# Non dog owning friends think you're crazy because...



## x0emiroxy0x (Nov 29, 2010)

Thought I would share some of the "crazy" stuff I do to/for Rocky that my non-dog owning friends think is weird/dumb/gross/useless. Feel free to chime in!


--I brush Rocky's teeth every other day. He has his own toothbrush holder by the sink lol

--I just bought Rocky a 60$ seat belt

--When Rocky is sick I cook him rice and egg with some pumpkin on the side

--If he has diarrhea and a little gets in his fur, I grab a few baby wipes and clean up his butt so he doesn't get it on the carpet/bed/dog bed

--If I'm low on money that month, Rocky's dog food and heartworm gets bought before any groceries.

--If I go out drinking, I still wake up at 7am to give him a walk before it is too hot for him

--I don't usually have money to go to restaurants because if I have extra cash I buy rocky bones and rawhides lol

--Rocky has his own fan pointed at his kennel so he doesn't get hot

--I only visit my family 2/3 times a year because they don't let Rocky come


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## blehmannwa (Jan 11, 2011)

I get a dogsitter if I'm gone for more than a few hours.


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## x0emiroxy0x (Nov 29, 2010)

--Every time I go to my grandmas, I drive a 1/2 mile out of the way when I get close to her house to go down a road where these people have a beautiful german shepherd that lives outside in their yard.


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## x0emiroxy0x (Nov 29, 2010)

One last one --- My boyfriend and I talk about poop and pee at dinner. We got some weird looks once when we were discussing if Rocky was over his diarrhea or not.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Those are things dog-owning friends and relatives think we are crazy for doing. 

Non-dog owning people are even stranger. 

They think I am crazy for letting the dog in the house, 
for spending money for a bath and a brush for the dog,
for not buying the cheapest food that is on sale anywhere, 
for wanting to have room in the car for crates,
for taking the dog in the car anywhere
for letting the dog on the bed
for giving them people food
for taking them to training classes
for making decisions / plans with respect to the dogs
for feeding them raw meat and bones
for letting the giant hairy beast near people


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

x0emiroxy0x said:


> One last one --- My boyfriend and I talk about poop and pee at dinner. We got some weird looks once when we were discussing if Rocky was over his diarrhea or not.


You should come to dinner with my breeder-friends, LOL! I have to say the conversation is always entertaining.


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## cta (May 24, 2011)

how about saying "i have to get home to the dog" if you're out. when chobahn was a baby we couldn't leave him for long periods of time at night because if we got home late (we did this once) we sure would have heck to pay when he came out of his crate. i hate when people say "oh it's just a dog." no, it's not just a dog. it's my dog and if i want to go home because of him that should be ok.


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## jaggirl47 (Jul 18, 2009)

I traded in my truck for an SUV for my dogs.  I wanted to make sure there was room in the vehicle for my dogs.


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## x0emiroxy0x (Nov 29, 2010)

I can't wait to switch out cars! I have a scion TC and once I graduate, get a house, and get a big enough car and have the budget, I will have a second dog. lol So in a long, long time.

My dad said I was crazy for brushing rocky's teeth, having a bed in his kennel, taking his collar off when he is not on a walk or trip, and finding special food. I have *now reformed him!* I finally convinced my dad that purina is not good. He bought some grain free, 70$ a bag dog food that was 5 stars on a few different dog food sites that is shipped to his house every two weeks. He couldn't understand why Rocky pooped 1/4 the amount of the other dogs when he ate 1/2 the amount they did. I told him about fillers. He is also getting seat belts! My dad said I was crazy but now he does everything that I do. So happy!


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## DTS (Oct 19, 2010)

Even my some people who own dogs don't get it. Lol. Like y bf's parents have 3 Boston terriers. They don't listen and one of them always attacks jasmine. I refuse to let her go over there. And if she becomes possessive they just say she's protecting what's hers. I'm, no thanks.
Also, why I spend so much $$ on training.
We have the poop convos as well but my bf hates them. I wipe her feet, 
I water down her food and I'm always looking for the next best food.
I'm over obsessive about bloat. 
I don't like her to get too excited or playing too much
I never stay out too late or spend the night at a friends because of her.
I let my dog watch animal planet while I'm gone
She only gets organic grain free treats and I will order them online
I'm constable on here learning new things
I want to get her hips an elbows x ray'd. 
I'm constantly talking about gsds and I spend 90% of my time with her or I'm at school.
SHe loves car rides so I bring her along to the bank etc
I post all sorts of pictures on fb of her and our training brags. 
I have more pictures of her than me


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## Angelina03 (Jan 9, 2012)

Rocco goes to my parents' for the day while hubby and I are at work. People think we are crazy, treating him like a baby. All I say is, "Is he a baby, my baby!" Which ever one of us gets off work first, picks him up.


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## Dragonwyke (Jul 21, 2011)

i didn't know there was any such thing as non-dog owning friends. hmm, i may have to check into that. lol 

dw


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## Emoore (Oct 9, 2002)

I sold my convertible.


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

Even my dog owning friends think i'm weird (husband gets mad about how much gets spent on the dogs)

We bought a van because its not only more comfortable for long road trips with us and the kids, the dogs can be comfortable too. 

I bought personalized leather collars with their names on them. 

I have a carton of eggs in the fridge that is strictly for the dogs. 

we have a cabinet dedicated to all things dog like treats, heartworm meds, kong stuffers....

I put up a huge fight to go anywhere for an overnight or weekend or longer trip unless we can take the dogs. 

I actually want to buy a motorhome specifically so we can not only take the dogs with us but can also take the cats with us and not have to worry about finding someone I personally trust enough to handle them because NOBODY every listens to rules set out for animals or doesnt follow through completely. Basically cant take care of them like i can.


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

Emoore said:


> I sold my convertible.


 
sold my mustang so we could get the van... the mustang was my high school dream car, i finally got it 2010. It was an 2004. Black enterior, black interior, manual transmission. BLAST to drive. Sold it for the van because couldnt comfortably get the kids and at least one dog in there. Ultimate dream car is 67 Shelby GT500...


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## Cschmidt88 (Nov 24, 2010)

I own a pit bull
I let my dog sleep with me
I spend all the money I get at this point on my dogs
They get better health care than I do
I will shell out quite a bit on travel and entry fees for sports
Dakota has a $80 collar for lure sports
Bought a high quality beef ribs specifically for the dogs
Dakota's ribbons are on my wall

And a lot more I can't immediately think of


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## marinehoney (Feb 5, 2012)

My non-dog owning friends think I am crazy for letting Rogue inside the house even though she pees submissively/excitedly all over the carpets. I just blot it up with pet deoderizers.


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## RileyMay (Aug 6, 2011)

Don't worry. My friends think that I am too crazy. Any extra money that I get, goes to my dogs'. I don't care what I need, my dogs' come first! I told my friend I was ready to go home, and she asked me why. I said" I need to go see my dogs'." She looked at me like I was really dumb.


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## kbella999 (Jan 6, 2012)

I have my dogs names on the back of my suv that I bought for them.


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

My friends and family love Sinister to death, but they think it's dumb that I am getting his name tattooed on my wrist.


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## 4score (Nov 4, 2011)

They think we're crazy for feeding our boy RAW Food!

My God.....they're creating a Monster!


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## brembo (Jun 30, 2009)

I'm saving fur to have a toboggan made of Banjo's fur. It's gonna cost ~150 bucks all said and done. That got some looks when I mentioned that.


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## x0emiroxy0x (Nov 29, 2010)

LaRen, that is the ONLY tattoo I would ever get. Never one of a boyfriend, husband or family member. ONLY of my baby boy Rocky!

Kbella, is he named after Jerry Lee the piano player and singer? I just saw a musical the "million dollar quartet" about Jerry lee, elvis,carl perkins, johnny cash. It was awesome!


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## x0emiroxy0x (Nov 29, 2010)

I went over to the maintenance shed the other day and told them that if there is ever a fire, break my window and get Rocky out. I live in a college complex, so many dummies with candles=scary!


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## OriginalWacky (Dec 21, 2011)

Well, most of the people I'm around are dog (or cat) people, and even some of them think I'm over the top at times. Lemme see if I can pick the main ones that lift people's eyebrows.


The dogs (and most of the cats) sleep on our bed more often than not. I'm in the process of crate training (I go really slow with that), but mostly that's just in case we need it down the road.
My Krissie has a sweater because she gets cold. I always used to say I'd never have a dog that needed a sweater. Oops. 
The amount of money we spend on vet care and health expenses for the dogs and cats exceeds what I'm willing to spend on myself mostly. Granted, I have insurance, but even so I'll put off a doctor visit for me, not so for the animals.
I've taken more pictures of my dogs and cats in the past two weeks than I have of myself and The Mate in the past two years. 
We refer to ourselves and Mommy and Daddy to the animals. And yes, we each have children of our own, so it's not a substitution thing. The critters are part of the family.
Our animals have more toys than most people buy their kids. There isn't a place in our house where you cannot see a dog or cat toy nearby.
If an animal falls asleep on me, I will do everything I can to avoid disturbing them. This includes not going to the bathroom for as long as I can wait or letting my legs cramp up, whatever.
I have at least twice as many implements for grooming the dogs as I do for fixing myself up. 
Food for the animals takes up more space in the freezer than for us, and I spend more time planning their meals than I do ours.
When we plan any kind of trip or vacation, the ability to take the dogs along will affect whether or not I'm for or against it.

There's probably more, but that's enough for one post. H


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

I literally wake up in the middle of the night to roll over (insomnia problems for me) but even in my sleep i KNOW there is an animal laying there, I will either not move and remain uncomfy, or i will slowly adjust around them despite several people telling me to just kick them off.


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## Verivus (Nov 7, 2010)

I'm sure even my dog owning friends think I'm nuts. I know the people I work with at the vet clinic think I'm weird from what little they know about me regarding dogs.

I feed a raw diet.

I have a dedicated freezer for dog food only. It can hold 100's of lbs of food and I will still have spillage into my personal freezer.

I have all kinds of supplements and vitamins; none of them are for me.

If you look at my photos, 99% of them are my dogs.

I love to talk dog all the time.

If one of my dogs fall asleep on me, I will not move until absolutely necessary.

I hate spending too much time (3+ hrs) away from them. 

I will let my dogs take over my bed and steal my pillow.

It isn't a vacation unless my dogs can come along.

I put more thought into their meals then my own.

I want a bike solely to run my GSD.

I take care of all their medical and non-medical needs before mine, and I'm more willing to spend money on them then myself.

My dream is to own a home with a huge backyard so I can have my own standard sized agility equipment.

I'm sure there's more...


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## kbella999 (Jan 6, 2012)

We just might be long lost twins. :laugh: 


Verivus said:


> I'm sure even my dog owning friends think I'm nuts. I know the people I work with at the vet clinic think I'm weird from what little they know about me regarding dogs.
> 
> I feed a raw diet.
> 
> ...


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## Cheerful1 (Sep 27, 2011)

Pre-Joey, I would have thought people got a little nuts with their dogs.

Post-Joey, I completely get it!


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## Stosh (Jun 26, 2010)

I arrange my work schedule around herding lessons
I have my vet's cell phone number and the e-vet number programmed into Onstar
I won't leave Stosh outside when we're not home


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## SophieGSD (Feb 6, 2012)

I throw all my pets birthday parties. I mean, my mother is coming down this weekend and bringing Sophie's best Husky friend, Aviee, to celebrate! (Sophie's birthday is Sunday.)

I hate being away from home for more than a couple of hours, unless I can bring her along.

If we take her somewhere, I don't leave her outside. If we need to use the bathroom, we go in one at a time so one of us can always be with Sophie. (Too many thieves out there!)

It's not my home if it's not covered in dog hair. C;


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## Josie/Zeus (Nov 6, 2000)

My dog's vitamins- this is not all of it btw.









My one and only child's vitamins 









My dog has his own freezer too.


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## NewbieShepherdGirl (Jan 7, 2011)

KZoppa said:


> I literally wake up in the middle of the night to roll over (insomnia problems for me) but even in my sleep i KNOW there is an animal laying there, I will either not move and remain uncomfy, or i will slowly adjust around them despite several people telling me to just kick them off.


I feel yah. When I was living at home I have a queen sized bed, so Sasha and I can sleep together, but it's easier when she sleeps toward the top so I can sprawl my legs. Well, one day she didn't feel good (she'd had an upset tummy all day) so I let her get on the bed first, pick where she was gonna lay, and I ended up sleeping at the top of the bed lying width wise instead of length wise just because my baby had an upset tummy lol! I didn't share that one with others though; I'm pretty sure they would have me committed.


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## TimberGSD2 (Nov 8, 2011)

Most of my family and friends have dogs but their worlds don't revolve around their dogs like mine does. 

The RAW feeding. The fact that I will spend 4 hours every couple weeks cutting and weighing and bagging their food. It is all labeled per dog and am or pm. And goes into it's own freezer. 

I go home for lunch almost every day and walk our property with the dogs. I'd rather spend my lunch with them than my coworkers or in some restaurant. 

They go to daycare. 

Kya has her own couch in our bedroom, Phin has his own bed but prefers ours. There are also 2 beds in the living room for both dogs. We are getting a king sized bed to accomodate us all ie: us humans might have more room. And of course I keep saying the new puppy will NOT sleep in bed. 

I have more pics of my dogs hanging in my office than my family

I bought my dogs a tahoe so that riding in the car would be more comfortable. 

I'm sure there is more.


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## pyratemom (Jan 10, 2011)

I get up a half hour earlier than the rest of my family to spend quiet time with my dogs. Up until this past summer I went to three dog training classes per week along with two treadmill sessions for one of my dogs (on top of working full time). The days I wasn't at class I spent reading dog training books, training at home, and playing with my dogs. Sadly my dog trainer moved away. Then I started my own training class on Saturday mornings. I spent almost a $100 on a gate so my dog could be free in my office while I work. I drive 50 miles to buy dog food that she isn't allergic to so she won't itch. I bought a dog dryer so I can give her baths regularly so therefore I also have at least 4 types of dog shampoo and one only for people. I do not own a human hair dryer. My kitchen counter has every remedy for dogs and some for cats, but none for people. I have a total of 3 baskets full of dog toys and a closet wall full of dog leashes and collars, along with the always packed training bag with a mat, leashes -several different lengths, collars -different types for different uses, several different toys -2 of each of course, different types of treats, first aid stuff, etc. Oh and did I mention I also have 5 large dog crates in various places. My dogs are not spoiled - they are my reason for remaining sane in an insane world.  I forgot to mention I traded in my perfectly good Saturn for a PT so my dogs would have more room in the back.


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## vicky2200 (Oct 29, 2010)

I cant think of anyone without dogs who I regularly associate with, or even semi regularly associate with. However, nobody I know is as "crazy" as my immediate family.

* Dogs are allowed in beds and on couches. It is encouraged. 
* Bandannas are worn at all times (nearly) and are changed regularly.
* The puppy (poodle) has a sweater and a snow suite. He is cold. Get over it.
* We buy high quality dog food. We do not buy whatever is cheap. We do not say "well, they'll only eat the junk."
* The dogs go to the vet often (as needed and for checkups.) We rarely visit the doctor, even when we need to due to lack of funding. (apparently we should go to the doctor instead of getting them vet care... yeah right.)
* Dakota is on 3 medications, 2 of which he takes 2x a day. Ditto is on 1 medication 2x a day. Currently, Daisy, Wee Gee, and Dakota are also on antibiotics. We take our dogs to the vet for infections!
* I clean my dogs ears and try to maintain their dental health.
* We walk the dogs, even though they don't always behave the best (usually due to Daisy riling up the pack. We have improved on this recently.)
* I take Ditto to our local festival every year. Every year I get a few dirty looks and sometimes comments about how she shouldn't be there. I don't care. There is no rule against it. She enjoys it. She behaves well.
* We come home from parties to let the dogs out or to give medications.
* We cage/crate as little as possible, even if that means somebody is staying home when they would rather be going out (this is only relevant during the puppy stage ~ 4 months or so from time we get the dog)


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

I go to the local Korean grocery store and buy all sorts of meat for my dog. AFter my husband and kids are asleep I go to the kitchen and portion it off like a mad midnight butcher. 

I spend lots of time perusing Amazon for all the best toys and products -- just got a package from New Zealand with ear cleaner

When my husband was recently in Germany he asked me what he should bring and I said German made toys for Hans.

I got Hans a Jogadog treadmill

I cancelled a Royal Carribean cruise on the Oasis of the Seas because of the puppy


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## Dragonwyke (Jul 21, 2011)

i just gotta laugh reading all of these, cuz there's so many little things we all do that's just "normal" behavior for us that others would absolutely call nutty. 

turd herding: my sister thinks that's so disgusting but thinks nothing of scooping cat litter twice a day. i find animals crapping in the house disgusting. 

waking up at 3am w/out an alarm to take the dogs out: i do this whether i'm sick to death w/the flu, have a migraine or just plain too tired to move, doesn't matter - if i have to pee, i KNOW they have to. my sister (the only non-dog person i know) says that i'm out of my mind - if they can't hold it they need to be sleepin' outside. HAH!!!!!!!!! her cats go 2-3x a night in a litter box in the bathroom. 

grooming: i have more hair brushes and combs, more kinds of shampoo/conditioners, brighteners, skin conditioners, nail conditioners, ear cleansers/cloths, tooth cleansers/brushes, eye care products, callous care products, pampering products than i think i've EVER had for myself. and i used to be pretty fussy about my looks and couture. i don't have spare money for it anymore. it gets spent on THEIRS. lol 

health care: i used to be slightly hypochondiacal (sp-even a word?) but no more. they've cured me of that. now when things go wrong for real, i hardly even notice. i have to hold onto the money for the things that go wrong w/them! it's way more expensive. lol i haven't been to the dentist to fix my broken teeth (seizures) in over 7yrs., and i really, really need new glasses. but their care always seems to supercede mine. funny how that works. 

kids: my kids grew up around rescues and castoffs. have had them as long as i've had kids. since they could talk they've told everyone "mom loves the dogs more than us. for sure. she'd trade us for more dogs in a minute." let me tell ya, there were many days when that might even have been true. rotfl 

dw~


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## Knave (Apr 29, 2012)

-I have an entire Pinterest, Amazon wishlist, and blog (in progress) dedicated to our puppy. This was started a few weeks after he was even born

- (Not dog related but similar) The boyfriend, Charlie, accidentally punctured a freon tube in the wall trying to install shelves for the cats (so they would have a place to perch and hide when the puppy came home). After it was repaired, he tore down the entire wall, replaced drywall, insulation, etc., and then built a set of custom shelves to put on the wall. Most expensive cat installation ever.

- Spending god awful amounts of money over time to buy toys and supplies for a puppy we don't even have yet. They're all sitting in a box along with kitten toys

- When talking about taking new assignments (military), Charlie and I always always consider the puppy. We talked about Hawaii but, heard rumors about a 6 month quarantine for the dog. If it turns out to be true, he's not taking it.


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## gmcwife1 (Apr 5, 2012)

Our wills state where our dogs would be rehomed in the event my husband and I both passed away at the same time.

Many people don't understand that our dogs have a godmother.

And yes, the 4Runner was bought as the dog's new ride


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## spidermilk (Mar 18, 2010)

My room mates get mad because I make dog treats more often than I make human cookies.

People who visit think I'm crazy when I'm cooking chicken breasts (and rice and veggies) for the cat (chicken only) and dog. I eat week old leftovers *after* I'm done feeding my animals.

Countless people think I'm crazy because I don't trust my room mates to take care of our dog when we go on trips. He has to go to the kennel (and although there are countless boarding facilities in town only 2 meet my standards).

A guy at my work (who has a German Shepherd) thinks I am crazy for having Dax be a house dog. His dog is a 'yard and basement' dog- SO SAD.

People think I'm crazy when I talk about how much I love my vacuum. It is one of my prized possessions. They don't understand when I say I have to vacuum every other day during 'hair season'. They think I'm some kind of neat freak which is far from the truth- there is just a lot of hair to deal with in our house.

People don't understand why a dog might need to go to classes 3 nights a week.

The 'getting up at 7AM on the dot ever day' is a good one. No matter how late we were out I am up feeding the cat and dog and taking the dog for a long walk if it is going to be a hot day. Plus I am pretty sure that a nice long walk is a great hangover cure.


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## Neo93 (Apr 25, 2011)

Read my thread in the Aggression section. My neighbors, my mother, even my spouse think I'm crazy for doing all that for my dog. I don't care.

I buy the expensive dog food at the specialty pet store, instead of what is at the local target.

She has a crate in the car that has a custom mattress from the same store we got our mattress from.

I time my errands so that the dog has the absolute minimum crate time.

The dog has a life jacket and I take her swimming. I hate taking my kiddos swimming - hate it! I always beg DH to do it.

I switched from working day shift to working night shift so I could take the dog to Saturday morning reactive dog class. My manager looked at me like I was crazy. "You WANT to go to nights? Are you SURE?"


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## fuzzybunny (Apr 29, 2011)

My non-dog owning friends think I'm crazy because...



I got a second dog
I won't go out on weeknights because I need to spend time with the dogs
I take them to Dairy Queen and buy them each a cone
I walk them in the pouring rain
I feel they need a purpose
I didn't get rid of them when they were sick (seriously, people told me I should get rid of Jazz whenever he had digestive issues)


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## VChurch (Jun 14, 2010)

I got some _looks_ the other day when I said I woke up at 4 A.M. to hang out with Minna before I left for work because I "felt bad for leaving her in the crate all day while I was gone".

I refuse to ever have roommates again because of a bad experience with them breaking the two rules I had for him -- except my boyfriend, I'll live with him with no problem.

I actually use the dogs as an excuse/reason why I need to be home -- not that I actually _need_ to for them, I'm home more than I'm out..lol

People think I'm crazy for prefering to be with my dogs, rather than people.

People think I'm crazy when I tell them I toss the dogs in the shower with me to bathe them -- it's just easier...

A lot of people think I'm crazy for spending $75 on a bag of food every month for the dogs -- they think the price is absurd...then I explain how healthy the food is for them (goes right in line with who I am as a person).

People think i'm crazy for having dog crates in the car and using them -- but I _swear _my dogs actually prefer this method of travel, they are much more calm and relaxed knowing they have their "own space" in the car.


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## Tatonkafamily (Apr 6, 2012)

People think we are nut for getting a 3rd dog. Funny part is, everyone who has come over and spent time in our house w/ the family ALL have said "WOW, I thought you getting a 3rd dog was a horrible idea. But man, in reality they are great. I am amazed at how calm it is in the house right now, how good they are!" We had friends over last night for dinner and they FORGOT their was a puppy in the house lol, she was that good.

My friends today were with me when I ran into the pet store and spent $60 buying elk antlers for the "kids" to chew on. They were amazed...I was afraid to tell them how much I spent on dog food 

People think I am nutty for wanting to take my dogs as many places as possible. No one blinks or thinks twice now a days when they see a little dog in a purse, but bring a big well behaved dog to the same place and you get crazy looks.


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## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

I have non-dog owning acquaintances.

My FRIENDS are all dog people.


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## Laney (Feb 12, 2012)

I apologize in advance...this will be a VERY long list. Like seriously, I don't expect everyone to read it all. I was convinced I was crazy cause everyone tells me ALL the time (not that I would ever change), but reading everyone else's lists I feel very normal 

I always have homemade dog treats/frosty paws in the house.
Rivers has his own shelf in the fridge and 2 shelves in the pantry. 
Rivers takes more vitamins that I do. He also eats WAY healthier than I do. My mom even says "how come you don't take care of yourself like that?"
I will cook Rivers dinner (chicken, sweet potatoes, cooked carrots, yogurt, etc.) and then eat a bowl of cereal for dinner. My boyfriend knows now, but he used to come home and say "mmmm, what did you make for dinner?" Me: "uh..cereal" him: "what's that amazing smell" me: "oh thats Rivers' food"  (I'll admit this one is ridiculous, but I still do it all the time). 
He even gets dessert - peanut butter on bananas or apples dipped in yogurt, etc. 
We bought our place for him. I based every decision about the house on how it would accommodate Rivers. We pay so much extra for the pet deposit, extra space, backyard, etc. SO WORTH IT!
Even if I have to pee REALLY bad, I will take him out first so he doesn't have to hold it.
I am on a first name basis with our vet. He gave me his cell phone number. I call him just to tell him something cool Rivers did or he will call if he call randomly just to check on him. Also, since we got him, there has not been a single month he has not been to the vet...I am a little bit of a hypochondriac when it comes to Rivers (for good reason though cause when he was a puppy he was always sick/injured). I don't take any chances with him. We even stop by the the vet to say hi when we are in the area (the vet is near my mom's house so she knows when we are coming over to visit that it will take at 15 minutes longer to get there than it should) 
Pet Insurance. (Also justified - he is an expensive little guy).
When it comes to my health though. I haven't been to the doctors in a while. I had a back injury from work and I scheduled my physical therapy around my dog. I have also refused more advanced treatment options because they would take too much of my time away from him. I have even canceled a doctors appointment at the last minute to stay home with him. 
I have left work early to pick him up or bring him places. 
I am known to only stay for an hour or two at parties if I can't find a puppy sitter. 
During my down time at work I am ALWAYS looking around on the forum or reading books about training.
You can't take a step in my house without coming in contact with a bone, ball, toy, or other dog related object. 
I work 12 to 24 hour shifts (starting at 4am) and between school and work...I only have 1 full day off a week, Saturdays (and not always cause one Saturday/month I teach an 8 hour EMT skills class)...so what did I do? I scheduled Rivers' training classes starting at 8am Saturday morning. Rivers > sleep 
Every night before bed I make his bed and fill up the water bowl next to his bed (so he doesn't have to walk downstairs at night for a drink) and he gets goodnight kisses and hugs before lights out (if he doesn't he will walk over to the bed and make sure we don't forget :wub. I wash his blankets more often then I wash our sheets.
Three words: Doggy Day Care. He goes 2-3 times/week (I get a lot of crap for this at work).
We bought a bigger bed just so RIVERS would have enough space to sleep with us (although he prefers his own bed).
Also, if he beats dad (my boyfriend) into bed, he gets his spot and Bryan gets the foot of the bed  (my smart little guys knows when Bryan starts to brush his teeth to jump into bed with me real quick so he gets the good spot with the pillow!). 
I have THOUSANDS of pictures of him. Photo albums, calendars, framed pictures...everywhere (barely any of me and my man, ha).
He gets to watch animal planet or training dvds (in hopes he will learn something while I'm gone, haha) when he stays home alone at night. 
I got bored in my organic chemistry class and started planning Rivers birthday party during lecture.
Rivers has 4 beds. A normal bed, an orthopedic bed, a cooling bed, and a kong bed for his homemade dog house outside. 
He as his own spot on the couch. We had my boyfriend's mom over for dinner/movie night and she was in HIS spot...he couldn't sit still. He kept nudging her and running around the living room. Finally she scooted over, he laid down in his spot and fell asleep for the rest of the night). 
For my birthday I asked for PetSmart giftcards.
We refer to ourselves as "mom", "dad", "grandma" (my mom isn't thrilled with this lol). 
I pick up extra shifts to pay for stuff for Rivers.
We buy dog food before we buy groceries.
Instead of driving to the grocery store, we will walk there so we don't have to leave Rivers at home. One of us will wait outside with him and then we will carry all of our groceries back with us.
In the morning and before bed our conversations usually start with "Did he poop? Was it solid?" - not weird at all.
I have conversations with Rivers ALL the time. 
At Christmas, my dad wouldn't let Rivers (my well-behaved dog) in the house cause his two yippy untrained dogs were out of control...needless to say, we don't visit often.
I wrapped all of Rivers Christmas presents and put my boyfriends gifts in bags.









There is more...but I think I may have just proven myself the most psychotic person here. 
Wow...maybe I am crazy :wild:
Again... I apologize. I think I needed this eye-opener. Ha. At least my dogs appreciate this.


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## Litz (Oct 8, 2010)

Neighbors think I'm crazy because I leave a 30' lead attached to Emma's collar when I am playing Chuck-It with her. It gives me the ability to run and jump on the lead should the need arise to stop her from chasing something... but of course the neighbors see it as a sign that my dog is somehow dangerous. Not the case at all! 

When I was around 10 I came home from school to find our family GSD dead on the side of the road from a hit and run. Left me VERY careful with my own dogs around traffic.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

My family and friends think I spend exhorbatant amounts training and trialing my dogs. Then I explain that we don't have hi-def cable or DVR (I have a CRT TV), no smart phones or data plans, no bar tab, I trim and layer my own hair so I'm never at a salon like most girls my age, we haven't been on a plane since our honeymoon, I don't have any other hobbies I spend money on (I got a really nice camera several years back but have not added any equipment in years), I'm often photographing dog events and can sell photos... yeah it doesn't look so bad compared to what things other people think are "normal" that we don't use/don't pay for.

My closest friends and family are the least interested in my dogs. My co-workers and some of my aunts and uncles actually show the most interest and will ask about them.


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## Falkosmom (Jul 27, 2011)

spidermilk said:


> People who visit think I'm crazy when I'm cooking chicken breasts (and rice and veggies) for the cat (chicken only) and dog. I eat week old leftovers *after* I'm done feeding my animals.


My cat will fight you for vegetables. Don't be afraid to give your cat some.


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## keiko (Dec 4, 2011)

because i'm going to the dollar store tomorrow to get my dog a birthday cap!


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