I prefer 'friend'. In this way, I am not humanizing my dog, which comes along with its own set of problems, and I am not de-humanizing myself.


Additionally, species are not taken into consideration so the relationship isn't diminished. Teddy is my friend and I love him x

I hear ya. I love my pups! If I could say it better, ,,, don't take offence if others use the term pet or even the word "it"... neither are derogatory(unless their lips are curled, LOL). I like how the one response here signified the possibility that pet may have originated from a term of a loved one, a person... I haven't looked into it, I just like the response.

Dictionaries, Webster=America, Oxford=United Kingdom
Pet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia you might like this definition for pet

But this is a diversion: The meaning of pet that we are interested in does not, sadly, come to us via this route. Instead, it is from the Scottish Gaelic peata, which meant “tame animal.” In Robert Pitcairn’s Ancient criminal trials in Scotland (1488–1624) we find the 1539 comment “…deliverit to Thomas Melvillis wiffe, in Falkland for keeping of certane pettis and nurising of the samyn.”

By the end of the 17th century and beginning of the 18th, the word had come to be used more specifically to refer to a young lamb. In 1755, Samuel Johnson’s entry for pet in his Dictionary of the English Language was, “A lamb taken into the house, and brought up by hand. A cade lamb.”

The meaning then extended to refer to any animal kept in a house for pleasure or companionship. Mark Twain uses the word in his Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884); “A prisoner’s got to have some kind of a dumb pet, and if a rattlesnake hain’t ever been tried, why, there’s more glory to be gained in your being the first to ever try it.”
In Scotland, the word pet was also to describe a spoiled child or a favorite. Scottish author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle used it in The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes in 1894; “Dark or fair, she is my own dear little girlie, and her mother’s pet.”


The word took on a more affectionate spin as a term of endearment for someone sweet, obliging, or obedient. By the 20th century, this was a common meaning. For example, P.G. Wodehouse wrote “Do be a pet and go and talk to Jane Hubbard. I’m sure she must be feeling lonely.” (Girl on Boat, 1922) and it has spread from it’s Scottish origins to be in widespread current use across the UK.

By the end of the 16th century, pet had shifted from being just a noun to working hard as an adjective. Here’s where the “pet peeve” and “pet hate” constructions began. At this point in time, it was used to refer specifically to animals, as in a “pet dog” or “pet parrot,” but by the 19th century, it was being used more generically as an adjective to mean something that is “Specially cherished; for which one has a particular fondness or weakness (OED, Vol. XI, p. 626).

I got this from The Etyman(™) Language Blog:)

Very enlightening, thank you :)

I like that thought. I can care for my furry friend and I do consider myself a pet owner. One that does allow the dog to get away with a lot and one that likes to shop for the dog but a friend and caregiver nonetheless.

I don't get to include my pup on my taxes or health insurance (even though my job offers pet insurance at a discount) they aren't necessarily my child.

But the friend terminology seems pretty accurate because I give love to Emma and Emma gives love in return. We spend time and its a symbiotic relationship.

I can't stand the term "dog". It has so many negative connotations. Sick as a dog, dog tired, that guy is a dog. The negative list goes on and on....

I call my girls, "my girls" or "my kiddos" I figure, people who know me know I'm talking about my human girls or my furry girls and can figure it out by the conversation.
If the person doesn't know me, then I'm not to worried.... :)

Same here! :) When I visit my family they smilingly call Pebbles 'peata beag' ( little pet ) as she is a much loved member of the family.

When my nephews and niece were young they were also called peata. It's a term of endearment for beloved/cherished/spoiled younger family members.

Actually Calleigh is my best friend! I don't use the word pet, I say dog, which probably isn't much better. I know in my heart what rank she is. She's #1 to me!

I don't really use the word pet unless it's asking someone else if they have any pets. I also rarely use the word dog, usually only if I'm saying I have a dog to someone I don't know well. When I had multiple breeds the word dog was used to refer to them as a group (feed the dogs, let the dogs out), when I just had 2 poodles they were called poodles.

I usually use Lola's name, baby, or yorkie, sometimes puppy.

My husband and I regard Tatiana as "family." In fact, I've told my relatives and friends exactly that ("Tatiana is more than our dog. She's family").

Also, I've half-jokingly referred to Tatiana as "our only child." I guess I did it so much that, one time, our teenage nephew, in all seriousness, referred to her as "his cousin." LOL

I think it is good to think about the words we use, but I would not think anyone was doing something wrong by using the terms "dog" or "pet."
I've asked my Dinky many times "Do you know you are the best doggie? Do you know you are my favorite dog in the world?"
He just feels the love, especially if I am scratching his belly when I say it!

To deviate a little from the thread subject, what should we call ourselves?
Dog moms/ dads, parents, owners, caregivers...... ???

Well I call them mommy's babies, lol. Or when talking to my human kids, I will say well, I need to go take my babies for a walk, lol. It is what it is:) I think I"ve even called them my little babies when I'm with clients, haha. For some reason though, I'm not too keen on referring to my daughters English Bulldog as my grand pup, lol. I'm going to be babysitting him for 2 weeks in May, which should be very interesting…At least he's only a year old so he's still full of fun, so Sunni will love him.

Without a doubt, unequivocally, absolutely I am DADDY! :D

Lol, my little Kimchi, I refer to her as my daughter or furbaby, and to my niece I refer her as her little cousin, and she acknowledges her as her little cousin. When it comes down to between me and her "grandma" my mother, she's always looking towards me :3 My Dad has often said she view our older Jack russell, Chloe, as her mother and I would always correct him by saying, she doesn't view her as her mother, but more of an auntie. She respects me more than Chloe, but she is certainly more demanding of me lol ^^;; She's currently trying to test her dominating limits with Chloe. And so far, thankfully she's been ignore most of the time X_x

Probably 'food lady' and 'belly scratcher'..... :D