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Fur babies!

(205 Posts)
Dotty123 Sat 19-Jul-25 09:16:46

Is it just me or does anyone else cringe when owners refer to their dogs as ‘fur babies’? Think I’m turning into a grumpy old woman 😠.

Aveline Sat 19-Jul-25 09:17:35

No. You're right it's awful!!

BlueBelle Sat 19-Jul-25 09:21:13

Absolutely hate the term and ….rainbow bridge
You know what happens to a snail if you put salt on it well that’s how it feels to me
Cringe cringe and why can no one go ANYWHERE without their pooch nowadays what happened to leaving it at home in the cool with a bowl of water

Magenta8 Sat 19-Jul-25 09:23:54

Part of me thinks "What has it got to do with me? It is perfectly harmless." Part of me thinks Nooooo!

Oreo Sat 19-Jul-25 09:26:35

BlueBelle

Absolutely hate the term and ….rainbow bridge
You know what happens to a snail if you put salt on it well that’s how it feels to me
Cringe cringe and why can no one go ANYWHERE without their pooch nowadays what happened to leaving it at home in the cool with a bowl of water

You may well ask! Sometimes there seem to be more dogs than people and the poor things look hot and bothered.Stepping along baking pavement can’t do their paws any good.
I agree , down with ‘fur babies’ and ‘rainbow bridges’ and less mealy mouthed phrases.

Anniebach Sat 19-Jul-25 09:28:05

Surely the choice of the individual, I certainly wouldn’t, my choice

Woollywoman Sat 19-Jul-25 09:28:08

Yep, I completely agree! It’s a revolting phrase/term… You’re not grumpy, you’re discerning… wink

GrannyGravy13 Sat 19-Jul-25 09:31:51

Neither are phrases that I use, but if others do, it doesn’t harm me or anyone else come to that.

M0nica Sat 19-Jul-25 09:39:01

Its the meaning that surrounds it, that a pet is a child to be treated like a child.

Personally having had my my much loved children and brought them up to be independent, the last thing I want is an animal to cramp my freedom the way a baby does.

FriedGreenTomatoes2 Sat 19-Jul-25 09:40:48

To be honest, I’ve heard of the phrase but never heard anybody actually say it.

Calendargirl Sat 19-Jul-25 09:41:03

Why ‘fur babies’?

Do dogs have ‘fur’?

I thought they had ‘hair’. ‘Dog hairs’ etc.

Whatever, I agree, a ridiculous phrase. And like BlueBelle, absolutely no need for dogs to be out all the time with owners.

Leave them at home occasionally.

Claremont Sat 19-Jul-25 09:43:57

Agree, plain daft. Same as those who call their very adult dogs 'puppy' or 'pup'. I so love dogs, always have always will, and my dogs are so much part of the family, but they are dogs.

Gracesnan Sat 19-Jul-25 09:49:40

Really irritates me too!

Luckygirl3 Sat 19-Jul-25 09:54:33

Finger-down-throat icon required!

JenniferEccles Sat 19-Jul-25 09:55:41

It is an irritating phrase, isn’t it?
Also why are we seeing so many dogs being pushed around in a ‘dog pram’?

It seems to be fashionable now to use any mode of transport for these pampered creatures.
Which reminds me….. apparently Martina Navratilova was turned away from the Vine in Wimbledon when she tried to walk in with her dog in her handbag 😮

Good on the Vine though for sticking to their no dogs policy, regardless of how high profile the customer was.

merlotgran Sat 19-Jul-25 09:58:57

Referring to any pet as a baby (fur or otherwise) irritates me.
I’ve just read a post on our local Facebook page about a dog that was attacked by another dog in the park.
Horrible though it must have been for the dog and owner, the many posts about the ‘poor darling baby’ had steam coming out of my ears. 😡

AGAA4 Sat 19-Jul-25 10:45:17

Dogs should be respected for the species they are. They are not little humans but some people treat them as such.

ViceVersa Sat 19-Jul-25 10:48:40

It's not a term I use, but it honestly doesn't bother me. And I love the concept of rainbow bridge. I don't believe in heaven, but if there was one, that's what I'd want it to look like.

Magenta8 Sat 19-Jul-25 10:55:52

I love dogs and cats. For me, part of their charm is that they are not human beings.

I find dressing dogs and cats in little outfits rather sad and, in a way, disrespectful. And as for animal weddings, least said.

But, I suppose, if I don't have to pay for the outfits it really is nothing to do with me.

grandMattie Sat 19-Jul-25 11:04:21

Ugh! no, thanks.

Jaxjacky Sat 19-Jul-25 11:09:14

I dislike the terms and their owners being referred to as Mummy/Daddy.

wendym8116 Sat 19-Jul-25 11:13:34

You are right .I hate that saying .also I don't like cats and dogs being put in clothes

Aveline Sat 19-Jul-25 11:16:40

I can't stand seeing poor animals dressed up. It's so disrespectful and undignified. If people really loved their pets they wouldn't dream of doing it

Iam64 Sat 19-Jul-25 11:25:10

My two are definitely dogs not fur babies, as were their ten predecessors.
I confess to having come round to Rainbow Bridge after two of my dogs were helped to leave this world when cancer got them. It was immeasurably sad and painful time. The younger dog was only six 🐶

Anyway - one of my bugs with the fur baby brigade is they don’t train their dogs. They allow them to run up to on lead dogs and upset them. They seem to think using an extendable lead on our pavements next to busy roads is ok and it isn’t
I will stop as I can feel a rant building. Anyway it’s time to take my big lab to our Saturday training class

Smileless2012 Sat 19-Jul-25 11:28:39

Each to their own. I don't see why how anyone refers to their pets should be anyone else's concern.