pets like dogs
Dogs are considered “ideal” pets for many reasons. For many, they are surrogate children, and for others, loyal companions who are relatively easy to care for. Dogs are also highly interactive pets, and owners can take them outdoors to play energetically. Is there an alternative to dogs with similar characteristics?
Characteristics that make your pet “like a dog”
- trainability: Most dogs are easy to train and can perform a myriad of tricks.
- replay fetch: Dogs love to chase and “keep away” objects thrown by their owners.
- human affection: Dogs are probably the most anthropocentric animals on the planet. Dogs often follow their owners, love to be petted, and are petted.
- hierarchy: Dogs have been given status by their human owners and (mostly) follow rules. Dogs care what their owners want, even if they don’t always behave ideally.
dog-like traits
Obviously, animals are not dogs, so they cannot be exactly like dogs. In fact, dogs are special in the animal kingdom. Dogs retain neoteny, or juvenile traits, so they resemble wolf cubs. Because of this, dogs are essentially adult baby wolves and get along best with owners who let them naturally guide themselves. Additionally, dogs are uniquely tweaked to bond with humans and are the only animal species that can understand human gestures such as pointing. Still, there are some pets that share certain traits with dogs.
1. Rabbit
Rabbits are traditional pets and are often considered “small” animals. Although often caged and given basic care, many owners insist that these common animals are far more active and complete agility courses when given the chance. have proven that they can even be trained to Within the rabbit breeding community, there is a growing backlash against keeping rabbits in cages. Many owners now use kennels to give their dogs more space to roam, and some even let their dogs “free range” throughout the house.
Rabbits love to cuddle up to humans and, like dogs, they come in all shapes and sizes. They may not walk as well as a dog on a leash, but they can be easily taken for walks in a harness. How you enjoy this activity will vary from person to person.
2. Bengal Cats and Savannah Cats
Bengal cats aren’t really “exotic” because they are fully domesticated cats, but the breed was created using an Asian leopard cat, so it’s considered a “partially wild” animal. It is often possible to think However, the DNA of this breed is considerably diluted, and Bengal cats have a striking coat and personality.
One of the characteristics that distinguishes these cats from the typical cat is their playfulness and self-confidence, which are said to resemble dogs. They often walk much better and maintain their activity levels on a leash. You can play fetch with this breed and teach tricks more easily. They even like to swim! The Bengal is the “border collie” of the cat world. They are athletic and intelligent, which can make them difficult to keep for some people. Some are known to be more cautious and prone to spraying.
Other breeds with traits similar to exotic cat DNA include the savannah cat and the jungle cat. Savannah cats have serval DNA and are often marketed with a higher percentage of exotic cat genes. These cats are known to be very dog-like.
3. Fox
It may seem obvious that canines resemble dogs, but foxes actually have a lot in common with felines in their behavior. As pets, most species of foxes are aloof and highly independent. Their appetite for prey is undiminished no matter how they are raised, and they are always more alert than other dogs. Still, foxes are lead trained and love to play, sometimes wagging their tails in excitement when their owners return.
The Russian fox experiment made the concept of domesticating foxes famous, but fewer than 10 of these animals made it to the United States. These foxes are said to have strong similarities to dogs, including human affection and docility, unlike foxes, which are bred on fur farms and make up the majority of fox species found in the pet trade. However, these animals exhibit the same behavior, so the differences from similarly hand-raised and socialized “regular” foxes may not be so extreme.
4. Rat
Rats are slowly climbing the ladder to status as traditional small pets. Many people don’t find the idea of owning a rat appealing, but anyone with basic knowledge of small pets knows that rats are considered some of the best pets. These rodents are known for their intelligence, their ease of training, and their willingness to display human affection. YouTube is full of videos showing how easy it is to teach your rat various tricks. Rats are known to have great personalities and temperaments. Like dogs, apart from enrichment, they need social interaction in the form of frequent play with another rat playmate or human owner.
5. Pot-bellied pig
Pot-bellied pigs are rapidly growing in popularity, and most people know that these animals can be kept indoors just like dogs and can learn a variety of tricks. The term pot-bellied pig refers to various breeds of pigs. One type of him is called a “mini-pig”, but they are all rather large. Like dogs, pigs are descendants of very social and hierarchical animals. Humans need training to maintain their position as leaders of the “herd.”
Pigs are often said to be even smarter than dogs, but pigs are likely to be better on the test in other ways. Unlike other animals, pigs do not match dogs in human understanding, but they are able to show a high level of affection and understanding.
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not a substitute for formal, independent advice from qualified professionals.
© 2018 Melissa Smith
comment
berate ball February 3, 2018:
Pot-bellied pigs originate from Vietnam and Taiwan. They are intelligent, trainable animals. However, some breeds can grow large, so when choosing piglets, pay attention to meeting the mother pigs.
Pigs can be trained indoors just like dogs, and they can also be trained to live with other animals.
Pigs are also herd animals, so they don’t like being alone. So, just as you can’t expect a dog to thrive when left alone all day, expect the same from a pig.
Pigs are like dogs. Pigs have a limited ability to sweat, so they need mud and water to purr. If you are thinking of getting a pig, these should also be provided.
As you know, piglets are very cute, but pigs have many needs.
Louise Paules From Norfolk, UK, 1st February 2018:
I think the pot-bellied pig is very cute and I would love to have one! The mouse video is a very cute and adorable little animal.