I find little use for pets of any kind outside of some functional uses. Animals for assistance with disabilities? Awesome. A dog on a farm to chase away squirrels, coyotes, etc? perfect. Cats to keep the mice out of the barn? You betcha. But outside of serving some kind of function, I don't get it. I'm not saying it's a bad thing to have pets, I just don't get it. I suppose I view pets like other people view children. I don't want any of my own, but I'll enjoy yours when I see them at your house. I'm pretty fond of dogs. They're funny and fun to play fetch with but for me they're certainly not fun enough to feed and clean up after. Owning and caring for pets has been around for a long time, but I can't seem to understand it. Show me the function, and I get it. Without function, it's just an animal that puts its anus on my pillow/couch/carpet.
Asking what the function of a pet is, is like asking what the function of a friend is. Neither really has to do anything particular to be worthwhile. Having some sort of utilitarian usefulness is not what pets (or children, or friends, or relationships, or...) is really supposed to be about.
I think we just disagree here, and that's okay. I see my children and friends as completely different than pets. You're right - children and friends don't require some kind of function to fit into my life - but to equate them to pets doesn't make sense to me. I can understand that some one might want to have a pet for companionship/friendship (read: function) - but I think it's different than human companionship and friendship. And for some it may be BETTER than human companionship (I have several friends who feel this way). I was merely sharing that it's something that doesn't fit into my brain. I probably sound like some kind of wacked out pet hater... I assure you I'm not.Asking what the function of a pet is, is like asking what the function of a friend is.
No, it's cool. I get it. I wasn't trying to equate the two, merely asserting that the reasons for having either are similar. It is certainly a different sort of companionship than what humans provide, but it is a form of companionship -- in my opinion, a simpler and usually far more honest one -- and those differences are, for pet people, part of the appeal.
I think different people have different ideas about the "function" of pets. For me, having a dog helps accomplish several things. It helps me create and stick to a routine in both the short term and the long term, what with the walking and feeding, the baths, monthly tick medicine, vaccinations, etc. This is good for me because it forces me to get at least two hours of light exercise a day and it keeps me from getting lost in my head and coming out of a fog of ideas one or two days later, finding that I've missed appointments and obligations. My dog also reminds me not to take things too seriously. Maybe the day was disappointing, but a little tug-of-war or taking a minute just to enjoy lying on the floor in a patch of sun light might be a good way to refocus on the present moment. The anus thing is true though.
I agree that pets serve many functions and that for me, most of them are emotional. Much like a friend. In fact, steve, there are many friends that I would gladly choose my dogs over. You're lucky my dogs can't edit video :) I of course kid (you are the bomb)... but people/pets/things do not need to have the type of ROI you outline. They need not read brail in order to serve a function. My dogs are like friends but they're definitely not like children. I've always had friends and therefore I could always make that comparison. My bone of contention is when people that haven't had kids claim their pets are like their children. They have no idea.The anus thing is true though.
Ha.
Bwahahahahaha. My wife is wondering why I'm laughing so hard. Hey - I'm not trying to convert anyone here. I probably should have just kept my mouth shut. I firmly acknowledge that I'm the weird one here who doesn't get it- and that's ok. And back to your original point... Yah... Dog park people... When we hang out in person, remind me to tell you about my vizsla friends (is yours a vizsla?)You're lucky my dogs can't edit video
Yep. Vizsla here. Vizsla owners are a proud and extra strange "breed".
This is why it bothers me when people call me "dad" in reference to my dog. There's a difference between interacting with an adult human and a pet that many people like to think mirrors that of the interaction between an adult and a child. I don't have any children, but from teaching I have seen how disturbingly aware children are in ways that pets are not.
Like so many things, it started functionally and then (rather quickly) become traditional and cultural.Owning and caring for pets has been around for a long time, but I can't seem to understand it. Show me the function, and I get it. Without function, it's just an animal that puts its anus on my pillow/couch/carpet.