Sure, we all love our pets, some of them like they are our own children. But our children will always be that much closer to our hearts than anything else.
This is strangely not the case with one mother, who openly admits she has a personal favorite, and it's not even close.
"I love Lola more than my son," said Helena Mueller, speaking of her two-year-old Cockapoo that she lavishly spoils, especially around the holidays.
Helena said she can't imagine spending any time away from her curly-haired pooch, but doesn't feel as warmly to her own son, Harry.
"This year, she's definitely getting more gifts than Harry," she said. "I tried to hide that from Harry last year, but this time it's so obvious because there's so many."
She got Lola when Harry, an only child, was four-years-old. Since then, her love for the dog has verged on the fanatical.
Not only does she spoil the dog more than her son, she spoon-feeds the canine every day, wears matching outfits with her, and has even opened up a bank account for Lola to the tune of $100.
And that's just the start of it.
Helena makes no bones about her familial relationships, and even her husband knows the truth.
"My husband's view is happy wife, happy life," she said. "He knows where he comes in the pecking order - it goes Lola, Harry, him!"
"I do love my Lola more than Harry," she admits. "You know, Lola never moans about homework, and she never complains about what's for dinner."
She even brought her son out of school in order for them to get "family photos" done with Lola.
"I would rather that Harry wasn't able to spell 'table' when he's 20, than have a gap in the family photo," Helena explained.
The special raw diet that she keeps Lola on is expensive, but it is her Christmas presents that really showcase the obsessive nature of this mother.
Some of the gifts on her $1300 budget for the dog include;
- Doggy colognes
- Matching raincoat
- Paw Pearls
- Many, many toys
"Lady Lola," as she has become to be known, is certainly living the high life. Helena has no regrets about her family ties though.
Says Helena, "She's changed my life so much."
