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Dogs, on the other hand, are famous for being very trainable. They work for people who have a lot of time on their hands, but maybe my opinion has been influenced by puppies. Those are the dogs that stole my heart, but usually after I got a new puppy, I realized I did not, or perhaps could not, invest the time required to properly train it. In my tainted opinion, it does not make a great pet for busy people because of this.
Working dogs, though, are a true wonder. If you are fortunate enough to own a retired working hound, you probably won't have the problems that puppy owners encounter. In my opinion, if you must have a dog as a pet, a grown dog that's worked before and has been exposed to extensive training is the way to go. Because of their social nature, they can be trained to do almost anything, and I personally think they should be put into the category of horses and other intelligent, hardworking, but difficult to own and train correctly, animals. Yet, people keep buying the cute little puppies and are surprised when they turn into little monsters that take over the house. Obedience classes should be mandatory for new dog owners. Proper dog ownership, especially puppies, requires a ridiculous investment of time and money, most of which working singles do not have.
I love how the cat is barking until he notices the camera. He's like...Oh no I've been caught...meow.
I have had both, and love both. I have a cat right now, because I already have a kid. Maybe when my kid is older I'll get another dog. I just don't have the time, and I think a dog without enough attention is miserable.
That said I find that dogs fit better into our lifestyle. They go everywhere with us. We travel and "go" quite a bit and take our dog/s with us when we gad about. Cats don't enjoy being uprooted as much. I've seen a very few accepting cats being taken with but most prefer to stay on their home base. For dogs, their pack is their home base. Until they get so old that they need the comfort of one location, dogs accept a gypsy lifestyle.
My biggest objection to cats is that box. I have a super nose and can smell "cat box" even with those new super litters. A dog takes a lot of front end work to get a good dog as mentioned above. Both have their downsides and upsides but for me it's a dog in this time in my life.
I've had both and love both.
My biggest objection to cats is that box. I have a super nose and can smell "cat box" even with those new super litters. A dog takes a lot of front end work to get a good dog as mentioned above. Both have their downsides and upsides but for me it's a dog in this time in my life.
Just as an FYI, I use Feline Pine and with my two male cats no one can tell I have cats (and no I'm not obsessive about scooping either). And in terms of that the cat poop dries up and is pretty much odorless, while dog poop is quite "fresh" when one has to pick up after them on walks.
I read once there is a big difference between cats and dogs.
dogs...........dog is man's best friend
cats............man is cat's best friend
That's a generalization. Cats are born with different personalities, so are dogs and of course humans. My cats greet me at the door, follow me around the house and sleep with me at night...just like many dogs. Like children it's my belief they develop the behaviors/habits taught to them.
I like both, but, and you may scoff, I find cats easier to train and handle than dogs. Cats are less of a commitment. I'm not ready for kids, and dogs are like animal two-year-olds. You have to train puppies to live with you. They come with nasty habits, like relieving themselves wherever, barking and crying when left alone, destructively raiding garbage, chasing / biting other people and pets, etc. To be a successful puppy owner, you just about have to be a "stay-at-home mom" otherwise you will have a very unhappy puppy or neighbors complaining, especially if you live in an apartment and have to crate the dog during the day.
Then, there's the expense of owning a puppy: doggy daycare or pet sitters to keep the animal active and content so that it doesn't cry, scream, or soil the crate, vet bills for rabies shots and vaccinations against the various diseases that can kill a puppy, obedience classes (these are necessary to successfully live with the animal), and containment systems so that the dog doesn't try to chew, dig, or find some other way to destroy its containment area. In other words, raising a healthy puppy is almost as expensive and involved as raising a small child. You will even have outsiders come in and tell you that you aren't doing it properly and are in danger of abusing your animal and "ruining it for life" if you cut corners. (Granted, these same people may leave anti-freeze out for or call animal control on non-dogs, but that's Southerners for you, from what I've seen.) No thanks! I don't want a puppy child.
I'll just take the little varmint in the barn that catches the mice! I can put out some yummy cat kibble and water, make sure it knows where the litter box is (and what it's for, if it's a really young kitten), set up some catnip furniture, come home, play for 15-20 minutes, and teach it silly pet tricks on my own time when I feel like it (no obedience training required). We'll have a lot more fun than the guy spending hours trying to train Fido not to pee on the carpet.
Right now, I live in a place where I can't own pets. I miss my kitties.
Just as an FYI, I use Feline Pine and with my two male cats no one can tell I have cats (and no I'm not obsessive about scooping either). And in terms of that the cat poop dries up and is pretty much odorless, while dog poop is quite "fresh" when one has to pick up after them on walks.
IMO, dog poop is disgusting. It actually makes me sick to smell it. Cat poop is strongly scented and kind of stimulates different parts of the nose; it doesn't remind me of poop. Plus, it's usually deposited in the litter box where odor neutralizing particles make it smell even less offensive, and little dogs like to eat it, too . Dealing with cat poop is really not that bad.
The last puppy I kept had very foul smelling poop because of his diet. I switched him to cat food so that I could put up with cleaning up after him. The dog food poop was brown bulky and smelled of dog poop (you know how it smells if you've ever dealt with it, musty and foul.) The cat kibble poop was darker firmer and had a stronger "fishy" smell. I could deal with it better.
We might end up fighting like...well, you know, over this question, but I thought it belonged here, so why not? Which one is your personal favorite? Where do you stand with the other? Why?
100% dog person - and I prefer large dogs... Ok, one step further, I prefer large, black Labs...
The last dog we owned (was 14 years old when he passed) was, in MY (Humble) opinion the best dog on the planet. Loyal, loving, playful, adorable (but all that rubbed off from me, I'm sure... lol).
I've owned cats before - the first one I rescued from a dumpster as a kitten - the other was a rescue after it was attacked by a possum. The first was the closest thing to a dog I'd ever seen. If someone came to visit, Bud(weiser) would beat me to the door to see who it was that was there to see him... He'd wake me up when my alarm went off and I hit snooze twice... (he was a 100% indoor cat, so it's not like he had to go out...) I had him written up in divorce papers with 100% custody - no visitation and no 'child' support... She'da taken him just to upset me, had she had the chance...
The second cat (Ricky) was released back as an outdoor cat after he healed... He was very unsocial and needed to be an outside cat.
That's a generalization. Cats are born with different personalities, so are dogs and of course humans. My cats greet me at the door, follow me around the house and sleep with me at night...just like many dogs. Like children it's my belief they develop the behaviors/habits taught to them.
Yeah, ignore your pet, it will become aloof (cat) and possibly destructive (dog). Give your pet time, and it will start to appreciate your company. I agree with that. I think most pet owners who complain that cats are aloof haven't even taken the time to get to know them. Just putting food and water out isn't enough if you want a pet companion; you have to socialize, play, and communicate with your pet. Otherwise, it just lives in your house and tolerates you because you provide the food.
It actually kind of irks me when dog owners talk about dog breeds that are "cat-like," because these breeds are difficult to train and like to be left alone. In my experience, that's not a cat's personality at all. Cats are endless bundles of thirsty curiosity; they just have enough sense to explore with and without our permission. Cats can be trained to do all sorts of things, like:
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(Granted, these same people may leave anti-freeze out for or call animal control on non-dogs, but that's Southerners for you, from what I've seen.) No thanks! I don't want a puppy child. 
