Correlation between affinity for animals and quality of partner?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think dogs are gross, time-consuming, overly-demanding, and annoying. I adore kids, even kids who aren't my own, and if you're an adult you have to do something pretty bad to me for me to be unkind to you.

I'm sure a lot of people feel about my kids the way I feel about their dogs. And that's okay! To each their own, as long as we are being courteous.

This is not about what you think
How well would you treat a dog? I find some adults very annoying and overly- demanding( even some of my relatives). But they would agree that I treat them very well.

OP said "affinity" in title, so I was responding based on that. But how well I treat dogs is hard to answer because I'm not responsible for a dog. If I was, I would probably treat the dog poorly. I wouldn't kick him but I'd be a terrible dog mom, which is why I refuse to get a dog. As a non-dog owner, I just avoid them (in a way that I think would be mean to people, but I don't think it's mean to a dog, because, well, it's a dog).

Sorry, you are right. I went back and read her post.

I would treat a dog in my care well, but I am scared of dogs and cats. I almost ran into a car running away from a neighbor's cat 2 weeks ago. But I will treat them very well if I was responsible for them. I would absolutely not allow them in my bed, and I would carry them in a weird manner since I am afraid, but I would be loving and kind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't find a correlation. Though I'm sure people who are cruel to animals have mental illness.

I had a boyfriend who loved dogs, but he would've been a crummy life partner.
Current DH does not like animals but has treated me the best out of all my boyfriends and is loyal to the extreme.

Why doesn't he like animals?

Who doesn't like a little baby panda bear? A little puppy? A little kitten?

[Anonymous]

There are levels, and the different levels probably say different things. For example, there is a decent gap between "fawning" and being actively friendly. And there's a gap between indifferent and actively mean.

The guys who are generally kind to their dogs but insist on perfect obedience are going to be different from the ones who sees a dog as his buddy rather than his subordinate.

Just off the top of my head.

For my part, I'm actively friendly but don't fawn and I don't insist on obedience. I have a hard time passing a dog without giving him or her a little scratch behind the ears. Which tracks in my relationship, because I frequently give my wife drive-by back scratches which she seems to like.

[Anonymous]

OP, I think your assumption is stupid, for several reasons.

1) Lots of people who are nice to dogs are faking it, because it's easier than dealing with the judgment of people who think dogs are just so super important.

2) Being nice to a dog for 30 seconds isn't really that hard. Anyone can fake it, and they do (see above).

3) If someone isn't attentive to a dog, maybe it's because the dog smells bad, is unclean, is jumping or sniffing crotches, or stealing food, or drools on people's pants, or their owner is one of those annoying people who thinks their dog is so great that everyone should care about it. There are lots of reasons to avoid dogs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There was a thread that mentioned dogs and it reminded me that I was pondering this question: "Have you noticed whether there is a correlation between how well a guy treats dogs and how good of a partner they are generally?" How guys treat dogs was my original question, but I suppose I'd be curious whether there is any difference as between genders, and maybe it's not just dogs, but any animal.

My thought is that guys who are reflexively nice to dogs are probably more likely to be kind, empathetic partners. And, guys who ignore, avoid, or just don't like dogs are probably more likely to not have those qualities. But, my sample size is pretty darn small, so this is just a guess.

Neither of us are pet people but I think we're both quality people.

[Anonymous]

Some cultures don't think dogs are clean. Other cultures believe that dogs and other animals are "spirit animals" on the same level as humans. I tend to be more like the "spirit animal" people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some cultures don't think dogs are clean. Other cultures believe that dogs and other animals are "spirit animals" on the same level as humans. I tend to be more like the "spirit animal" people.

Some dogs are really not clean. That is why dog wash services exist.

[Anonymous]

OMG NO. I have a family member who can't maintain relationships with people, but who loves dogs. Why? Dogs don't ask for anything but basic needs to be met. There is no emotional complexity to battle. They adore their owners as long as they are cared for. People are MUCH more complicated. This woman has stopped speaking to most of her relatives and barely has friends. But she's a big time dog lover!

[Anonymous]

I was totally neutral on dogs, until everyone started bringing them to places they clearly don’t belong, like dining establishments. And then once I got bit, unprovoked, by a neighbor’s aggressive dog, I really hated them. I’m a lovely partner and friend, but man, do I dislike dogs and the teeny tiny women and lazy men who can’t handle them.

I don’t think there’s a correlation at all. YMMV.

[Anonymous]

Nope. Not in my experience. My husband doesn’t like dogs (he’s still nice to them when we encounter them…I mean he would never be mean to an animal, will pet a dog or ask someone about their dog to be nice) and he is a wonderful person—very thoughtful, kind, loving, generous, has no mean bone in his body just isn’t an animal person.

My neighbor loves dogs and cats and from what I can tell is a great pet owner very sweet w his pets but he is a huge jerk to humans. Very inconsiderate and rude and mean spirited, even toward kids. I’ve seen so many inconsiderate and rude pet owners throughout my life that I think there’s little to no correlation between affinity for animals and positive personality traits toward other people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't find a correlation. Though I'm sure people who are cruel to animals have mental illness.

I had a boyfriend who loved dogs, but he would've been a crummy life partner.
Current DH does not like animals but has treated me the best out of all my boyfriends and is loyal to the extreme.

Why doesn't he like animals?

Who doesn't like a little baby panda bear? A little puppy? A little kitten?

DP but You can think aww what a cute animal without wanting to have one as a pet or wanting to be in charge of caring for one or wanting to spend a lot of time around one. I see a cute puppy or kitten and think “so cute!” and then move on w my day. Just because they are cute doesnt mean I want to be picking up their sh*t, spending $$$ on vet bills, finding someone to care for them while I’m out of town, etc for the next 15 years.

[Anonymous]

I find a lot of this discussion a little overdone, and I think the commenters who consider how you were raised or to what you are accustomed to be the most accurate. For example, my husband wasn't raised with dogs. He also has a fairly real view that taking pets is a disservice to the pet's ability to be a being with freedom in the world. You deprive a being of freedom in the natural world for your own joy. He also points out that for those of us in the modern, consumer driven world, who drive cars, and pave roads, and frequent strip malls, and eat meat, and pollute, and buy stuff at stores, etc, you are harming very many animals. So, he doesn't really want to be in charge of a dog, and thinks dogs should live on farms if they will be pets at all, with owners who interact with them all day in the fields (think shepherd and sheep dog), otherwise they can remain wild in Africa. And he thinks terminating the freedom of animals as an industry (pet industry) is not a moral good.

Anyway, he is a very lovely person. He just didn't grow up with a big smelly slobbery annoying crapping dog, and has no interest in devoting his time to one. He's not at all mean to them. He feels badly for their lot in life, and wishes to not exacerbate the whole pet-having situation in humanity. He wishes them freedom, and he is a great husband, and very warm and kind to everyone, and while he doesn't really "Relate" to other people's dogs, he truly feels for them.

[Anonymous]

My husband is an amazing person and dad and doesn’t really care for dogs, although a couple of them have been able to get under his skin over the years. I love dogs. I don’t think I’m in any way morally superior to DH. We do have different energy, though, I am a morning person eager to go running any time I can and he is much more of a home body.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find a lot of this discussion a little overdone, and I think the commenters who consider how you were raised or to what you are accustomed to be the most accurate. For example, my husband wasn't raised with dogs. He also has a fairly real view that taking pets is a disservice to the pet's ability to be a being with freedom in the world. You deprive a being of freedom in the natural world for your own joy. He also points out that for those of us in the modern, consumer driven world, who drive cars, and pave roads, and frequent strip malls, and eat meat, and pollute, and buy stuff at stores, etc, you are harming very many animals. So, he doesn't really want to be in charge of a dog, and thinks dogs should live on farms if they will be pets at all, with owners who interact with them all day in the fields (think shepherd and sheep dog), otherwise they can remain wild in Africa. And he thinks terminating the freedom of animals as an industry (pet industry) is not a moral good.

Anyway, he is a very lovely person. He just didn't grow up with a big smelly slobbery annoying crapping dog, and has no interest in devoting his time to one. He's not at all mean to them. He feels badly for their lot in life, and wishes to not exacerbate the whole pet-having situation in humanity. He wishes them freedom, and he is a great husband, and very warm and kind to everyone, and while he doesn't really "Relate" to other people's dogs, he truly feels for them.

Talk about “overdone” but I do actually agree w your husband’s point of view. I just think your description of it is a bit much

[Anonymous]

People who prefer dogs over people tend to be people that cannot handle discussion or criticism IMO. Liking animals is always a positive, however that type of appreciation can come in many different ways. I prefer people who like both animals and people and have maturity to get along well with people as an adult and care for a pet as well.