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Vet Tech Rounds: 3 Kinds of Pet Dads. Which One Are You?

Vet Talks 4 min read
Vet Tech Rounds: 3 Kinds of Pet Dads. Which One Are You?

Pet parents deal with their pet’s sickness in different ways. They all love their pets, but not all show it the exact same way. While working in vet clinics I came across pet owners from all walks of life, and I continue to interact with them daily as NHV’s registered vet tech. When it comes to pet dads, I can identify three broad types. Read along and find out which one you are!

The Strong Silent Type

Senior man and big dog, closeup

This pet dad brings their pet in for vet appointments but doesn’t usually say much. He’ll leave it to the family to speak with the vets and techs about what’s going on. He’ll stay behind the sidelines, quietly observing but you can still sense that he is deeply affected by how his pet feels. When a serious illness arises, or end-of-life discussions become necessary, he is 100% involved. He just doesn’t want to express his feelings very openly.

types of pet dads 1

But here’s a secret about these types, they are devastated when it’s time to let go. Some of the most touching end-of-life appointments that stick with me are the ones with the otherwise silent and strong men from who you’ve barely ever heard two words in the past. When it’s time to say goodbye to their beloved pet they are no longer silent. They let their buddy know how much they mean to them, and it’s at that time they put the silence aside and cry along with the rest of us.

The Smitten In Love Type

dad with their pet

This pet dad has no hang-ups about showing just how much he loves his “little-fluffy-baby-kissy-face”.  He is definitely not afraid to let their love shine. He will cringe along with his pup and blurt out a dad joke when it’s time to take a temperature. He will grab his kitty after a blood draw and say “it’s ok baby, it’s all over”. He will have a very hard time letting the vets or techs take their little lovey to ‘the back’.

types of pet dads 2

I’ve seen many significant others roll their eyes at these pet dads, but to me, they’re just owning what they feel inside for their pets, and there’s definitely no shame in that! Men are expected to keep a strong stance in many situations and it can be quite stressful. It is good to know that their pets give these men a chance to let it all go and be the actual love bugs they are.

The Secret Admirer Type

kitten carried by dad

The third type of pet dad that stands out is a mix of the previous two. This dad constantly tries to hide his love for his pets but he can be secretly caught baby talking to them. I think this is the most populated category of pet dads.

types of pet dads 3

You open the door to the exam room and catch them in a snuggle fest or “prep talk” with their pet (“It’s ok when we get home, I’m gonna give you so many cookies and the best belly rubs…”) When they realize you’re there, they quickly turn to the strong silent type. When tough situations arise, they put on their sunglasses so no one will see their eyes well up with tears. They choke back their emotions, but you just know when they get home, they let it all go.

Which type of pet dads does your situation resemble the most? Tell us in the comments below. We’d love to know.

Helping pet dads help their pets better

No matter how they show it, pet dads love their pets as if they are their own children.

No matter how they show it, pet dads love their pets as if they are their own children. They all show their love in different ways, but when you look deep down, they want what’s best for their little-fluffy-baby-kissy-face.

As your pet’s integrative veterinary care team, we are here to help all pet dads take care of their best friends. We offer pet owners the option to update their pet’s records in their accounts with us. This helps them share vital information like age, weight, health condition, and background with us without having to call or email us. NHV Pet Experts can access your pet’s account and leave notes for you – these can be dosage instructions, useful tips or diet suggestions, etc. All pet dads should update their pet’s profile with us. It’s free and it can help make it very easy for us to assist all kinds of pet dads – silent, expressive, and secret!

Create pet's account with NHV

At NHV we get to help pet dads every day and we have some really lovely stories to share. If you are a pet dad looking for holistic advice, please contact us directly and we’d love to help. We love your pet naturally.

Johanna RVT

Johanna RVT

Johanna is NHV’s in house Registered Veterinary Technician. Technicians are the veterinary equivalent of a human nurse. Johanna has over 10 years of experience in different types of veterinary clinics and hospitals. She has seen and assisted in the treatment of a variety of medical conditions and injuries. She will share her experiences in her monthly blog series “Vet Tech Rounds” to help our extended NHV family learn about common preventable medical cases and other interesting stories of vet clinic life.

Published: June 14, 2019

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