Weird dog lady at work

[Anonymous]

At a work lunch last week, a couple people were talking about kids and this lady mentions she has to drop her daughter off at daycare every day. Her daughter is a dog. It lead to a sort of awkward pause in conversation. It was really weird of her to say that, when people are discussing real kids and grand kids.

It annoyed me. Anyone else get annoyed when weirdos interject with their animal stories when the conversation is about kids? I find it distasteful.

[Anonymous]

Sounds odd, but I also find it odd when people repeat the same stories about their kids. Over. And over.

[Anonymous]

Gee, before I had kids and only had a dog, one of my friends used to tell me that at least her kids would grow up to use the potty, pour cereal, and entertain, themselves. I never once compared my dog to a child - she had a beloved dog before kids and understood my investment without me ever thinking what I did was as hard as having kids.

You want to know the greatest difference between you and her? She will have to bury her beloved in her lifetime, guaranteed.

I'm glad my friend taught me that there are many ways to love and have a family. Your kids are not the end all, you know?

[Anonymous]

Maybe her dog is all she has to love and give her love in return. What difference does it make to your life? As another poster commented, I get so damn tired of hearing about you and your kids.

[Anonymous]

To each their own. Be glad for her she has another creature she loves and who loves her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gee, before I had kids and only had a dog, one of my friends used to tell me that at least her kids would grow up to use the potty, pour cereal, and entertain, themselves. I never once compared my dog to a child - she had a beloved dog before kids and understood my investment without me ever thinking what I did was as hard as having kids.

You want to know the greatest difference between you and her? She will have to bury her beloved in her lifetime, guaranteed.

I'm glad my friend taught me that there are many ways to love and have a family. Your kids are not the end all, you know?

Sorry, quoted poster. I meant to say "her" as far as your friend.

Also, I have kids now, but the hole in my heart left from my daily companion of 13 years passing is something I'm not sure I'll ever get over. Love is love, whether it's for a human, or an animal. Yes, you're raising humans, which is a totally different ball game, but don't think that for some people, the love and responsibility that they extend to their animal companions isn't all encompassing the way that you feel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At a work lunch last week, a couple people were talking about kids and this lady mentions she has to drop her daughter off at daycare every day. Her daughter is a dog. It lead to a sort of awkward pause in conversation. It was really weird of her to say that, when people are discussing real kids and grand kids.

It annoyed me. Anyone else get annoyed when weirdos interject with their animal stories when the conversation is about kids? I find it distasteful.

Unclench.

As long as it's not some guy talking about the sheep they're dating it's fine.

[Anonymous]

It's awkward that she referred to her dog as her daughter -- but perhaps understandable if you are yammering about your kids all the time at work, effectively excluding her from conversation. Not weird that she mentioned her dog in the context of having responsibility for a loved one, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe her dog is all she has to love and give her love in return. What difference does it make to your life? As another poster commented, I get so damn tired of hearing about you and your kids.

I know this person who tells the same kid stories with the begging for praise look in her eyes at every function. The rest of us have kids too. The oversharing is creepy. So yeah--talk to me about your pets instead.

[Anonymous]

That is weird, but maybe she was trying to make a deadpan joke and it didn't work out.

[Anonymous]

I agree with OP - I don't like when anyone compares a pet to a human. I hate people who call themselves "pet parents" and use Mommy and Daddy (when they are calling the dog, say "Come to Mommy, Fido").

Not a issue with being a parent, but my mother died recently and a woman I know socially told me that she knew how I felt because her cat had just died (she said her cat "passed away" which, for some reason, pissed me off even more!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That is weird, but maybe she was trying to make a deadpan joke and it didn't work out.

+1

[Anonymous]

I don't see why you would care. I have two kids and we recently lost our beloved dog and the pain was very real. Also, the workload and responsibility that went along with our pet while he was alive was also very real. So no, I don't see what the issue is with her bringing up her dog when you are discussing your kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with OP - I don't like when anyone compares a pet to a human. I hate people who call themselves "pet parents" and use Mommy and Daddy (when they are calling the dog, say "Come to Mommy, Fido").

Not a issue with being a parent, but my mother died recently and a woman I know socially told me that she knew how I felt because her cat had just died (she said her cat "passed away" which, for some reason, pissed me off even more!)

Why do you hate it? Do you feel that the word parent gives you status over other people thatnit somehow becomes devalued if they use it to describe a caring and responsible relationship with another being?

[Anonymous]

Op...

She said DOGhter.

Ok? Calm down.