Why do so many people have dogs/cats and pets in general?

[JMapleton]

I'm a person who often likes to ponder the psychological basis for people's behavior. It seems these days more and more people have pets especially dogs, much more so than you would have seen 20 years ago. I've seen it gets even to the point where people who live in inconvenient living situations such as apartment buildings or with roommates still insist on having a dog.

Why do people want a pet? Is it a psychological urge of wanting to feel like you have domain or control over another living being? Is it a sense of loneliness?

I think animals are fun, but there is a line that is crossed when this object of entertainment or psychological comfort becomes not worth having. You have to feed it, walk it, supply it with certain necessities, withstand having your home relatively uncleanly (compared to most without animals), allow it to relieve itself, and generally create a home that is safe for the animal or safe for your possessions (out of the animals ability to ruin). I think having a full time pool filled with jello and whipped cream would be fun, but it certainly is not worth the upkeep. Is it really worth it for an animal, or has society just become so in love with the notion of having complete domain over another living creature that we have collectively blinded ourselves from the inconvenience of having an "pet."

"you're my, now I can control you."

Thoughts on this, or am I just weird?

 

[Crono]

Originally posted by: JMapleton
or has society just become so in love with the notion of having complete domain over another living creature that we have collectively blinded ourselves from the inconvenience of having an "pet."

This, plus they're cute.

 

[AkumaX]

iono

 

[Ns1]

Because dog is man's best friend.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

A pet is the simplest form of companionship. Given only the basic necessities to keep it alive (feeding, walking, cleaning up shit), it will give you unconditional love. You can talk to it, play with it, vent at it, cuddle up with it, or just ignore it knowing full well it will be there when you need some form of companionship.

I don't agree with people having pets in unstable living situations though (any time you're moving around a lot, in an apartment indeterminately, etc.). I think it creates unfair pressure on your pet and can result in some undue consequences, not to mention many people living in those situations are unable to give the animal the treatment it deserves (including regular vet visits, training and attention). But better there then on the street creating more strays I guess.

 

[racolvin]

You're just weird.

Having a pet isn't about control (except for some twisted people), its about companionship, nurturing, and unconditional love that they bring us.

 

[Fritzo]

Try this-

Lock you girlfriend and your dog in your trunk for 30 minutes. After 30 minures, open the trunk and see which one is happy to see you.

This is why people like dogs.

 

[Ns1]

Originally posted by: Fritzo
Try this-

Lock you girlfriend and your dog in your trunk for 30 minutes. After 30 minures, open the trunk and see which one is happy to see you.

This is why people like dogs.

lol

 

[JMapleton]

Originally posted by: Atomic Playboy
it will give you unconditional love.

I disagree with this because I think it's an illusion. A pet does not know or can understand what love is, so any concept is receiving love from a pet is moreso a false sense of having received love.

 

[91TTZ]

Originally posted by: JMapleton


Thoughts on this, or am I just weird?

Yes, you're weird. Pets are enjoyable.

 

[91TTZ]

Originally posted by: JMapleton

Originally posted by: Atomic Playboy
it will give you unconditional love.

I disagree with this because I think it's an illusion. A pet does not know or can understand what love is, so any concept is receiving love from a pet is moreso a false sense of having received love.

You're probably best off just stopping right there. Besides, you sound like some emo high school kid.

 

[Flipped Gazelle]

Originally posted by: Fritzo
Try this-

Lock you girlfriend and your dog in your trunk for 30 minutes. After 30 minures, open the trunk and see which one is happy to see you.

This is why people like dogs.

LMAO!!! :laugh:

OP, are you just "making conversation", or can you really not see the mutual benefits in having a pet?

 

[JMapleton]

Originally posted by: 91TTZ

Originally posted by: JMapleton


Thoughts on this, or am I just weird?

Yes, you're weird. Pets are enjoyable.

But my question is, are they worth the trouble? Or are the inconveniences of owning a dog overshadowed by society's acceptance of them?

What if no one had a dog or pets in general. And one day you said, "see this thing of the wild? I will capture it and raise it as my own child!" What do you think the response would be?

 

[Analog]

We have 3 cats, 1 dog and 5 horses. So there.

 

[Flipped Gazelle]

Originally posted by: JMapleton

Originally posted by: Atomic Playboy
it will give you unconditional love.

I disagree with this because I think it's an illusion. A pet does not know or can understand what love is, so any concept is receiving love from a pet is moreso a false sense of having received love.

I actually do agree with this - IDT animals have a "love" emotion like humans do. That said, there is friendship, bonding, and belonging. Many humans who claim "love" toward another do not demonstrate these behaviors.

 

[Ns1]

Originally posted by: JMapleton

Originally posted by: 91TTZ

Originally posted by: JMapleton


Thoughts on this, or am I just weird?

Yes, you're weird. Pets are enjoyable.

But my question is, are they worth the trouble? Or are the inconveniences of owning a dog overshadowed by society's acceptance of them?

No, it's overshadowed by the endless amounts of enjoyment derived from the pet

 

[Megatomic]

The companionship and fun pets provide is well worth the cost and effort of supporting them. We have 3 dogs and they are literally smothered with attention and I have a hard time imagining them being happier than they are right now.

 

[JMapleton]

Originally posted by: Flipped Gazelle
I actually do agree with this - IDT animals have a "love" emotion like humans do. That said, there is friendship, bonding, and belonging. Many humans who claim "love" toward another do not demonstrate these behaviors.

Although I think there is an innate sense and ability to love within each and every human being, I think the troubles of society make it difficult to for even many humans to fully express "love." Let alone an animal.

 

[ConstipatedVigilante]

Originally posted by: JMapleton

Originally posted by: Atomic Playboy
it will give you unconditional love.

I disagree with this because I think it's an illusion. A pet does not know or can understand what love is, so any concept is receiving love from a pet is moreso a false sense of having received love.

Huh? Pets can definitely love their owners. Pets definitely have emotions. Emotions are the most basic form of thought - pets don't think "do I like this person's personality?" They just think, "Hey, this person cares for me, plays with me, feeds me - s/he is my best friend."

A pet's owner is the closest thing to a parent that it has. Humans who are treated well by their parents tend to have unconditional love for them and are generally happy to see them, no matter what.

It's not about having control over the pet - it's about having a companion who will never leave you or wrong you as long as you don't do so first. Granted, sometimes they don't know better - that's why we have training.

I think Fritzo explained this phenomenon really well.


JMapleton, you're weird.

 

[StageLeft]

People like to have companionship and take care of things. When young people buy pets and subsequently have kids their pets get almost universally ignored (even though when you tell them this beforehand they tell you this won't happen, but it will). Later, when their kids get old they realize they want pets again so then you get older people buying cats/dogs and caring about them as much as before they had human kids. I hear grown ups get upset about problems their pets have and think "do you have kids?" and realize that either they don't or the kids are grown, which is why they have the emotional money available to get truly upset at pet problems.

Yes, I'm awful.

 

[coldmeat]

Because lying on the couch watching tv is better with a dog on your lap than without.

 

[JMapleton]

Originally posted by: ConstipatedVigilante
Huh? Pets can definitely love their owners. Pets definitely have emotions. Emotions are the most basic form of thought - pets don't think "do I like this person's personality?" They just think, "Hey, this person cares for me, plays with me, feeds me - s/he is my best friend."

A pet's owner is the closest thing to a parent that it has. Humans who are treated well by their parents tend to have unconditional love for them and are generally happy to see them, no matter what.

It's not about having control over the pet - it's about having a companion who will never leave you or wrong you as long as you don't do so first. Granted, sometimes they don't know better - that's why we have training.

I think Fritzo explained this phenomenon really well.

I don't think anyone can comprehend what goes on inside a dog's head, but love is more than felt, it is understood by who is loving.

It is not love however when is it for their advantage, "this person feeds me, therefor I like them." Love is not a transaction.

 

[Flipped Gazelle]

Originally posted by: JMapleton

Originally posted by: Flipped Gazelle
I actually do agree with this - IDT animals have a "love" emotion like humans do. That said, there is friendship, bonding, and belonging. Many humans who claim "love" toward another do not demonstrate these behaviors.

Although I think there is an innate sense and ability to love within each and every human being, I think the troubles of society make it difficult to for even many humans to fully express "love." Let alone an animal.

Society has nothing to do with it. Many humans are not equipped to give love.

 

[SlitheryDee]

Obviously they're worth the trouble. People have them don't they? Worth the trouble to you = worth the trouble.

I think the reasons people have them are pretty much what you say though. People like to think that the "unconditional love and companionship" they get from pets somehow doesn't need any further explaining, but it does. You want love so you use pets as your little love dispensers. you use them for what you want. If they were to not want to be used like that, and resist with the maximum force available to them, you dispose of them.

 

[JMapleton]

Originally posted by: Flipped Gazelle

Originally posted by: JMapleton

Originally posted by: Flipped Gazelle
I actually do agree with this - IDT animals have a "love" emotion like humans do. That said, there is friendship, bonding, and belonging. Many humans who claim "love" toward another do not demonstrate these behaviors.

Although I think there is an innate sense and ability to love within each and every human being, I think the troubles of society make it difficult to for even many humans to fully express "love." Let alone an animal.

Society has nothing to do with it. Many humans are not equipped to give love.

I disagree, love I believe is sown in the hearts of every human being.

It is the troubles of society that cloud and distort the outside of a man to hide that love/or potential to love.