"Not treating dogs like children"

To me, it means respecting that they ARE dogs, and have needs that are different than humans. They need different levels and types of exercise, stimulation, and socialization. Dogs are dogs, not humans of any type.

I certainly to a degree treat Finnegan and the pets as my children, much like you mention, 3M. Especially since I don't really plan on children of my own, my pets get that doting attention that I would have given to a child. I dote very heavily on all of my pets.

However, that doting attention is given in the form of training, ear scritches, games of fetch/tug/chase, etc. The attention that Finnegan and my other pets receive is catered to their species-specific wants/needs and to their well-being. I want them to be happy by doing the things they are meant to do.

I think of the comment you're referring to and I think of people with purse puppies and crap like that. Dressing up your dog and taking it around like an accessory. Dogs are not meant for that.

They definitely have their own boundaries and limits and know that I am the boss.

Hey victor...you mean your not a people? Actually he behaves better then most of the humans I know.

Don't we teach our children the same thing??

Personally I think you can put clothes on your dogs, put them in strollers, etc etc and they can still be treated like dogs. I think some people take it too far on both extremes. Some people truly do spoil their dogs to the extent it negatively affects their behavior and they end up with a terror of a dog that has no boundaries and never gets to do doggy things. That's just not healthy. However, some people go the other way and assume if you dress your dog up, or let it sleep in your bed, or even keep it indoors according to some, then you're not treating a dog like a dog. It's a balance but dogs are definitely not children or furry people, which is something to remember.

A child does not need to be taken outside to do his or her business.

no, but they need diapers changed and need to be shown how to use the toilet. Some people with little dogs use those pee pads inside and don't take them out.
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A child cannot be left home alone where as a dog can and actually quite good for them. If your dog is at your side 24/7 then it can wind up with SA.

Dogs and children mature at different ages. A dog that can be left alone at 1 year old for reasonable periods of time is about the same as letting a 10 year old come home after school for a couple hours until you get home from work.
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A child does not need to be taken to a groomer.
Kids don't need hair cuts? The barber or hair stylist is the human equivalent of the groomer. BTW I've never had to take any of my 3 dogs to a groomer.
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A child is not brought to the vet for shots against rabies etc.
No, but we take them to the doctor for shots for polio, measles, etc.
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Through out the dogs entire life we have to feed them. A child can get his own food when he is older.
Hmm. I'm still feeding my 21 year old daughter. She can get her own food but prefers what I cook. Meanwhile feral dogs seem to do ok with getting their own food.
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We do not pick up children's poop on a daily basis but we do for our dogs for their lifetime.
See the top post. And if you feed raw there is very little poop cleanup.
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You can't tell a child their whole life of when to sit or lay down where you can and do with a dog.
No, you can't tell a child when to sit or lay down, but you will be helping your child until the day you die. I never had to tell our older dog where and when to sit or lie down. She just knew.
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A child does not listen to his parents when they become a teenager, a dog still does.
You never had an 11 month old GSD pup did you?
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A dog doesn't ask for money. Children always do.
A dog doesn't need money. He'll ask you to play ball, give a treat or go outside. That is a dog's currency.
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A child can borrow a parents car when they are old enough but we chauffeur our dogs.
I think it's that opposable thumb thing and the ability to reason that sets us apart there.
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A child can eventually take his own bath, a dog never can and never will unless it is in mud. Then your hard pressed for your dog to not take a mud bath.

Again, the opposable thumb thing. But, my dogs love to play in the sprinkler or go swimming.
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A child does not sniff another childs butt. Dogs are always sniffing another dog's butt.
Your child says hello to their friends. That's all a dog is doing.
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So as you can see we really do not treat our dogs like children, we actually treat them better because our dogs have us trained to do so. :rofl1:

I think those were some pretty far fetched correlations. If anyone thinks that owning a dog is more work than raising a child, please, don't have children!

Personally I think some people take it too far on both extremes. Some people truly do spoil their dogs to the extent it negatively affects their behavior and they end up with a terror of a dog that has no boundaries and never gets to do doggy things. That's just not healthy.