Am I a bad dad?

[amos moses]

In preparation for my new lab puppy, I have spent hours and hours over the last few weeks reading this and other forums on dog food trying to decide which feed to use for my new dog. I have read every post on this site about it, I have been to more websites of dog food manufacturers than I can count reading up about their products and have visited most feed stores in the area looking at what they have on hand and calculating cost per pound. Then, last night as I was doing more research, it struck me! When my kids were born, I gave no thought at all about what to feed them. Whatever formula was cheapest, or whatever someone gave us was what they got. When baby food was on sale, we stocked up on it. No research, no reading ingredient labels, nothing! Does that make me a bad dad because I am obsessing over the food for my dogs, but gave no consideration to the food for my kids? Now before you start piling on, I will bet many of you are the same way! You spend hours thinking about your dogs and what they eat, and virtually no time thinking about what you or your kids eat! Maybe that's because we know our dogs will never talk back to us or burn up all the gas in our truck and bring it home on empty!

[Scott Parker]

Food for human baby's are a lot more regulated with a lot stricter quality control then puppy food is. So I think you need to do a lot more research when looking for food for your pup so no your not a bad dad.

[pat addis]

i did not wake up for any of my 4 kids not to change them feed them or if they were sick, but let my dogs whine a little and i'm up checking them out. i got sick when they had dirty diapers but can clean up dog crap. on the other hand none of my kids ever did a 150 yard blind retrieve in dec.

[Karen Klotthor]

If you are a bad dad I must be a bad mom. I once told my daughters that if I knew about labs before I had them, they might not be here. I was only joking but it did not go over very well with them. As far as the dog food, I have never had any problems with pro plan puppy.

[mnadams]

Told my mid to late 20 yr old kids that had I known about labs 20+ yrs ago they (my kids) may have only been a gleam in my eye for the future.... How do you think that went over? They love the labs I've had over their lives and think I'm a pretty fair dad to boot! Sometimes things work out for man and beast. Good luck and enjoy every minute w/out regret...it will pass far too quickly and they will be adults before you can turn around!

[roseberry]

amos moses,

are you the same "amos moses" who could "eat up his weight in grossrees"? (jerry reed tune?)

if so you will understand when i say that i spend considerable time thinking about what i am going to eat. by default i am also thinking about what my wife and kids are going to eat. the thoughts of my next three meals are constant companions.

what my dogs eat is also important. i am happy with a dog food as long as my dogs like it, the dogs look good and if i step on one of their turds i sprain my ankle!

[Scott Parker]

I thought the only reason you had kids was so you had someone to throw ducks for your dogs although it would be cheaper just to hire someone

[Dave Flint]

My teenage son once scolded me with, "You love your dog more than me!"

I calmly reassured him with, "that's ridiculous , I love you both the same".