Facebook and the Family Pet

I recently posted a comment on my facebook page that seemed to hit a nerve with a lot of my FB friends and it got me to thinking about what really makes me smile and click on the "Like" button in my FB news feed.  Following is the text of the post that led to this blog:

"Someone recently commented to me how exhausted they are with all of the photos and posts I make about my dogs on FB while rolling their eyes at me. My response to that...Dear FB "Friends", each day I smile at the numerous photos, read with interest and am honestly entertained by the status updates about your children and grandchildren, their achievements, funny stories, activities and what a cute and wonderful thing they have done as well as how much you love them, which fill my FB news feed.  And when you see in your notifications that I have "liked" something, that is not just a button I "click" on, I truly do "like" these posts.  My "kids" happen to have 4 legs and are no less loved than your children or grandchildren.  They fill my life with entertainment, companionship and love.  Photos of Sophie, Molly and Lucy and their daily antics and activities will continue to be posted on my FB page so I'm sorry but if you don't want those in your news feed, feel free to clean up your FB friend list by starting with me.  My FB "Friends" list is less one person today.  And just because it makes me feel good and hopefully puts a smile on someone else's face, here is my favorite photo of my "girls" as I eagerly await the photos and status updates about your children and grandchildren!" 

It received more comments and more clicks on the "Like" button than any status update I have ever posted, all in favor of my continuing to post about my "girls".  Yes I do post practically on a daily basis a comment, story or photo about one or all of my 4 legged "kids", Sophie, Molly and Lucy and their antics. I realize it's not interesting to everyone on my FB friends list, but it makes me happy and it brings a smile and sometimes even an outburst of laughter, so I've been told, to some of my FB friends.  My dogs are Basset Hounds, they are the clowns of the dog world, my cat is old, deaf and arthritic, but still rules the house and the dogs know that she is the queen bee.  They are all funny.  At least I think so and based on the number of "Likes" and comments the posts seem to get, a few other people think so as well. I do occasionally post about other topics but Sophie, Molly and Lucy tend to be the main topic.

Several of my FB friends also post on a regular basis photos and stories of their pets.  I have one FB friend who posts a different photo of his two pet bunnies every day.  Typically there is no explanation or comment with the photo, just a bunny photo.  I love the bunny photos. I look forward every day to the bunny photo in my FB news feed. It makes me smile. Life should be as sweet and simple as a daily bunny photo.

The profile photo of one of my FB friends, who happens to be a tattooed, shaved head, motorcycle riding man, is of him on a scooter with his tiny Shih Tzu dog in a side car.  How can that NOT bring a smile to your face?

Another FB friend regularly posts photos of her fat adorable cat in various poses, mostly sleeping, all the way from her home in Australia.  The latest photo was of her cat sitting on her back side with her very large belly proudly on display and the caption "Sexy and I know it".  Now who could not laugh at that?

One FB friend started a FB page for her cancer stricken dog while it was taking chemo treatments and gave health updates on a regular basis so that her friends could be kept aware of what was going on and be supportive and keep her and her beloved dog in their prayers without her having to call each person individually every time there was a new development.

One FB friend posts photos of her foster dogs and her own dogs interacting with their toddler as she grows up learning the love of animals from her parents.  These photos can't help but make you say "aawwwwww" and of course click on the "Like" button with great enthusiasm.

Another FB friend posts a live stream occasionally on Friday evenings of his beautiful Macaws sunning themselves while enjoying country music in the background. What a great treat for his FB friends after a long work week. It just makes you want to open a cold one and relax right along with them.

I even have one FB friend who is actually a cat with her own FB page.  She updates me every day on her "very important job" of being the house cat. Now these status updates have caused me to laugh out loud while clicking on the "Like" button.

As I glance thru my FB news feed I see profile photos of a pet Iquana, two beautiful Collie dogs laying under a Christmas tree, a show dog jumping thru a hoop, a close up of a beautiful grey and white cat's face, a Husky dog peaking over a fence while someone's fingers make a peace sign above his head, a large German Shepherd with his face nuzzled sweetly in the lap of a 1 year old, two beautiful Golden Retrievers playing in a kiddie pool, a bride and groom posing with their gorgeous Pit Bull and a Border Collie running thru an agility course.  These are what bring a smile to my face and of course get a click on the "Like" button from me.

Occasionally there is the sad announcment in my news feed from a FB friend of the death of a beloved pet, to which we all send condolences in the comment section and shed a collective FB tear. The flip side of that is the announcement of a new pet to the family accompanied by a photo of happy children posing with their new family member. Then we all click the "Like" button and send our congratulations!

Besides my personal FB page, I am also the administrator of the FB page for the Prairie's Edge Humane Society. FB has helped numerous animals get adopted simply by posting their photo.  We also post photos of animals who have been adopted on a daily basis so that all of our followers can rejoice right along with us.

These are the items that I enjoy most when reading my FB news feed, not the political commentaries, not opinions on groups of people, not the tragic news stories even though all of those things are important and at times very necessary to post. To me FB is a personal look into my life and the lives of my FB friends and we each have our favorite topics to post about.  Mine happens to be my dogs Sophie and Molly and my cat Lucy. So while it may bore some of my FB friends, that's ok, it's who I am and you can always unsubscribe to my status updates or un-friend me, but I hope you don't, because I truly do enjoy seeing photos and status updates of your children and grandchildren in my news feed right along with the photos and status updates of the beloved pets of my FB friends.