Probably happened at the same time people started referring to themselves as their dogs “mom” or “dad”. I love dogs, but you are not their parent.

> the same time people started referring to themselves as their dogs “mom” or “dad”

That whole thing seems to beg some uncomfortable questions. I mean yes, I'm of WV descent but that isn't how we get our pets.

This may raise a lot of hackles (pun unintended but retained), but IMO, that practice, and the one just above (the mom/dad and bed points) may be being done (grammar?) as a substitute to having good human relationships, due the somewhat common phenomenon of alienation that seems to exist for some people nowadays (anecdotal, just observed by me, but also heard others talking about it, including with me). And by relationships, I don't mean just a male-female or other intimate relationship.

I'm not sure, that kind of alienation is common in younger people in the Western world, whereas the dog mommy/daddy seems to be an English-speaking (if not American) phenomenon, and used by adults.

I am a Millennial from Europe, and I am well acquainted with the alienation of my generation, but the dog mommy thing doesn't exist in the country I'm from, and sounds something a suburban mom in her 40s would say. It makes me cringe.

I had dogs and cats growing up, and I considered my "mates" or friends rather than my children. They lived in the house, able to come and go outside, but were absolutely forbidden from sleeping on beds (except cats when the beds are empty because they don't care) or from soliciting food at the table while we were eating.

I’m not saying you can’t treat your pet well, or even spoil them sometimes. They are friends, they may even be “family”. They are complete individuals in their own right. But they aren’t human. Lately I’ve been wondering if treating them as children is bordering on animal abuse.

I think I'm surrounded with absolutely deranged dog people. I think every person in my friend and work group with a dog sleeps with them in their bed. It's totally insane to me. I am not exactly a fan of most pets in general, but if I owned a pet, they definitely wouldn't be allowed in my bedroom. When I tell this to my friends they always say, "Oh, just you wait, you won't be able to resist." I'm certain that I would prefer to have my own space, thank you very much.

>When I tell this to my friends they always say, "Oh, just you wait, you won't be able to resist."

This reminds me of some sci-fi movies I think, such as "Invasion of the Body Snatchers". Also cults.