Friends I know who have cats have always told me that cats are superior to dogs as pets, because cats are smarter, more independent, and easier to maintain day-to-day. Dogs are too clingy and too needy, they say.
I never really understood the clingy-needy part.
The first three dogs we owned were outside dogs and I never considered them clingy, though they would be happy to see us when we were outside with them. Two of the dogs we owned were brother and sister, black labs, and they had a tendency to get a bit too excited and would jump on us when we came outside. We had trouble breaking them of that and it was just understood that if you needed to be dressed nice for going out, you'd better feed and play with the dogs first, and then go get cleaned up.
I never really understood until the male died and we were left with only the female. She settled down immediately and didn't jump on us anymore ... she and the male had been competing for our attention. With him gone, she was getting our full attention and the problem was solved.
So note to self: one dog at a time!
But outside dogs are always dirty. The yard turns into a mess. I didn't want any more dogs.
Eventually we did get another dog ... our little cockerpoo, Chloe.
Now I understood the clingy-needy part, except those weren't exactly the words I would have used to describe Chloe and me. This was companionship. If anything, I was the clingy one!
She was an inside dog, a companion that shared life with me. We were together 24 hours a day. She was with me no matter what I was doing or where I was going (except for those places where dogs aren't allowed, of course).
I noticed that friends I knew who had cats didn't go on long walks with their feline friends. Their cats never hopped into the car to ride along when running errands, and then take the long way home just for a few more minutes of fresh air and fun. And they certainly never went with them on holidays for dinner at the relatives' house.
Nope ... I could plainly see all the ways that having a dog was far superior than having a cat. So keep your silly ol' cat ... it is a fact ... I am a dog person!
We had Chloe for 16 years. We lost her at the beginning of 2019, and it left a really big hole in my life.
Everybody said, Get another dog! But to me it was like saying, Just go out and get another friend/companion/cohort! Like that was something I could just jump up and easily do.
Three years passed ... time has a way of helping you finally move on. I was beginning to feel those heart stirrings ... maybe it was time to start looking for another dog ...
But then life threw me two big curves ...