Does anyone think that domesticating cats and dogs is just emotional slavery? Walking them around on a leash, and forcing them to be part of a family of humans, when they really don't belong there. Do you think they would be happier in a pack of dogs or a pride of cats? Would you as a human being be happy living with a pack of dogs?
2006-07-30 11:02:44 · 9 answers · asked by LM 1 in Pets ➔ Dogs
Dogs were originally domesticated as working dogs, not for selfish reasons. Cats were domesticated for religious reasons
2006-08-06 05:14:24 · answer #1 · answered by iceni 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dog remains have been found with the remains of the very earliest of humans. There are different theories as to whether the stone-age humans adopted wolves, or if wolves adopted humans.
The thinking goes something like this.- - - - The stone age people invented flint tipped spears and could easily kill a large animal, once the animal was cornered. They were slow on their feet compared to the other animals. It was inpossible for them to track prey by scent because their noses were too far off the ground standing erect.
Off in the distance, they would hear a pack of wolves chasing large animals like elk. When the barking was coming from one spot they knew that the animal was cornered. They would run over and kill the elk with their long spears, with no danger to themselves.
The wolves were fast runners, and with their noses right down on the ground, they could stay on the trail even when the prey animal was far ahead. The predeator animals have far more stamina, and eventually would catch up when the prey animal was exausted.
Now the problem begins. In bringing a large antlered animal down, often a wolf or two would be badly hurt.
So the humans reasoned that if there was some way to keep the wolves close when meat was needed, it would make hunting far more successful.
On the other hand, the wolves may have reasoned that they can easily find and corner the elk, but killing it is very dangerous.
The answer was to combine forces and share the meat. The question is, did the wolves hang around the entrances of the caves waiting for hand-outs of food. Or did the humans encourage the wolves to join them ?
2006-07-30 18:40:04 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is a difficult situation. I think that we have domesticated cats and dogs for so long that they're adapting to the idea. I think that if you have a cat or a dog that seems to run at the door every time it opens, you should let it out. Most pets will come back, looking for food or affection, but some might not. And if that's what they trully want, that's what they should recieve. As far as whether they're happy living in packs, well, the dogs and cats that we normally invite into our houses are normally solitary creatures anyway. Even if they wanted to live in the wild, they would most likely be living on their own.
2006-07-30 18:09:21 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I can see your point of view, it is valid. But cats are extremely independant creatures, and if they're not happy where they live, they just take off. My cats go outside and come back every night because their needs are met here and they feel secure. As for dogs, as you pointed out, dogs are pack animals. I don't think it matters if their pack mates are canine or human, as long as they have a pack, they feel satisfied. I think dogs thrive on human attention, but you're right, I wouldn't want to be walked around on a leash.
2006-07-30 18:08:46 · answer #4 · answered by CC 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hmm, I'm just guessing, but I bet you've never been out in the wild anywhere. It's not a friendly place and its not easy to survive on your own, even when you're strong and smart and part of a group (group, not civilization).
Becoming domesticated has been a very good survival strategy for any animals that were smart or lucky enough to make themselves useful to us. They are fed and taken care of and given a chance to reproduce.
...and my dog *likes* being on a leash. I normally walk him without one, but sometimes he gets in a particular mood and refuses to come along until I put the leash on him...Then his tail goes up and he swaggers alongside me with a big ole smile on his face. I think its a bit odd, I wouldn't like it, but then I haven't been able to ask him what his motivation is. :)
2006-07-30 18:46:33 · answer #5 · answered by Jess Wundring 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Gitengang is right, this question was like answered a 100,000 years ago and most cats by the way live solitary lives , its only lions who live in a pride.
2006-07-30 19:21:20 · answer #6 · answered by puupyluvtwo 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hmmmmmmm...I DO live with a pack of dogs...We are all very happy....when my dog was lost in the woods for 12 days, he was mighty glad to get back home!
2006-07-30 18:10:04 · answer #7 · answered by Chetco 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What an UTTERLY *SILLY*,AR/peta-nut thing to ask!!!!
They've BEEN domesticated for TENS of THOUSANDS of YEARS!!!
*YOU* would be FOOLISH enough to DUMP em all LOOSE??? WHERE? To do WHAT?? STARVE? Kill each other & OTHER ANIMALS & HUMANS???Die of disease,injury,predation,hunting???
Honey,you are SO off-base & ignorant!!! And,dare I say,warped/brainwashed by AR/peta type PROPAGANDA & outright LIES!!!
btw,cats are SOLITARY!! By CHOICE!!!
2006-07-30 19:02:07 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its too late at this point whatever you believe. They are domesticated and that is not going to change.
2006-07-30 18:33:45 · answer #9 · answered by Cornsilk P 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋