It is surprising to know how many people consider their pets family!

I always thought I was the only one who talked to my dogs on the phone, until I read an article the other day.  The article stated that thirty-three percent of pet owners talk to their pets on the phone (Christiansen, 2007).  Also, seventy-nine percent of pet owners buy their pets gifts for their birthdays.  The same article stated that eighty-seven percent of pet owners strongly considered their pets family (Christiansen, 2007).   

Whenever I am at work and my boyfriend is at the house, I make my boyfriend hold the phone up so I can talk to the dogs.  He will put the phone on speaker and I will talk to my babies.  They give the same reaction as if you were talking to a young baby on the phone.  They will hear my voice and look around for me.  Then they will realize it is coming from the phone and just look at the phone with a puzzled look.  I don’t say much to them on the phone I really only say their names and “what are you doing”.  They will bark at me sometimes, but for the most part they just try to find me by looking around the room.  I started talking to my dogs on the phone when I went on my first vacation without them.  I was at Myrtle Beach for a week and I missed them.  So, I called to talk to them.  They bark and my mom said they were jumping up and down going crazy looking for me.  Ever since then I have always talked to them on the phone.

Every year for Christmas my dogs get so spoiled.  Everyone in my family buys my dogs gifts, and I fill a stocking for them.  On their birthdays they get a cake and a few presents. On Easter they each get an Easter basket and get to go to the family cookout.  Also, on Valentine’s Day they get a stuffed animal and some type of special treat. 

Due to the facts listed, I now know I am not the only person to consider pets family members.  I love my dogs and I treat them the way most people treat their kids. 

Christiansen, J. (2007 September 19). Pets: survey shows many consider pets family members, Retrieved  October 10,2010, from http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/381035/pets_survey_shows_many_consider_pets_family.com