but not part of children

Lemme put on my best Caesar Milan impression here... Come on, man, you have to be pack leader!

Actually some people can't have children because of medical reasons, so some people see their pets as their children.

Dogs don't warrant the girlfriend to make shitty excuses to be lazy and not help pull weight around the home.

#28, How do you know she won't pull weight around the home? Not only can she work from home, but she'd most likely be helping with the housework. Don't assume things that weren't mentioned.

Being a SAHM for a dog is ridiculous. yes, when I grow up I'd like to be a SAHD or for my husband to be a SAHD, for my children. But not for my cat or my dog. I love my cat more than anything, but that just can't happen. It probably wouldn't be an FML if she was a SAHM working from home.

I totally agree, Justinjk. Saying, "I'd like to work from home" is completely different than saying, "I want to stay home to take care of the dog." It's an insult to parents everywhere to equate caring for a dog to caring for a child.

It is an insult to parents because taking care of a baby requires so much more work than taking care of a dog...

59, It is an insult to parents everywhere to compare what they do to caring for a dog. I'm not a parent myself, but I know many people who are, and I see how much time, effort and heartache it requires. It's not even remotely the same as caring for a pet, and to make that comparison devalues all the hard work and sacrifices parents make. No, this lazy bum's life choices don't affect me, but I know enough to recognize that they are a ridiculous excuse to be lazy and that she has no respect for the hard work other people do.

I have a 6 week old, and although she is more time consuming, I don't find her anymore work than my dogs. I know this will change, but I don't find it an insult to me as a parent. My dogs were my fur babies before I had my daughter, they will always be my fur babies. That being said, being a stay at home mom to dogs is ridiculous. They can be left alone, a baby can not.

#28 And children do warrant laziness?

#61, please explain to me how it is an insult to parents of human children. I would like specific examples of thing that you do for your children that a dedicated pet parent wouldn't do for their dog. Frankly, I know pet parents that take much better care of their dogs than traditional parents. You're all just too quick to judge. I spend years finding a line of communication and teaching my dog to understand English, years continuing to show her everything there is to see in the world. She goes to the Emergency Vet at 3 AM with a stomach ache, she has no source of food without me with her, she goes everywhere with me and has an international passport, JUST like a child would. Just because we see irresponsible pet owners ditch their pets on a daily basis does NOT mean that it is not like caring for a child. But you're right, I didn't carry her for 9 months and shove her out of my ******. I'm sure that adoptive parents wouldn't be offended by your definition of a parent.

#77, If you actually read my comment, you'd know that I have no children. The reason I don't is because I'm not ready for the time, effort, and lifetime commitment that raising a child requires. I also plan on adopting at least one child some day, and I will consider that child as much mine as any other child I may have birthed myself. Nowhere in my comment did I define that being a parent required giving birth. Please get off your high horse. I've had dogs and I currently own two cats. I've always taken very good care of my pets. I've rushed one in particular to the emergency vet when he was very sick and then visited him in the hospital every day for the next week because I didn't want him to feel abandoned. Yes, caring for a cat or a dog requires the same sort of devotion as a child, but not nearly the same level of devotion. I've compared my pets to children, but I've always been referring to the affection I feel for them, not the time and effort I spend caring for them. And I never said that raising a child is an excuse for laziness either. Rather, raising a child requires that one not be lazy. That's why having children is a legitimate reason not to work. Unlike a cat or dog, a child requires constant supervision for the first few years of their life. I've left my cats alone for days at a time, simply leaving out extra food and water for them when I left. My cats are five years old. Could I do that with a five year old child? Of course not. When I had dogs, my family would simply have a neighbor come over twice a day to feed and walk them. Could we have simply had a neighbor come over twice a day to check on a toddler who was staying alone in the house for days on end? No. I'm sure you love your dog and take very good care of him, just like I love my cats and take very good care of them, but if you think that what you and I do for our pets is even remotely comparable to what it takes to nurture a human being into a healthy, productive adult, you're kidding yourself. OP's dog does not require constant supervision. That's why OP's girlfriend is a lazy bum.

#93 There is a chance that dog is getting old and she just wants to spend time with her fluffy baby before its too late.

I'll get down voted big time for this, but oh well. I completely disagree with you. You say that you have dogs and cats, and that the care requirements for animals is considerably lower; however, you only used cats in your examples. No, you can't leave a toddler at home alone. But you can leave a teenager home alone for weeks and have a neighbor come in to check on them. Cats are known for being independent and much more like teenagers. Could you leave your dog alone for even a day? Absolutely not, not while being a responsible Pet Parent. Dogs require constant attention for the first few years of their life, as well, depending on breed. Yes, you can put them in a crate. Just like I can put my toddler in a play-pen. I'm not attempting to scream at you over the Internet by any means, and I apologize if it came across that way. But I am so tired of hearing the same argument. There are many things in this world that members of society will disagree upon. This is one that going to take a while to set in for many citizens. We're all too caught up in believing that animals are property, when it isn't that at all. I see your point, but once again, I am going to just agree to disagree.

Actually, 112, I did use dogs as an example as well. Sorry, if you think raising an animal is like raising a human being, you're kidding yourself. It's not a matter of opinion. Objectively, you're just plain wrong. Not only do humans live much longer and mature more slowly, but they are intellectuality and psychologically more complex. That adds a whole other dimension to rearing that simply doesn't exist with animals like cats and dogs.

Well aren't you just a ray of sunshine? I think it's unfortunate that you're so closed-minded. You should take some time to use some of that intellect to learn respect for other people's opinions and views. Good day to you.

Tell me, 116, how's your dog's college fund going?

Her school fund is $120 every 6 weeks because my dog is actually educated??

A little background info. I've been with my girlfriend for four years- She is not the type to make me work while she does shit all. We did have a long talk about this. She is just very stressed out as she is not here for 3 days out of the week because she makes a 2 hour commute to and from university every week and when she is here she works. She is just stressed and tired and feeling guilty about not spending enough time with our dog pepsi. She is not lazy, and certainly not a bitch just struggling keeping up with all aspects of her life right now. Thanks to all the nice and supportive comments we both appreciate them. :)

:)

So does Pepsi taste better?

Interesting I had a dog named Cola. A lovely black lab.

#96 either you read the comment wrong, made a joke without considering the implications, or knew full well what you meant in which case you can go sit over there.

hope her stress levels go down, it's no fun to be never at home

so your mum's a ...

Does that make you a son of a bitch?

Pretty much! :(

I meant to give you a thumbs up.. So sorry.

I didn't.

nor did I