Wondering

[honda03842]

A very significant number of RVers travel with pets. I often wonder why.

Here's some serious and humorous reasons. I don't mean this post to be judgemental or critical. Beyond being a wander. I am a wonderer.

We haven't owned a pet since we began serious travels but do understand that people usually love their pets. Often we think everyone is like us, it's interesting to me how we're different.

1. Wouldn't anyone want a partner who worshipped them, always welcomed them home enthusiastically, ate gratefully at every meal, was content with cheap outings and presents and gave lifelong loyalty and protection? I read last year that a large number of US women wished they could marry their dogs! Try that lot for a start.

2. In a 2008 study, for example, a man approached random women and asked them out on a date. When the man took a dog along with him, his success rate increased three-fold.

3. Some studies have shown that people who own pets have a higher risk of mental health problems, such as depression and panic attacks. What’s more, our pets can spread diseases through mites, tics, fleas, worms, and various viruses. Every year more than 85,000 people get seriously injured after tripping over their pets.

4.If pet-keeping were a purely (or even largely) biologically driven trait, it would be difficult to explain why its popularity has spiked in the last 200 years, and particularly since World War II

5. A study published in 2011 comparing pet-keeping practices in 60 societies around the world. The study found a large variety of species of pets, including some that seem quite odd from a Western perspective: ostriches, tortoises, bears, bats. The most common pet species is the dog, but even then, people are very different in the way they keep dogs.

Of the 60 cultures surveyed, 53 have dogs, but only 22 consider dogs to be pets. Even then, pet dogs are usually used for specific purposes such as hunting or herding. Just seven cultures regularly feed their dogs and let them live inside the house, and only three cultures play with dogs. The study’s general conclusion, as Herzog puts it: “The affection and resources lavished upon pets in the United States and Europe today is a cultural anomaly.”

6. The hyper-popularity of pet-owning in a complex, modern world is very simple once you accept the human desire for unconditional love (UL). Pets offer a good-enough simulation of UL, without all of the messiness and contradictions of other humans.

Many have fur that offers tactile pleasure. They tend to listen and not talk back or contradict. They are trainable to be somewhat responsive to our needs. They model affection and don’t judge. They don’t live too long and remain childlike, giving owners a narcissistic feeling of godlike superiority. For most owners this is as close to UL as they will ever get, and it’s pretty good. But it is never a relationship among equals.

Simply something to think about.

[Hazel in Sk]

My hubby discovered that he should have got a dog in his earlier years. Walking our wee pup on a trail caused scantily clad young ladies to flock around him.

[honda03842]

I suspect men who read this will be gravitating to dogs. I read part of my post to Ginny. I suspect I will never nbe walking a dog. "Kind Ginny" reminds me that she has sharp finger nails.

[Jack L]

Originally Posted by Hazel in Sk

My hubby discovered that he should have got a dog in his earlier years. Walking our wee pup on a trail caused scantily clad young ladies to flock around him.

Please, please tell us what breed of dog you had.

[David Tilston]

I prefer my parasites to be related to me, (coming from a guy with three cats).

[honda03842]

Originally Posted by David Tilston

I prefer my parasites to be related to me, (coming from a guy with three cats).

I can understand having a pet, I don't understand having 3. Why do you have three cats?

We have met people with three dogs in a motorhome where the owner walks two and then the third. We asked them why he walked them separately. He responded they don't like each other.

We have two very good retired friends with 3 dogs. They really can't travel much because of their Korgies. Life is too short to be restricted like that, at least in my mind.

[knighth001]

When I married my wife, I married her and her dogs (2 Yorkies) and we picked up another (rescue). We're coming up on 10 yrs (yeh I know that's peanuts compared to a lot of you guys) and I can't imagine life without a dog around. We just lost the last of the original 3 this past weekend (the rescue who was almost 18yrs old Silky). Each dog has their own personality. When one of our second dog died a little over a year ago, I was adamant to get another one. I'm a strict believer that it's easier to train a dog with another dog already in the house that knows the rules. Likewise, we'll probably be getting another one soon. I don't see ever not having 2 dogs. Though we have a Border Whippet now which is bigger than the other dogs. Our next dog will probably be a small dog. Need to keep the balance.

Yeh it's tight in a 13ft with 2 adults, 2 kids, and 2-3 dogs, but we wouldn't change it for the world. Getting the camper actually was a huge plus for us because it meant we can take the dogs with us.

[Glenn Baglo]

A consideration. When you retire, and you are on a fixed income, the more pets you have, the more vet bills you have.
I paid a bill for $533 yesterday and they want to do a surgery that is estimated at $790.

[deryk]

Part of me wants a dog. But being single there are times and places I want to go that are not pet friendly. You can't go to work all day and decide to go out right after work because you have a dog at home that needs to be let out. Some campgrounds do not allow dogs. Sometimes haveing a dog with you is fun. I had one that went backpacking with me...she had her own saddlebags to carry her own food and dishes. But if I wanted to go away without her I used to be able to drop her at my parents house for the weekend. Well things have changed since then.

I guess it really depends on what you want to do...but as much as I like the idea of it, it just doesn't seem practical to me.

[tidewater]

Because the companionship of my cat is honestly preferable to most people (not all) and I've never had my cat ask "what did you mean last night when you said..." or "we need to talk about our relationship."

[james kent]

Originally Posted by honda03842

A very significant number of RVers travel with pets. I often wonder why

They tend to listen and not talk back or contradict. They are trainable to be somewhat responsive to our needs. They model affection and don’t judge. They don’t live too long and remain childlike, giving owners a narcissistic feeling of godlike superiority. For most owners this is as close to UL as they will ever get, and it’s pretty good. But it is never a relationship among equals.



Simply something to think about.

. . .
The good wife, Eh?

Our first pet was Joey, a terrier/spaniel cross... Hyper, hyper, hyper! Next came Checkers, a purebred English Cokker.a one family pet. No one else could get close if he was around. Charlie came a few years later and was a frisbee freakin' Jack Russell that would run till he dropped, rest a couple of minutes then want to play catch some more. The smartest pet we ever had. He could differentiate between different colours and understand a lot of spoken language. Last is Holly. She is a laid back Jack Russell who loves long walks, hates the water, and you can go catch the ball yourself. After all you threw it away, didn't you?


Sent from my iPad using Fiberglass RV

[Hazel in Sk]

Originally Posted by Jack L

Please, please tell us what breed of dog you had.

At that time we had a very small ,brown, long haired mixed breed. Looked a bit like a miniature buffalo so we called her Tatonka (Cree for buffalo!).

Currently we have two 'sort of Bichon/Shih Tzu' dogs.

The secret to having a dog act like a 'chick magnet' is that it should be very young and/or small and cute. Best, of course, is a very young, cute, fluffy small creature!

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by james kent

...She is a laid back Jack Russell...

Oxymoron…??? My friends have a Jack Russell named "Lucifer." 'Nuf said!

We currently have an 18 month old, 45 pound, mixed breed rescue dog. We live in a high crime area, and she is a great watchdog. Travel is very stressful for her (tried it once, never again). She is much happier staying home in our large, fenced yard and "guarding the fort." We hire someone to check on her daily.

Norm, I appreciated your observation about how different cultures perceive pets. I live in a context (Native American) in which dogs are common but not typically treated as "house pets." As it has become more common in the broader American context to encounter pets in public spaces, like restaurants and stores, I have noticed that many of the Native people I know are somewhat turned off by it. I wasn't too thrilled myself when I witnessed a dogfight in the dairy aisle at WalMart not long ago.

[Darnelle]

My dog is a "chick magnet" and he is a 97 pound doberman!

[cpaharley2008]

Having a pet is similar to having children, some do and some do not, and Norm you are a wanderer and a wonderer

[honda03842]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

Oxymoron…???

Norm, I appreciated your observation about how different cultures perceive pets. I live in a context (Native American) in which dogs are common but not typically treated as "house pets." As it has become more common in the broader American context to encounter pets in public spaces, like restaurants and stores, I have noticed that many of the Native people I know are somewhat turned off by it. I wasn't too thrilled myself when I encountered a dogfight in the dairy aisle at WalMart not long ago.

Jon, I know what you mean. I met a women yesterday who's considering having her dogs listed as service dogs so she can go anywhere with them.

It sort of like getting a medical need permit for marijuana in CA. Anyone can get one.

I particularly notice dogs in the west being pushed around in store carriages. I was truly surprised, but that's the west coast.

[Mike Magee]

"3. ...people who own pets have a higher risk of mental health problems..." Question is, do crazy people choose pets, or do pets drive them crazy? One doesn't have to be crazy to keep a pet, but it helps. (This from a person who has a cat; please excuse me while I go clean up her vomit...)

[Jon in AZ]

Originally Posted by honda03842

I particularly notice dogs in the west being pushed around in store carriages. I was truly surprised, but that's the west coast.

It's not just the west coast anymore.

The day is approaching when pets will be welcomed at more places than children.

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by honda03842

I can understand having a pet, I don't understand having 3. Why do you have three cats?

When I met my wife, I was a single dad, with three kids. She had three cats. Six months, or so into the relationship, I said, "three cats is a lot. Which one should we get rid of?". Her reply was, "three kids is a lot......" We didn't discuss it after that.

I waited, they were old cats. Eventually, I buried them all, under the pine tree in our back yard.

Then my daughter begged me for a cat for Christmas, I gave in. Then a "friend" of my wife's dropped off two more cats when she moved to Atlanta.

Back to three.

[honda03842]

Originally Posted by David Tilston

When I met my wife, I was a single dad, with three kids. She had three cats. Six months, or so into the relationship, I said, "three cats is a lot. Which one should we get rid of?". Her reply was, "three kids is a lot......" We didn't discuss it after that.

I waited, they were old cats. Eventually, I buried them all, under the pine tree in our back yard.

Then my daughter begged me for a cat for Christmas, I gave in. Then a "friend" of my wife's dropped off two more cats when she moved to Atlanta.

Back to three.

Nothing against your wife, but there are important questions to ask before the marriage..... Meow......