2020 pet magazine

2020 PET MAGAZINE LINCOLN DAILY NEWS JANUARY 23, 2020 Page 45 Dogs are also unhygienic compared to cats, and people often object to a dog’s smell (especially their breath). Dogs also have to be let outside or walked often to use the bathroom, which is seen as inconvenient at best, or a chore at worst. Finally, dogs are often depicted as not being terribly bright. Dog owners have their own stereotypes to deal with, usually based on breeds. People with smaller or pedigreed dogs are thought of as being full of themselves, with their dog functioning as a status symbol. People with “aggressive” dog breeds are thought of as criminals (as are their companions). Dog ownership is also associated more with men than women. But dogs are not necessarily defined by those stereotypes. Dogs are loyal and want to be near people because of their relation to wolves as pack animals. A pack functions as a family unit, and in their eyes, everyone in the pack has to be close. Dogs are much louder with their emotions, which can make them seem less intelligent. But dogs can absolutely pick up on patterns like any human or cat, and they get excited when they realize it. It’s why dogs worry so much when people are gone; they really do not know when people will come back, which means the pack could fall apart. As a result, they become scared, which is why they might destroy something if left unchecked. It is true, then, that all dogs have a degree of separation anxiety. But can we really blame them for that? Does that mean they are a bad animal? On the topic of a dog’s hygiene and need to go outside, that can be annoying, especially when you don’t have a yard. But that doesn’t mean a cat is a better pet because it uses a litterbox. When you think about it, you have to clean up after both animals eventually. The only real difference is a cat’s litter box is cleaned a little less often, but that doesn’t make it any less of a chore, or any less smelly. Cats are not without their own stereotypes. Cats are often thought of as being destructive even when someone else is in the room. They are thought of as lazy creatures that sleep more often than not. They are not thought of as loyal when they don’t respond to calls, and they do not seem as eager to be near you (until they decide to walk on your keyboard). Cats are thought of as being smarter than Continued