It’s easy to go overboard pampering your pooch or feline friend with extra goodies and liberties. But how do you know when your pet transitions from simply loved to outright spoiled? Watch for these 10 telltale indicators that your fur baby is sitting a bit too high on the hog.
1. Your Pet Gets Premium Treats
You spend more on gourmet pet treats than you do feeding yourself. Only the finest baked biscuits, natural chews, and quality proteins like duck, bison, or venison suit your palate-picky pet. Saying no to them seems cruel.
2. You Prepare Special Meals
Kibble won’t cut it. Your pet dines on elaborately home cooked meals tailored to their preferences. You would never expect them to stoop to canned food. Their diet rivals that of an elite athlete.
3. They Sleep In Your Bed
Not only do they sleep in your bed, they occupy prime real estate like the pillows while you scrunch into a tiny sliver. You’d never disturb their beauty rest by moving them. The bed belongs to them.
4. Your Home Revolves Around Them
Your furniture, decor, even car are all pet-centric. Their preferences dictate activities and outings. Errands involve stops for specialty items or treats. Their desires shape your schedule. It’s all about them.
5. They Have Extensive Wardrobes
Your pet has more clothes than you do. For every season and holiday, you coordinate special outfits. They even have their own dresser just for organizing their piles of accessories and costumes.
6. You Keep Extras of Their Favorite Items
Losing or forgetting their beloved blankie or favored toy inspires panic. You keep backup duplicates stashed to avoid tragedy. No expense is too great for multiple security spares.
7. You Allow Unsavory Behaviors
Jumping on guests, begging at the table, barking for attention, stealing food, marking in the house become overlooked instead of training priorities. Your pet gets away with murder in your eye. Who could ever scold that face?
8. Your Pet Is Overindulged with Attention
Any hint of sadness summons your immediate lap and cuddles service. Your schedule revolves around their need for entertainment and engagement. Friends joke they should be paying rent with how you cater to them.
9. You Chauffeur Them Excessively
Car rides are given at their slightest request. You taxi them to favorite parks miles away routinely yet skip the gym yourself citing lack of time. Chauffeuring them around brings you as much joy as them anyhow!
10. You Spoil Them with Toys
An entire room functions as a toy stash even though only a few favorites get used. Impulse toy purchases happen anytime you’re out. No toy seems too extravagant for your precious furball. Nothing makes you beam like seeing them play!
Signs You Have a Healthy Bond Instead
You pamper your pet within reason when:
- Special treats are given occasionally not daily.
- You stick to mainly their normal balanced diet.
- They sleep in designated pet beds in your bedroom.
- Some home spaces stay pet-free.
- You try costumes just for fun occasionally.
- You own a reasonable assortment of gear that all gets used.
- Good behavior is expected and reinforced through positive training.
- You socialize outside your home regularly.
- You exercise together but also independently.
- You add new toys moderately as others get retired.
Loving deeply can still be balanced with boundaries that benefit all. Analyze if pampering has exceeded reasonable levels. Reign things in while keeping a close nurturing bond. Special treatment in moderation keeps pets content without churning out tyrants!
