Dogs and cats have been the two most popular pets for years on years, with this they have also been compared a lot. With both sides have many supporters. However in my opinion dogs are the better pet, however that doesn’t mean that cats are a bad pet, it’s just dogs are that good.

One story from Miss Cellania helps to put this into perspective. In this story a dog by the name of Dozer joined in on a marathon on his own. Dozer later went on to complete the marathon, and then single handedly pawdedly raised 21 thousand dollars for cancer center. These kind of stories are a great representation as to why dogs are called man’s best friend. To me dogs are better than cat because of their personality and the lifestyle they promote.

From cocoparisienne on Pixabay

Pros of Dogs

In my opinion dogs have a lot of pros. Most of the pros that a dog possess that cats do not, come from a dogs (especially larger dogs) more active nature. Starting off the list is that you can take a dog hunting with you. Personally I do not go hunting, but for some [dropcap][/dropcap]there is nothing better than shooting an animal while you, ironically,  have another animal at your side. Dogs also make hunting much easier for you and less lonely. Next on the list is that you can take a dog on a walk. Many people aren’t big fans of exercise, but there is no denying the benefits it will have on you. It’s also good for your dog and can help to make them less hyper when they are younger. Another pro, and a big one to me, is the difference in all the breeds for dogs. Some breeds are smaller and meant to be more household indoor pet, like a cat, but better. Others are used to help their community, such as in the police force or helping those with a certain disability, such as blindness. Next is that unlike some cats, all dogs are “people pleasers”. If you call for your dog they’ll be there, if you are in a bad mood or angry dogs will try to make you happy.

Next up is unlike cats, dogs are very social. Candice Lee Jones goes in depth into this in her article, and really puts into perspective how great dogs are. Every time we have company at my house my two dogs are always right next to the guests. With a lot of dogs having a lot of energy this will promote a healthy lifestyle on to the owner.

I’ll probably sound like a broken record with these next two pros. First dogs are very loyal to their owners, unless of course someone else has food. Next is that dogs are very playful. No matter the time or place dogs will always be prepared to fetch (or eat). Lastly even science proves that dogs and humans have a special connection. According to ABC News when dogs and humans look into each others eyes a hormone is released called oxytocin. [perfectpullquote align=”right” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]According to ABC News when dogs and humans look into each others eyes a hormone is released called oxytocin. [/perfectpullquote]

One thing that I have learned from school is that you can’t argue science, it just doesn’t work for some reason.

https://twitter.com/1Dogs_d0ingth/status/956276513493667840

The Few Cons of Dogs

Since this is going to be a short list I am just going to dive right in. One of the few things that cats beat dogs in is that dogs require more maintenance. However because of their many great traits they are worth it. Another con is that dogs will often chew on anything and everything they get their teeth on. However this happens when a dog is either very young and adorable so you tend to forgive them, or they’re not trained properly.

One of the other (few) things that cats are “better” than dogs in is that cats will typically cost less. Both when you first get them and long term, with things like surgery. The last con of this short list is that dogs need to be bathed and often. Cats will often bathe themselves by licking themselves. I can’t be the only one that finds this weird.

Pros of Cats

Before I begin this list I would like to state that I have never owned a cat. However I asked my dad who owned numerous cats growing up, so this list won’t be as biased. First up cats are easier to maintain. Whether it is playing or expensive surgery, cats will typically require less maintenance. Next up cats are more independent. This can be a con in some situations, but most of the time it’s a pro.

Another pro is cats typically don’t smell as bad. This is due to dogs going outside more, rolling mud etc. Cats are also lazy, which depending on the owner can be a pro. This will lead to your cat needing less attention. One of the few, actually only annoying things of my two dogs is that they need to be let out about every 2-4 hours. Especially as a puppy it will be about 1-2 hours.

This next pro is pretty cool and pretty gross. The pro is that cats hunt and often kill rodents. Typically I would say this is gross if your cat were to bring the dead rodent to you or you find the dead rodent laying around. [perfectpullquote align=”left” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] Lastly cats live longer than dogs on average. Obviously having a beloved pet live longer is a plus, they do have nine lives after all.

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Cons of Cats

Starting off the cons is that cats are more isolated and will typically prefer to be alone (usually sleeping). Next up is a painful one, focusing on a cat’s claws. You will have to have them trimmed regularly or if you would like to you could have them declawed permanently. However having their claws helps a cat kill rodents so effectively. Cats also don’t like to travel, they are more territorial than dogs. Especially if you have to move the cat would probably hate you.

Another big con is allergies caused by cats are very widespread. In an article on Webmd they go into great depth on how severe and widespread they are. Next cats are very difficult to train, weather or not they aren’t that smart or just don’t care is up for you to decide. Another very bad con is having to clean the litter box. A litter box can also cause a, to say the least, a bad smell. Lastly is the shedding of cats. Shedding does happen in dogs, but only in certain breeds of them. Whenever I go over to me friend’s house (they have two cats) I feel like I always leave with a second coat.

Conclusion

Unfortunately all great things must come to an end including this post. Through this post I hope that you can see why dogs are better than cats. If you already preferred dogs over cats before this post, all the better. However if you somehow still like cats more I would recommend reading the post again. I will leave you with a great video to further prove my point. If you still need further proof for why dogs are better are than cats I would highly recommend to check out an article by Jenna Stregowski. Featured image by: https://pixabay.com/en/dog-cat-pets-animals-friends-2606759/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAZ5te90vlc