According to the U.S. Pet Ownership and Demographics Source Book, in 2012 nearly 37 percent of American households owned a dog. This amounts to 7 percent more households than those that own cats. Although cats are smaller, quieter, less expensive to feed, do not need walking, and can be left alone for longer periods than dogs, why do American pet owners prefer dogs?
The most obvious of these reasons is the sociability of dogs. This is not to say that all cats are antisocial, but it is far more common for cats to be content being left alone than dogs are. This is why cat owners can put out enough food for a couple days and just go away. If you try doing this with a dog the food will be gone in one sitting; and dogs will stress themselves out if their owners are gone too long.
As everyone knows, modern domesticated dogs are direct ancestors of wolves. Like wolves, dogs are pack animals, which means they feel most secure and content when they are living in the presence of other dogs. In the absence of other dogs, they view their human families as their packs, and the most dominant family member as the alpha dog. This is the reason that dogs get so excited when their owners get home from work, follow them around incessantly, and respond to the commands their masters learn from Dog Fancy Magazine Online.
Then there is the eagerness to please. If you have ever seen a cat that has been trained to lead a visually impaired person, retrieve downed waterfowl, or track missing persons you might be the first. In fact, pet magazines, such as Pet Fancy Magazine, have run stories about service dogs that have been trained to sniff out cancer and some that have saved the lives of people who suffer from diabetes and epilepsy.
Although cats are cute, cuddly, and pleasant pets to have around, living with a dog is a lot like have another person around. Actually, it is not just any person but the most loyal and loving friend you will ever have. Whether a dog is a prize winning purebred on the cover of Dog Fancy Magazine, or an unidentifiable mutt from the pound, each one has that intangible dogginess that over a third of Americans love.