What's wrong with the way Chows, German Shepherds, and Red Wolves look?!
nothing my dog is a chow/german shepard/red wolf

He is cute. It's the pitt bull that I think is going to ruin the look of the dog, thier noses are too short.


Here is my Buddy (http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c389/Smunkee/Buddy2.jpg), in case anyone ever wanted to know what he looks like.

My cats are my babies, my dog is my sister, my donkies are my daughter and son-in-law and my rabbits are my pets;)

Seriously, my 'mom's':) cat is eleven and is like a princess around my home and I resuced a cat from the pound that's seven months old and I feel like she's my three year-old child:D She fell asleep at my back door a few nights ago and I had to carry her to my room like she was a 'human baby.'

You can be happy for your dog's being a dad but tell the lady you don't want to be the grandmother, she can have that 'title' for herself.

Oh, and you might want to get hiss tubes tied at the vet's. It saved me from three thousand kittens per two years with my oldest cat. She had a litter every two weeks it seemed. And besides, it'll get the lady to shut up about grandpuppies.

PS: Did you say red wolf and pit bull? Eww!;) Least you have the cute dog;) Buddy reminds me of a fox in a way.

Did you say red wolf and pit bull? Eww!;) Least you have the cute dog;) Buddy reminds me of a fox in a way.

yeah, she offered me a puppie and I said "yeah like I want a pitt mix around to eat my kids?!

anyway, he has a lot more wolf and german shepard in him than he does chow, mainly he has a spotted tounge, his vet says he is mostly GS and red wolf though.

We aren't really sure on the percentages though, because I won't spring for the blood tests and since he isn't full wolf then he is legal here. (I rescued him from some people who weren't able to care for him any longer, who rescued him from being put down at the pound.)

He really has been the greatest dog ever, until he got a little too friendly with the pitt next door.:p

putting my dog outside isn't like a punishment for him, it's routine. when the bell rings he goes out. same as when he has to potty, or when we are vacuuming.
but if you punish your dog by locking him up, then he might take it wrong if you do it for no reason (although I don't agree with punishing a dog at all)

Like I said before, my dog has issues with separation anxiety. I don't know exactly how his original owners treated him, but I do know they eventually abandoned him on the street. When he's locked in a room (or even a kennel - I originally planned on kennel training him), he freaks out, gets really nervous, and starts slobbering over everything. I never punish him by locking him up, but putting him in a room alone and closing the door may as well be punishment as far as he is concerned.

I can agree with that to a point, but when you are hosting a guest in your house, being a good host is keeping them comfortable within reason. I don't play punk music when my grandpa visits, and when my friends who are afraid of dogs come over then the dog goes outside.

I certainly agree that someone should be a good host. And I will gladly put my dog on a leash if someone around is scared of him. It's not even just for guests (actually, come to think of it, I've never had a guest who was scared of him), I do it for people who come over to work on the house/spray for bugs/etc.

My problem with Sinuhue's comment was not that she has an opinion as to what would be hospitable, but that she apparently thinks they should change what they find reasonable to suit her. When it comes right down to it, the definition of "reasonable" in this case is set by the owner of the home. If you didn't think it was reasonable to refrain from listening to punk music for someone, then you wouldn't do it. And if they had a problem with it, it would be their problem, and they could simply not visit.

yeah, she offered me a puppie and I said "yeah like I want a pitt mix around to eat my kids?!

I really hope this was just kidding. People who label certain breeds as automatically dangerous are no different than people who would look at a person of a certain ethnicity and automatically label them as dangerous. People are terrified of pittbulls, rottweilers, dobermans, etc. because they can do real damage, and people have used them in that regard, not because they are actually vicious breeds. Those who are vicious have almost always either been trained to be such, or have been neglected. I have seen far more vicious chihuahuas than I have any of the breeds mentioned above.

I really hope this was just kidding. People who label certain breeds as automatically dangerous are no different than people who would look at a person of a certain ethnicity and automatically label them as dangerous. People are terrified of pittbulls, rottweilers, dobermans, etc. because they can do real damage, and people have used them in that regard, not because they are actually vicious breeds. Those who are vicious have almost always either been trained to be such, or have been neglected. I have seen far more vicious chihuahuas than I have any of the breeds mentioned above.
I was 1/2 kidding, but most of the pitts around here are fighting dogs, and are more dangerous than rotts, and dobermans. My mom thinks it's kinda funny that I am afraid of pitts (not all of them, just ones I don't know) because my dog is part wolf and in her eyes having a "wild animal" as a pet is more dangerous.

I have a cat, we are not equals, she is very much the boss of me :)

She even tries to get me away from the comp by sitting on the keyboard :D

I was 1/2 kidding, but most of the pitts around here are fighting dogs, and are more dangerous than rotts, and dobermans. My mom thinks it's kinda funny that I am afraid of pitts (not all of them, just ones I don't know) because my dog is part wolf and in her eyes having a "wild animal" as a pet is more dangerous.
My dad used to have a cat that used to tear dogs to pieces for fun. It owned every street and backyard and used to dissappear for weeks at a time. It would even kill stuff and bring it in the house just to scare gran. Vicious thing. If it was still alive, I'd probably be petting it menacingly, evil genius style.

My dad used to have a cat that used to tear dogs to pieces for fun. It owned every street and backyard and used to dissappear for weeks at a time. It would even kill stuff and bring it in the house just to scare gran. Vicious thing. If it was still alive, I'd probably be petting it menacingly, evil genius style.
I used to have a cat, that was quite a mouser, people would borrow her to help with thier mouse issues. Whenever she would kill a mouse she would eat all of it but the head and then bring the head to me like a present. (and then I would have to dispose of it) On my 16th birthday my grandma said if she killed any mice I wouldn't have to clean them up. She found an entire mouse family under the house 2 big mice and 6 babies. :) She piled up the heads, and I didn't have to clean them up. I loved that cat.

I used to have a cat, that was quite a mouser, people would borrow her to help with thier mouse issues. Whenever she would kill a mouse she would eat all of it but the head and then bring the head to me like a present. (and then I would have to dispose of it) On my 16th birthday my grandma said if she killed any mice I wouldn't have to clean them up. She found an entire mouse family under the house 2 big mice and 6 babies. :) She piled up the heads, and I didn't have to clean them up. I loved that cat.
Kickass!:D

She even tries to get me away from the comp by sitting on the keyboard :D

*moves cat out of the way in order to answer*

Yeah, our cat's like that, too. She headbutts my hand (the mouse hand, naturally) and sits on top of the keyboard, which means she also obscures part of the screen with her head. Then she wonders why I get annoyed with her...