This Year I’m Celebrating Fur-Mother’s Day

This year I’m celebrating Fur-Mother’s Day. And why shouldn’t I? I think of my pets as family; they’re my furry children with four legs. Recent studies have shown that more and more people are starting to think of their pets as family members, rather than just property. For example, just recently in France pets were deemed ‘living beings’ rather than ‘property’. How long until the US goes in a similar direction?

Studies are constantly being done to prove that pets (dogs in particular) are more than just an animal. They can experience emotions and understand human emotions. We have underestimated their knowledge and grasp of the human world. That’s a whole other topic I won’t get into in this post 😉 Back to my point. I don’t have human children, but I am celebrating Fur-Mother’s Day.

If you think of pets as family, like many people do, you know there is a lot of work involved in properly raising a dog. How much time did you spend in training classes, researching the proper pet food, finding a good vet, learning to groom your dog, and making sure your dog received adequate exercise?

I’ve spent many nights sleeping on the floor with a sick dog and making him special meals to soothe his tummy. I’ve spent countless hours researching the best way to raise, train, exercise, and feed my dogs. I’ve spent many sleepless nights taking a sick dog out to potty every half hour when she had a stomach bug. I’ve skipped events to make sure they were taken care of. I’ve sat for an hour hand feeding them when they were undernourished. I’ve cuddled them when they’re uncomfortable. I’ve spent their final moments with them trying to assure them everything would be okay.

I love my dogs. I would do anything to make sure they are well-taken care of. Vet bills, food bills, and training bills are all expensive and seriously add up, but the unconditional love of a dog makes it all worth it.

So for all the times I’ve emptied my bank account to fund a vet bill, gotten poop on my hand, been thrown up on, hosed them down after a yucky illness, stayed up all night to care for them, missed out on something fun because I couldn’t leave them, and stressed over little details to ensure they are living a good life, I’m taking a day to celebrate.

I think we’ll find a special place to go hiking as a family and hit up an outdoor restaurant where we can all enjoy each other’s company. I would do anything for these dogs and even though they can’t tell me, I know they appreciate everything I do.

How will you be celebrating Fur-Mother’s Day?