How often have we heard this refrain from cat owners: “My cat is so proud, clever, and independent, unlike those blindly obedient, drooling dogs.” And yes, it’s quite a majestic sight. Cats, descendants of the Egyptian fertility goddess “Bastet,” roam freely, leaving their royal trail of destruction through the homes of their subjects, reserving only disdain and paw swats for their can-opening servants. And yet, these servants are grateful. Every broken vase, torn curtain, and jacket marked as territory is amusingly acknowledged, with gleaming eyes, as content for social networks. So, who is truly “faithfully foolish” here?
Let’s be honest, how would you describe a person who cares little for others’ property, engages in vandalism out of jealousy, unrestrainedly expresses their whims, and shows affection only when it suits them? Exactly: selfish.
Team Players with Social Intelligence
Is it really a disadvantage or a sign of “stupidity” that a dog wants to please its owner? Perhaps, it’s an expression of warmth and social intelligence?
Dogs want to understand and get along with you. They find life too short for stress. They are team players, always reliable, and ready to learn new things from you. They can lie dreamily and cuddly with you on the sofa, breaking the world record for laziness, stretching their corn-scented paws onto your face, only to wag their tails and beckon you into the wide world to experience new adventures.
With a dog, even the most ordinary walk turns into an exciting journey. A wonder awaits behind every bush, a new world behind every tree, waiting to be discovered with a sniffing, wet nose, attentive ears, and shining eyes. Muddy puddles become splash paradises, sticks turn into precious treasures, and the dog park becomes an adventure playground. Your four-legged companion, alone or with its doggy pals, zooms through the undergrowth, leaving you to marvel, laugh, and discuss with other dog parents. Even for the most seasoned person who has seen the local parks, meadows, and forests a thousand times, suddenly, their environment becomes fascinating again.
Sense for Your Emotions
And you are fascinating to your dog. Like a four-legged anthropologist, it reads your gaze, your expressions, and your words, attempting to gain your attention with its creative (and sometimes hilarious) communication sounds. It is eager to know what exciting plans you, as the pack leader, have. What tricks are there to learn, what delicacies to savor, and what games to play.
Even your emotions are not hidden from your dog, and, unlike many other animal companions, they are crucial to him. When you’re sad, he’s there to cheer you up, cuddle, and comfort you with licks. And when you’re in a good mood, he’s overjoyed with you.
Your dog knows what he has in you, and it’s not just the cherished treats. Not for nothing does he warn and protect you with the enthusiasm and senses of a superhero from dangers, be it menacing-looking, sneaky trash cans at night, or annoying mosquitoes in the vacation rental. He fearlessly leaps into the battle and would give his life for you.
Because you are his pack, his friend, his exciting, protective, two-legged world. He misses you terribly when you’re away, performing an acrobatic dance of joy when you return. And you’ll miss him too when the basket remains empty one day after many wonderful and crazy years. But I can promise you, the time until then will have been worth every tear.
Is this exaggerated? Not really, but of course, it’s a bit subjective, seen through the rose-tinted paw lenses. And between us: cats are, of course, not as bad as initially portrayed (not always). But dogs are simply much, much better.
What’s your opinion, or do you wish for a different perspective? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.
