Hello readers, hope you enjoy your summer vacation. Most schools in the U.S. and around the world have started their summer break; we started this week! This post is for all animal lovers – big and small. Pets come in different sizes and shapes. In addition to the most common pet dogs and cats, other companion pets include birds, rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, turtles and lizards, as well as less common pets such as snakes, frogs and tarantulas. In this post, I share my dog and cat ownership experiences and try to poll on which pet lover you are. Are you a dog lover or a cat lover? This article is not a professional one, just a fun way to learn what most people like to own or foster – a dog or a cat. So read on.
background
A little background on my experience – growing up in my childhood I had a lot of dogs. They are always mixed race, mostly rescued or abandoned. I went on to study veterinary medicine, and after five years at Indian University, joined a nonprofit called People for Animals. I worked at PFA as a veterinarian for about five years before marrying my software engineer husband and moving to the US. I’m trying to get my veterinary license, but it’s a long process because there are no veterinary schools in Delaware and I need to do a 12 month internship out of state. It was a tough choice, but I switched careers to become a science teacher. I’ve been in education for almost 15 years and I love it! I feel like I’ve always had a career in serving others – first animals and now young people! I am grateful and humbled by my experience and look forward to continuing to make small changes around me.
Having a pet or companion animal can be therapeutic. According to heart.org, research shows that dogs can reduce stress, anxiety and depression. Alleviate loneliness; encourage exercise and improve your overall health. For example, dog owners tend to have lower blood pressure and are less likely to suffer from heart disease. Watching cute cat videos can also make you feel more positive, more energetic, and help reduce anxiety.
introduce
As you probably know, dogs are the most common pet or companion animal in the United States and around the world. According to worldatlas.com, 50 million households own at least one dog, making them the most popular pet in America. Cats came in second, followed by rabbits and reptiles.
There are many articles about dogs and cats. According to psychologytoday.com, “dog people” are generally loyal, direct, kind, loyal, utilitarian, helpful and team-oriented, while the typical cat person is considered elegant, subtle, independent, intelligent, Thoughtful and mysterious. So what about dear readers? Do you consider yourself a dog person or a cat person?
Our experience
My kids always ask me and their dad to get them a dog, especially after they know both of their parents have pets. But I always give my reasons – we’re busy working full time, we take two vacations a year, the workload is too much, etc. But in 2016, we gave up my oldest child, who was 13 at the time, and started filling out applications for a dog. Children understand that foster care is a great way to have pets at home temporarily, because pets are not possible in our family. From the winter of 2016 to the spring of 2021, we raised 7 dogs, and these 5 years have been very fruitful. Kendall has been with us for over 2 years and she is the longest foster dog we have ever had!
Last summer when my older kids were getting ready to leave for college, my younger kids filled out a cat foster application and we received our first foster cats in July 2021 – a lovely pair named Artful Dodger and Oliver Twist. We’ve had 5 more cats since last year As I write this, I’m thinking we’ve had 7 cats (as many as we have dogs), but they’re all short-term. Now that we have Zinnia from April 10th, we’ll be taking her to the cattery on June 20th, hoping she finds her forever home! If not, we plan to take her back when we return from the July holidays.
Personality of Dogs and Cats:
According to an analysis of cat owner responses by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), there are five reliable factors that describe the temperament of domestic cats: neuroticism, extraversion, dominance, impulsivity, and agreeableness. Neuroticism reflects characteristics of insecurity, anxiety, fear of people, suspicion and shyness, the study explained. Dominance includes bullying as well as characteristics of dominance and aggression towards other cats. Impulsive traits include capriciousness and recklessness. Agreeable traits include affection, friendliness, and tenderness. Extraversion traits include being active, alert, curious, curious, creative, and intelligent.
According to a study by NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information), dogs and cats share five personality traits: sociability, protectiveness, reactivity, neuroticism and fear. Dog lovers are more lively, outgoing and energetic, while cat lovers describe themselves as relatively “introverted” or “more sensitive than dog lovers,” according to an article published by The Huffington Post. “.
wrap up
Finally, research shows that dogs and cats have as different personalities as people. In many cases, people choose to have a dog or a cat, or both, based on their personality. Having a companion animal can help people live better lives because they reduce stress and can bring positivity and purpose to life.
From my own experience with cats and dogs, I think cats are more independent and less maintenance than dogs. Dogs, on the other hand, are more affectionate, social, loving and attention seeking. But again this is my personal experience, and I’d love to hear your opinion. We have had dogs and cats since 2016 and they have given us so much joy and joy! I can say that my grown-ups are dog people and my younger people are cat people. Between my husband and I, I can’t choose because we both love them for their specific characteristics, but I might choose cats for convenience and less work, while my husband might choose dogs for their love and focus on:)
Dear readers, we would love to hear from you. Are you a dog lover or a cat lover? Do you own pets and how have they affected your life? Please share your experiences and thoughts on pet personalities.
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