I Love My Dog More Than I Love Anyone

[TriflinThomas]

I have no idea what it is, but I love my dog more than I love any person (even my family). I will get small anxiety attacks if I think about my dog getting hurt or dying; I almost started tearing up once when me and some friends were talking about a hypothetical situation where our pets were dying (the question was: would you donate a kidney to your dog if it was dying). I don't expect anyone else to feel the exact same way, but does anyone feel similarly about their pet(s)?

 

[Cognisant]

No, you're weird.

 

[TriflinThomas]

 

[Minuend]

I don't tend to "feel" much at all regarding my pets and family.

But when I've been gone for a long time and see them again, I find myself smiling. Which I always try to hide. It's silly, but I don't want them to see me grinning so widely.

I do enjoy having my cats on my lap, but I don't think I feel "love" right there and then. I don't know.

Errrr. So do I love my pets more than my family? I have no idea (=
I would assume I love them equally.

 

[Fukyo]

I feel the same sense of frenetic worry about my pets, in fact... a few weeks ago I ran out of bed at 4 am with a flash light to look for my cat because I thought I heard her meow in distress in my sleep.

(that was justified though)


I don't think I prioritize pets over the people I care about.

 

[Melkor]

Understandable.

 

[dala]

The only time in my adult life that I bawled uncontrollably is when my dog died.

 

[Architect]

No, never felt that strongly about a pet, though I did have some affection for them when I was younger (cats especially).

Nothing against you, but dog owners who feel this way bug me. If you have a little kid, they come up to you with their dog like it's the best thing in the world (their dog and your kid). Except, my kid was scared of dogs so I had to keep waving them off. One time the kids were drinking from a fountain, and some stupid dog owner had their dog drink out of it, and thought that was just peachy. Again kids and dogs, I thought it was disgusting to have a dog drink from a fountain that was meant for people. These kind of dog owners take their animals as members of their family, but they aren't. They're a different species.

Here's a story about this. I was going across the street once when some stupid dog ran towards me and got hit. The owner freaked out, and was in her back yard wailing and crying. The driver (of an Ambulance for gods sake) was crying and freaking out too. This is a person who sees tragedy all the time. I'm the only one who has the presence of mind to pick the damn thing up, piss, blood and all, and carry him to the shade. I contact a neighbor to take the animal to a Vet to be taken care of.

The irony was that I was very likely the only vegan there. Everybody else looked like meat eaters, and very probably were. I don't live off of the killing of other mammals, while the rest of them kill (or have killed) some tens or hundreds of animals every year to feed their faces. But now, when animal death is in front of them (and it's a stupid little dog) they all go to pieces. I'm the one who isn't killing animals, and I actually take care of the beast (even though I was disgusted with how stupid it was).

Postscript, due to my actions the animal made it through with a few stitches.

 

[redbaron]

Pretty normal.

 

[kora]

I vote normal. They're way nicer than alot of humans.

 

[Solitaire U.]

Nothing against you, but dog owners who feel this way bug me. If you have a little kid, they come up to you with their dog like it's the best thing in the world (their dog and your kid). Except, my kid was scared of dogs so I had to keep waving them off. One time the kids were drinking from a fountain, and some stupid dog owner had their dog drink out of it, and thought that was just peachy. Again kids and dogs, I thought it was disgusting to have a dog drink from a fountain that was meant for people. These kind of dog owners take their animals as members of their family, but they aren't. They're a different species.

Nothing against you, but kid owners who feel this way bug me. If you have a little dog, they come up to you with their kid like it's the best thing in the world (their kid and your dog). Except, my dog was scared of kids, so I had to keep waving them off (my dog is a bit fucked in the head, you see, most likely due to unfounded fear transference. As his parent, I must accept full responsibility for this damage I've caused. ) . One time, the dogs were drinking from a fountain, and some stupid kid owner had their kid drink out of it, and thought that was just the cat's meow. Again, dogs and kids, I thought it was disgusting to have a kid drink from a fountain that was meant for people. These kind of kid owners take their animals as members of their family, but they aren't. They're a different species.

Really, kids and dogs? What's the diff?

 

[Architect]

Nothing against you, but kid owners who feel this way

Droll. You don't own kids, they own you.

 

[Solitaire U.]

Heh, I agree. And on top of that, you have to feed their dog.

 

[intpz]

@Architect If you let them to.

 

[Cheeseumpuffs]

Normal.

I much prefer the company of animals (doesn't even have to be MY dogs. Any animal will do) to the company of humans.

I think Architect's suggestion that all dog lovers suddenly start treating their dogs as human is a bit of a generalization that I don't find to really be the case (dogs' mouths are fucking gross, don't let them drink out of something you or someone else will drink out of).

I like animals because they aren't human, why the hell would I treat them like they are?

 

[skip]

I think that's pretty typical. That should motivate you to seek out a few higher-quality human companions, though.

I have tremendous feelings for pets and it's always devastating to lose them.

 

[Turniphead]

I like animals because they aren't human, why the hell would I treat them like they are?

Yes...
I love cat's, goats are fun, dogs are ok, etc. but people pretending they have exactly the same desires/feelings as humans gets annoying very quickly.
When people have to say out loud what the animal is thinking- "now he wants___, " "oh she must really like you" etc. ....... blah.
Stop asserting things you don't know, please.
Silly humans.

 

[intpz]

I can't say I relate, I don't feel the fuzzy and warm feeling towards animals as I see other people are. For example, playing with random cats or dongs on the street, or with friends' animals. I'd keep then out of the way, unless it would be a long gathering and a cool pet. I find it interesting to see how pets react to what you do, but that's only so long before you're done. Other than that... No, not really.

 

[Minuend]

I think Architect's suggestion that all dog lovers suddenly start treating their dogs as human is a bit of a generalization that I don't find to really be the case (dogs' mouths are fucking gross, don't let them drink out of something you or someone else will drink out of).

 

[Solitaire U.]

Quoted message = > -- < (a contradiction).

Yes...
I love cat's, goats are fun, dogs are ok, etc. but people pretending they have exactly the same desires/feelings as humans gets annoying very quickly.
When people have to say out loud what the animal is thinking- "now he wants___, " "oh she must really like you" etc. ....... blah.
Stop asserting things you don't know, please.
Silly humans.

How do you know they DON'T have the same desires/feelings as humans? They certainly appear to have the same instincts, so it stands to reason... Hath not a Dog eyes?

You appear to lack fundamental knowledge about non-verbal communication. When a baby cries, its parent says, "Ah, it's hungry, sick, needs to take a nice shit." etc. When my dog scratches the floor in front of his food bowl, it's his way of saying "Put more food in here, god-damnit, I'm hungry!". When he paws at the back door, it's his way of saying "Remove this barrier, I need to take a shit in my designated area!". A human baby doesn't even have a concept of a designated area for the first 2-3 years of its life, but a 1 month old puppy can be taught to defecate on newspaper in a couple of days.

So stop making assumptions about things YOU don't know please. And don't confuse higher intelligence with thumbs. Dogs don't have the latter, but they've been evolving on this planet for more than 10 million years vs. a paltry 200,000 for humans. Credulous in the extreme for a human to assume other animals are anything less than perfectly evolved in comparison to themselves.


I'll refrain from further inquiry about the fun to be had with goats.

 

[intpz]

The people in the photo are disgusting. What else do they do with the dogs... Damn.

 

[Vladimir]

Na.

 

[Proletar]

Well...

Love, sure. Unconditional love (no strings attached). I've had dogs in my family on various occations, and I like them. But then again, they've ceased to be and I don't really miss them. That's what pets are for. That's what's healthy.

 

[Solitaire U.]

For example, playing with random cats or dongs on the street...

Heh...yeah, playing with random dongs on the street is a really bad idea.

 

[intpz]

What, you never seen a guy jacking off in the middle of the street? Me neither.

 

[Turniphead]

How do you know they DON'T have the same desires/feelings as humans? They certainly appear to have the same instincts, so it stands to reason... Hath not a Dog eyes?

Hence the use of the word "exactly"...
Same instincts? In what context are we talking?

You appear to lack fundamental knowledge about non-verbal communication. When a baby cries, its parent says, "Ah, it's hungry, sick, needs to take a nice shit." etc. When my dog scratches the floor in front of his food bowl, it's his way of saying "Put more food in here, god-damnit, I'm hungry!". When he paws at the back door, it's his way of saying "Remove this barrier, I need to take a shit in my designated area!". A human baby doesn't even have a concept of a designated area for the first 2-3 years of its life, but a 1 month old puppy can be taught to defecate on newspaper in a couple of days.

NON - verbal.
This is exactly my point.
They are much more likely to be thinking with smells, images, sounds. etc than with any form of linguistics.
I know how to read their body language.
What I don't know, and what I don't see how anyone could, Is translating what they are doing into some sort of assumed human language.

So stop making assumptions about things YOU don't know please. And don't confuse higher intelligence with thumbs. Dogs don't have the latter, but they've been evolving on this planet for more than 10 million years vs. a paltry 200,000 for humans. Credulous in the extreme for a human to assume other animals are anything less than perfectly evolved in comparison to themselves.

I would say the same to you. I'm not making any assumptions about intelligence...
Just pointing out that they are not HUMANS. So why pretend they are? It's not that difficult of a concept.
I have much more respect for non-humans in most cases, so I don't really understand how you got that out of what I said.

Also, why would intelligence necessarily correlate with length of time spent evolving?
Also, from my limited understanding, all life on earth has been evolving for the same amount of time time.

I'll refrain from further inquiry about the fun to be had with goats.

Oh? That's too bad.

 

[intpz]

Hah! Someone seems angry and annoyed when talking about dogs as not as equals evolutionary.

 

[Turniphead]

Hah! Someone seems angry and annoyed when talking about dogs as not as equals evolutionary.

Heh? Dogs as not as equals evolutionary= Dogs not being equals? Dogs...
Oh I don't even know...
Which part am I supposed to be angry about?

 

[intpz]

Was talking about the guy you quoted, didn't read your post.

 

[Deleted member 1424]

Why has such a an innocuous thread become hostile?

I blame architect.


Anyway, it's hardly odd for a human to bond with an animal. Human/animal relationships are simple and non-confrontational. Humans in relationships, however, will always have conflicting desires and will rarely submit to one another without various passive-aggressive and spiteful behaviors.

Dogs have evolved along-side us symbiotically, it makes sense that we would be highly cooperative. The high-stakes reproductive game is irrelevant; it cannot drive the two apart like it often does in humans. I wouldn't say pets are substitutes for humans, but alternatives with various pros and cons. Pets are undoubtedly better companions than humans, but they are also completely dependent.

If one has always had sufficient human companionship, there's no need for a pet outside of entertainment (hence the arrogant condescension on this thread just masks a prideful, happy ignorance). Modern human society is lonely, divisive and stressful; toxic to human relationships. For odd personalities and misfits a pet is far superior to most humans (although a truly complementary human would be preferable, they are rare and difficult to retain).

Unsurprising.
Does anyone really think their mate would follow them to the street if they had an alternative? Dogs/Pets can be so much more lovable than humans, simply because they have fewer alternatives.

 

[Solitaire U.]

Hah! Someone seems angry and annoyed when talking about dogs as not as equals evolutionary.

Hell, I was suggesting that they might be further evolved than humans. An extra 9 million some-odd years to figure it all out, etc. But perhaps I go too far...

 

[Deleted member 1424]

Of course dogs are "more evolved" than humans, their lifespans are shorter so they have had more opportunities to mutate (and Canidae predate Hominidae by some 20 million years). Although, in this case the bacterium in your intestine are a hundred gajillion times more evolved than you.

Do you see how pointless and contrary to reality this argument is yet?
Neither of you understand evolution.
Of course I only understand it enough to know that none of us do.

 

[intpz]

Hell, I was suggesting that they might be further evolved than humans. An extra 9 million some-odd years to figure it all out, etc. But perhaps I go too far...

Longer process doesn't mean a more sophisticated outcome.

@Adaire you sound like one of those guys who want a "stupid blonde" who they could fuck and dump afterwards.

 

[Deleted member 1424]

Hair color is non-indicative of intelligence.

I just think people overestimate their own moral fiber or understand the ultimate reasons why they do anything. Emotions are colder than logic.

 

[intpz]

That's why it was in the quotation marks.

 

[TriflinThomas]

I have more than enough friends, but my dog is my baby. I treat him like a dog, but I love him as my child. If that makes sense...

 

[Solitaire U.]

Do you see how pointless and contrary to reality this argument is yet?

You shut up! We're having a vagina-off! Your logic doesn't apply to vagina-offs!

 

[Cheeseumpuffs]

So yeah....


..... Animals are great, guys.

 

[chewers]

I can totally relate, which as a mature, educated, professional woman, I know there is something seriously wrong when I feel more compassion for animals than I do for humans. For example, when I see those commercials of starving kids in third world countries I don't flinch, but please don't show the humane society commercial of injured animals because I will tear up and feel so sad. What is wrong with me? the thought of my dog dying brings on panic attacks and tears, but the thought of my husband or family member dying doesn't do that to me. I am so screwed up!!!!

 

[Duxwing]

I can totally relate, which as a mature, educated, professional woman, I know there is something seriously wrong when I feel more compassion for animals than I do for humans. For example, when I see those commercials of starving kids in third world countries I don't flinch, but please don't show the humane society commercial of injured animals because I will tear up and feel so sad. What is wrong with me? the thought of my dog dying brings on panic attacks and tears, but the thought of my husband or family member dying doesn't do that to me. I am so screwed up!!!!

I'm no psychologist, but your sympathy for humans could really be strong-- so strong, in fact, that you partially shut it off to prevent emotional overload. You've pointed out how you cry over animals' pain, so you have some sympathy; thinking of children in Africa could be so much more painful that you force yourself not to feel anything about the matter. Do so enough times and for long enough, and the seeming 'coldness' becomes second-nature.

-Duxwing

 

[Double_V]

As an only child the dog was a vital part of my childhood. He was safe, and calm, and always there when I needed him. Same applies today. And, yes, he could have my kidney. Then I would cook him breakfast.