While I own a cat, I don’t really consider myself a “cat” person. On the other hand, my friends whom I visited last weekend are definitely “dog” people. They currently have three — an elderly, neurotic Maltese who was abused by a past owner, a fierce Pekinese, and a puppy they adopted that they are discovering is at least part Pit Bull. I call them Dog 1, Dog 2, and Dog 3 in the order of acquisition — as spelled out above.
While staying with them, I decided that I am quite definitely NOT a dog person. Each managed to annoy me in their own special way.
Dog 1 — the neurotic Maltese — spends nearly every waking moment either following my friend around, or moping for his return. She even sets up camp outside the bathroom when he’s… er… “inspecting the facilities.” One evening , she whined pitifully at my feet while we were sitting on the couch. I picked her up and put her on the couch, and she expressed her gratitude in the traditional dog sense — by licking. I finally had to tell her to “do NOT lick my shorts” — a phrase that had never passed my lips before.
My friend’s 16-year-old neice found that tremendously amusing.
Dog 2 has a few behavioral issues, so he spends most of his time outside. He was allowed in once, when he decided to remind us of just what those issues entail. My hosts got to clean up THAT mess on the dining-room carpet.
Dog 3 is a complete and utter spaz. She LOVES my friend’s laser pointer. She will chase it endlessly around the living room, almost to the point of smacking into and attempting to climb up walls. In fact, the only time she won’t chase it is when it’s on a person or another dog. And she NEVER grows tired of it. If you’re in the living room, she will sit in front of you patiently until you get the damned thing out and let her chase it.
Then, one afternoon, I happened to look over and there I saw Dog 3 thoroughly and methodically licking her… um… there’s no really polite way to say this: her behind. She was rooting around in there like an obsessed proctologist in search of The Lost Suppository. At that point I decided that there was no way in HELL I was gonna let that dog’s tongue EVER get near me.
His extended family has the same fixation with dogs. While over at his sister-in-law’s house, we saw their dog (a Golden Retreiver) walking around with a hunk of 2×4 in her jaws.
“Oh, cute, she wants to play fetch!” my friend’s 16-year-old neice exclaimed.
I noticed that she wasn’t actually heading towards any people. “No, she’s saying ‘screw you all, I’ll build my own damned doghouse.'”
I think I’ll stick with the cat. He may not be as affectionate as a dog, but he’s a hell of a lot tidier and considerably lower maintenance.
On the other hand, I’ve known very few dogs who did their business in your dress shoes because you forgot to clean the litter box that day.
You ought to consider the pug.
Granted, they are, erm, noisy, in the sense that they snort and breathe funny. Well, funny if you haven’t been around them much before.
How-some-ever, they are without doubt the most affectionate and easily trained dogs out there. They will love you like no other dog can. My brother, Matthew, and I have had 3 pugs now, all pure breds. In many ways they behave a LOT like cats, I swear to you, one pug we have now, a black female named Lucy, absolutely believes she IS a cat!! They are so incredibely friendly, loving and endearing that once you own one, you will never want to own another type of dog again.
When my brother told me, gosh, 15 years ago? that he wanted to get one I thoguht he was out his damned mind. I quickly altered that point of view. No other dog has the utter loyalty adn devotion a pug has. I adore them.
[/gushing] haha
I also endorse the Pug. Got one two and half years ago. Smart, easy to train, very affectionate, and a great conversation starter, as you pull him off some lady’s leg. They think he is so cute with those big buggy eyes, and pushed in nose. Sorta resembles me.
You beat the shit out of a dog, and it will mope, and try to show you how sorry they are and try to get back in your good graces.
So much as look at a cat sideways, and it will plot your death for the next several weeks.
I feel I must offer the canines prospective here..
Dog 1 was merely showing you honest graditude. along with her mildly obsessive oral fixation to lick anything she can get her tongue on. ( so many things could be added here but this is still a PG posting. As to dog 2, please remember that this is the only male in the canine pack. How else does he assert himself but go growl impotently ( see the trip to the vet that changed so much in him) and then to attack pillows. Also remember that this dog was once the biggest dog in the pack ( maltese aren’t known for being large and 1 is a small one in the breed herself, so for almost half his life, he was the boss..
Then came #3, she was adorable (as are most babies puppies kittens, ferrets and chicks. and #2 was tossing his weight around on the pup.. who is ironicly told to us as half pug.. of course we are still looking for the traces of pug in her.. As JT mentioned pit.. she is more of a PUG BULL. ALL the energy.. none of the visciousness Anyway.. this pup.. as you can expect.. GREW remember this slogan
Pups Grow up
.. pekingese’s aren’t very tall by breed.. so this Pup shortly outgrew 2 and well it is funny to imagine how revenge by youth is seen.
but the cycle isn’t complete.. consider that 1 who is 14 in dog years is constantly harrased by the pugbull affectionately. You know.. the kid saying to the adult.. PLAY WITH ME>> see references to JT’s story of 8 year old blond haired wonders for details.. Now Dog 1 says GET AWAY PUG YOU BOTHER ME>. which any parent knows will only make the kid want you more..
advance 2 years and introduct dog4.. a golden retriever who was once smaller then 3. and 3 played with the little pup at family get togethers..
Pups Grow Up
now 3 who used to tease and harrass her senior dogs is now being followed around by 4 .. who is 2x her size.. and never leaves 3 alone.. ( even to chasing and pinning and play fighting.. )
Even in dogs..what goes around comes around
You might try the inverse: cats that behave like dogs…
Try a Manx. Craziest damn critters on the face of the earth, but capable of showing reasonable affection.
So much as look at a cat sideways, and it will plot your death for the next several weeks.
Where did you ever get the idea they need provocation?
The difference between dogs and cats is that when you get a cat you already pretty much know what you have. Sure, some quirks of the personality will manifest, but it is nothing like owning a dog. Someone who has only owned Basset Hounds is going to have a totally different experience with a Pomeranian; someone who owns a British Shorthair is not going to have to adjust after getting a Russian Blue or Singapura.
With dogs you have to know the breed, then adjust for the idiosyncrasies of the individual while, hopefully, having picked a dog that is compatible with your lifestyle; with a cat, as long as you got a food dish, a water dish, a litter box, and a couple toys you are pretty much set for any cat you decide to pick up on a whim.
Another way to look at it. Dogs you look for substance, cats you look for style.
A dog’s devotion is nice, but it’s easy. A cat’s devotion really means something. They’re less needy/more independnet, and there’s nothing mroe comforting that petting a purring kitty in times of crisis.
Hah! Try the Entropy House cat-experience: http://entropyhouse.com/blog/2005/01/fish-benedict.html
John one of our cats is a manx and she is a sweetheart.
I am definitely a cat person (I have three-we used to have four but one of them had an unplanned meet up with a car and the car won).
I am most definitely not a dog person, and in case I ever doubted that, having two dogs has proven it to me.
I blame the dogs on the kids, and I am convinced that if I have my way there won’t be any future dogs in our household.
I’m sure we’ve all seen this, but Excerpts From a Dog’s Diary v. Excerpts From a Cat’s Diary. Heheh…
John B sez:
You might try the inverse: cats that behave like dogs…Try a Manx. Craziest damn critters on the face of the earth, but capable of showing reasonable affection.
Abysinnians are another one that fit in that category. Very affectionate and very interested in your daily activities. Great mousers too!
How can I not endorse the pug, what with blogging at Pugs of War ‘n’ all? My ex and I had two pugs and they really are the most human-loving breed on the face of the planet. If a pug is in the house with you, it will want to be in the room you’re in. Actually, it will want to be physically on you if at all possible. But not to the point of wiating outside the smallest room! At least by my experience.
But smart? Smart at cadging food with soulful, doe-eyed looks maybe. Otherwise, they are not the sharpest claw in the paw.
BTW, “Pugs of War” because there is no less belicose dog than a pug.
I’ve even heard stories of confirmed cat people who sat a friend’s pug getting into pug ownership themselves. Go figure.
Every cat house I’ve ever visited has worse problems than you describe with the cats (there always seems to be multiple cats present)…but has that added something of cat sh** and the wafting odor of amonia filling the air…
I can’t stand it. I really, really cannot stand indoor cats. They’re fine in the barn, outside, as companions otherwise but there is just no way I can tolerate an indoor environment with indoor/contained cats. I just cannot stand it.
Dogs…at least you can walk them and ride with them in the car and ride your bike with them running along and…well, they are just better companions indoors and out.
I’ll never understand the cat houses with the cute cats walking and then sitting on the kitchen counters, in the sink, on your bathroom counter…alll that after visiting their smelly boxes. Argh.
And, about the seat-scooching problem, cats do that, too, and most of the time, it’s a problem of worms (in cats) and problematic ducts in dogs. Both need to be taken to the vet when/if they ever start that behavior.
Lest anyone get the wrong impression, let me say right now that I love cats.
They taste delicious.
[ I finally had to tell her to “do NOT lick my shorts” — a phrase that had never passed my lips before.]
you obviously don’t have children.