What may some ask is a fur baby? Well, a fur baby is a substitute child in animal form. Yes, that is what they are to the people that call them their baby. Fur babies are wonderful because they are the perpetual child. This is no puberty or empty nest if a fur baby exists in the household. I have three fur babies for instance. They might grunt in response to my command, but they are well trained and offer me so many benefits. One is that I don’t look crazy when I am thinking out loud. I talk to my fur babies daily and ask them questions. Yes, people, I have a daughter by birth, and I am the mother of three fur babies. I love YouTube videos with dressed-up pups and cats doing yoga with their companions.

The benefits of animals are undeniable. They are such an integral part of our lives. They serve essential functions such as tracking, police, and emergency personnel, particularly dogs. There is even a whole industry consisting of therapy animals. My own school, William Peace University, has a program that brings dogs to campus during exam week because studies have shown that animals reduce stress and anxiety. “Playing with or petting an animal can increase levels of the stress-reducing hormone oxytocin and decrease the production of the stress hormone cortisol." (AnimalSmartOrg). But maybe we should investigate how fur babies are markers for life in our contemporized society.

Firstly, let us explore the responsibility that is being a responsible animal caretaker. It costs money and time to train your animal, and if the animal has been elevated to a fur baby, the tab at your local pet shop can be astronomical. This is what I call the practice parent stage. I personally have always found, in my opinion, how a person treats an animal is a direct correlation with their ability to nurture and have compassion. When I was dating, this was a signal to me that the person I was interested in was maybe worth more since, clearly, their sensibilities are the same as my own. For those who are singletons, maybe you should take this as a piece of dating advice. The proverbial cat lady will probably be a loyal and attentive girlfriend. The guy on his social media with pictures of his dog dressed up in a hat or cuddling is probably going to be a good boyfriend or husband, and, even more importantly, a good father.

Next comes the magnitude of the commitment of a fur baby. This stage is generally after a couple has been together for a while, and thoughts of the future are on the horizon. This can be very interesting since parenting roles will emerge quickly when 2 a.m. walks are required and the household fur baby has either slathered crap everywhere or destroyed something most likely important to that person. Sleep deprivation can cause people to show their worst selves or how well they handle the stress of taking care of a life. With little sleep, less patience and the incessancy of repetition that is required to properly train the fur baby makes people reveal so much about themselves. The joy that this drudgery can potentially bring is surprisingly revealing. Know that good communication is essential at this stage, just like with a human child.

This stage really lets both partners have a glimpse of what parenting with that partner will most likely be like in the future. Lastly, comes the empty-nest fur baby, which is a product of a partnership of many years of parenting and a concrete relationship. The family pet is either deceased or getting on in years. The people I would characterize in this category would be people who want a child that can never grow up and leave. Since generally this partnership is accustomed to being a unit of parents and can deeply miss the structure of having a child, but do not or cannot logistically have more children. Then a fur baby is the next logical thing to having another child that will always need you. Many of my friends claim that their parents who are empty nesters have an obsession with their pets. I have on more than one circumstance had to say hello to a dog or cat on a telephone from an empty nester. I never mind, because I love to show off all my children whether they are human or pelted.

As a person with her own fur babies, I understand this wholly. Their fur babies are their children and most likely their best friends, so why not include them, right? As we all get older, our human friends move, have busy lives or have departed this plane. Our human children grow and with each year become more involved in their own lives, and the parents are usually at a loss, so they fill their hearts with pure love from a pet whose life is their responsibility.