It has been said that there are two kinds of people: dog people and cat people. It’s a simplistic generalization, but it’s not too far off the mark. We have a cat and a dog in our household, and I like ‘em both, but that cat ain’t my friend, but my dog is.
I know all the scientific reasons for the way dogs relate to humans (theta animals in a pack social structure, blah blah), but the reasons aren’t as important as the results. Dogs are inherently eager to please, give 110% (as long as you’re looking) and are incurable optimists – traits I can admire.
People that don’t care for dogs will point out their unsavory habits – of which they have quite a few. Dogs will eat things you can’t imagine letting anywhere near your own mouth. A lot of them shed constantly (apparently on purpose), and some of them bark too much. Some of them chew everything, at least as puppies.
Dogs are good at acting innocent, but they’re not. I was home from work recently, and moments after my wife left for work, I heard an odd noise, and I discovered the dog on the dining room table, looking for particles of food! He was shocked – SHOCKED – when I discovered him and scampered off the table when I saw him and made himself kind of scarce for a few hours. Smart dog.
Dogs are at the center of the one of longest-running debates in CBA history: whether or not dogs should be allowed at the Grass Valley Festival, and it’s a testament to the high regard we have for our pooches that the debate remains so emotional. I see both sides of the debate. Part of me is glad for the policy that allows dogs, but part of me worries that some day, a confused and/or ill-trained dog will bite someone. They are animals after all and in times of stress, they will act instinctively to protect their interests – just like the dog on the dining room table.
How many dogs is enough for a household? I have one, and that’s plenty. But I know a number of folks with multi-dog households and they like it that way. My sisters both have two dogs, and my buddy (gee, I sound like JD Rhynes!) Rick Cornish has about 37 dogs, some of which might actually be llamas, vicunas or alpacas.
All in all, a dog (or multiple dogs) make for a lively household full of love. And smell. And fur. And leashes. And poop bags…but I ain’t complaining.
