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October 16, 2014 5:16 pm - NewsBehavingBadly.com

[su_right_ad]Kelly Rose Bradford wrote about it in MailOnline.

With her big brown eyes and constant need for cuddles and kisses, Matilda makes every maternal fibre of my being swell. Every time I look at her – or even a picture of her – my heart fills with immeasurable love and the desire to hold her close, bury my face in hers, protect and cosset her – the normal, all-encompassing feelings of intense love and responsibility that a mother has towards her child.

But Matilda is not my daughter. She is my four-year-old West Highland White terrier, and I freely admit that I love her as much as I love my 11-year-old son, William. In fact, on some occasions I love her more than him. And I don’t feel a bit guilty about admitting that.

My son spreads mess around the house. He has to be chided and reminded to do his homework and put away his clothes, or told off for answering back, while my dear, sweet-natured Matilda is always obedient, even-tempered and brimming with affection…

This resonates with me. For, much as I love my son – and I do, more than any words could express – I also love Matilda with the same drive and passion. And on occasions, those feelings of love for her do run deeper than those I have for William.

After all, I’m on borrowed time with Matilda in a way I’m not with my son. With her, I have 12 or so years at best. I’m already a third of the way through, so I need to make her every moment as happy as possible. I want her never to feel unloved or unwanted.

Obviously, I want my son to feel that way too. But as we have decades of fun and shared time left together, I feel that Matilda’s needs now are more pressing.[su_csky_ad]

D.B. Hirsch
D.B. Hirsch is a political activist, news junkie, and retired ad copy writer and spin doctor. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

30 responses to Mom Admits She Loves Her Dog More Than Her Son

  1. tiredoftea October 16th, 2014 at 5:18 pm

    Umm, OK. What’s the over/under on his being arrested for murdering his mother and her preferred companion?

    • tracey marie October 16th, 2014 at 5:44 pm

      you are so bad. ;0

      • tiredoftea October 16th, 2014 at 6:04 pm

        I hope to be wrong, but that’s up to young William!

        • tracey marie October 16th, 2014 at 6:12 pm

          Sad to think about.

          • tiredoftea October 16th, 2014 at 6:46 pm

            No kidding.

  2. whatthe46 October 16th, 2014 at 5:33 pm

    “Obviously, I want my son to feel that way too. But as we have decades of fun and shared time left together, I feel that Matilda’s needs now are more pressing.” that woman needs a head up. so many parents have lost their children never once thinking they would never be separated from their children by an early death. due to an unexpected illness or accident. one day they are here and the next day they could be gone. and she’s giving all of her undying love to a dog instead of her own flesh and blood. this boy will likely grow up with a lot of resentment towards women or unable to recognize true love and affection. what will she say if he all of a sudden loses his life and she still has this dog. will she say she should have loved him harder? dummy.

  3. neworleans878 October 16th, 2014 at 5:38 pm

    This is sad and pathetic. I feel very sorry for her son…hope he gets good therapy down the line.

    What a f*cking b*tch.

  4. Carla Akins October 16th, 2014 at 6:06 pm

    If she is serious, then she needs serious help. This level of obsession is not healthy, regardless of the object of her attachment. If this is allowed to run unchecked she could become dangerous to herself and others.

  5. forpeace October 16th, 2014 at 6:14 pm

    What kind of mother loves her dog more than her child?

    She really needs professional help. I really feel bad for the son.

    She also said: “My son spreads mess around the house. He has to be chided and reminded to do his homework and put away his clothes, or told off for answering back.”

    I’m sure your son wasn’t born being a messy person, that’s how you raised your son, that was your responsibility to teach him the basics and to be his guidance, and obviously you have failed, so do not blame him.

    • tiredoftea October 16th, 2014 at 6:32 pm

      Can you imagine what the dog actually does?

      • forpeace October 16th, 2014 at 6:40 pm

        As she said …… Matilda is always obedient. I’m sure Matilda sits, jumps, and shake hands whenever she asks her. She is comparing her son with the dog which doesn’t make any sense at all!

        • tiredoftea October 16th, 2014 at 6:46 pm

          IKR?! Matilda probably bites, chews, growls and likely messes anywhere she wants, too. But, she loves her more.

          • forpeace October 16th, 2014 at 7:08 pm

            She also does the roll-over move.

    • Hirightnow October 16th, 2014 at 7:41 pm

      Alternately, what kind of mother writes and publishes this sort of thing?

      • forpeace October 16th, 2014 at 8:25 pm

        That is so true.

      • neworleans878 October 16th, 2014 at 8:25 pm

        Can you imagine the sh*t he’s taking from his peers?

        I predict serious self esteem issues.

  6. arc99 October 16th, 2014 at 7:08 pm

    Looks like I may be a cult of 1 on this story.

    My wife and I do not have children so I have no idea about the joys, trials, tribulations and emotions of being a parent.

    My wife and I do have dogs and I can say without hesitation that I prefer their company to that of most people. Make of it what you will.

    • Hirightnow October 16th, 2014 at 7:37 pm

      They tend to house-train quicker, I’ll give dogs that.

    • Spirit of America October 17th, 2014 at 1:30 am

      A well trained dog, and I don’t mean tricks, I mean demeanor/conduct, is very close to what man himself aspires to if you think about it… very loyal, very forgiving, very concerned(ever notice how they act when you are sick or depressed?), very protective, quick to trust most other people yet can tell a ‘bad egg’ instantly… very close to our higher aspirations if you ask me.

    • fahvel October 17th, 2014 at 3:32 am

      I know how you feel about “other people”.

  7. Chinese Democracy October 16th, 2014 at 7:13 pm

    that kid is going to grow up hating dogs

  8. Hirightnow October 16th, 2014 at 7:35 pm

    To be fair, there’s some relatives of mine that I have trusted less than my dog….DISTANT relatives, mind you.
    OTOH, none of them ever ate two of my ballpoint pens, or relieved themselves on my floor…

  9. Um Cara October 16th, 2014 at 7:38 pm

    Dad needs to sue for custody or he is a worse parent than her.

    • Spirit of America October 17th, 2014 at 1:27 am

      He gets him on weekends… maybe full custody is in order for a while?

  10. burqa October 16th, 2014 at 11:37 pm

    We had fish sticks tonight.

  11. Spirit of America October 17th, 2014 at 1:25 am

    A very severe case of Narcissistic Personality Disorder with several other underlying complimentary disorders. If you read her entire letter, you’ll note 3 things:
    1. She devotes more of the writing pointing to herself, in one way or another, than any other subject(including dog or son).
    2. In the talking about the ‘why'(reasons), she talks about her son leaving, her son not being as needy, the dog never leaving, always needing her…. she’s the center.
    3. To keep it from something that needs addressing(and then she would no longer be the center of all), she justifies it w/studies and ‘sane’ explanations.

    There also seems to be an issue of abandonment(she’s divorced), thus bringing about phrases like:
    “while my son is growing up and away from me”
    “Unlike with William, I am not preparing her for a bigger journey”
    “The little boy who would spend hours snuggled up to me on the sofa sharing a book, or falling asleep with his head in my lap, is long gone.”
    and many many more.

    She needs help, and so will her son.

    • Sarah October 25th, 2014 at 11:07 am

      you got it, maybe she’s also borderline. If you google her you can also read an article that “she would never let her ex’s new girlfriend meet her son”, totally crazy and the whole article was just about her and her feelings. Also I found an article where she wrote that she called her son back home from a sleepover to not feel lonely at home. It’s very creepy that she’s writing a book about parenting when she should rather get help by a therapist…

  12. Mephistophiles October 17th, 2014 at 7:51 am

    If I was the kid I’d poison the dog.

    • whatthe46 October 17th, 2014 at 5:49 pm

      i wouldn’t, but i get where you’re coming from.