Just to get my blog started somehow, here is a little excerpt from an essay I wrote on the American Dog-Loving Culture...
Dogs, being the most popular companion animals in America, have become an integral part of a typical family’s life in many aspects. About thirty percent of the population claims to be a “pet lover” (Anderson).
Companion animals have become essential to “the new American family.” They are reliable, responsive, available, and reportedly give the kind of unconditional love typically attributed to supreme being. They have become not only our companions, but also our teachers, our children, our confidants, our healers, our friends… (Anderson)
Commercials, television shows, and movies are true representatives of the culture in that when a foreign person watches them, he will probably see many stereotypes but quite accurate ones. For example, just like an American high school party in movies with red cups reflects a typical high school party that everyday high schoolers would attend, dogs sleeping comfortably on the owner’s bed in family shows such as in “Full House” reflect the true American dog culture quite accurately. Not only do dogs dominate family life for many, they have become the norm examples that commercials and advertisements use to sell their products. The bottom line seems to be that dogs have become so common in the American culture that one could honestly say that their dog is a big influence behind a major life decision that he has made. “Suffice it to say, if it is available for you, some entrepreneurs has created a version for your companion animals” (Anderson). In example, one could easily find a pair of clothing for his poodle or Chihuahua, which may seem strange to a foreigner who is not accustomed to seeing such respect for dogs in his native country.
In “Pup Stars,” Amy Gustafson interviews various people, including two that come from cultures that have very distant relationships with dogs. Gustafson makes note of the essential aspects of the dogs and individuals’ relationships such as the similarities, turn-off’s to the owner, and sleeping arrangements. He also notes memorable quotes by the dog owners. “While Tharwat grew to love Oliver and accept him as a member of his family, he also realized that because of his dog, he would alienate some of his friends, make new ones and along the way get a lot of exercise” (Gustafson). Tharwat’s Muslim culture discouraged dogs inside a house, and dogs acting as guards was a much more acceptable idea. Therefore, dinners and get-togethers became less and less prevalent in Tharwat’s life while Oliver became a bigger priority in Tharwat’s daily life for many reasons. “Animals can transform us. They make us feel protected and help us cope with inner turmoil. Sometimes having an animal is the only aspect of our lives that makes us feel human” (Anderson). He joked that his dog is the only one who is actually happy when he arrives home (Gustafson). Science shows that pets in general can improve our lives, even more than the support they provide at any given time (Anderson).
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Surely, Americans must face implications that are results of the dog-loving culture by which America is defined in a way. A recent Yankelovich study for American Deomgraphics adds to the previously mentioned fact about thirty percent of the people who claim to be pet lovers. This study discovered that of all the people surveyed, half of singles relied on their pets for companionship and affection. Also, those people also claimed that they could suffer a loss of a human companion but not that of an animal companion. “People and dogs have been boon companions for thousands of years, but these contemporary kinds of dog love are new” (Katz). Another research found information about a different demographic. A university of Kentucky psychiatrist concluded from his studies that children at very early ages can become deeply attached to their pets. Both do not understand a real language yet they can still communicate, which truly represents a strong intimate connection, making it clear that a beloved companionship exists (Katz 398). “Additionally, it is normal for children in America to be groomed to take an interest in pets, and to learn from them important lessons about life, death, and caring for others…Some of the meanings that are given to dogs and cats are depicted in fanciful media, such as cartoons” (Frigiola 32). However, when a huge percentage of America makes the status of a dog equal to a human being’s status, they change the value of a human being and family. That can greatly affect family life, beyond the effects of the new age in which almost every woman is competing in the workforce. “Sometimes Sam dates, but he’s increasingly inclined to stay home with Namath, who’s more fun to be with than most of his dates, he says. He’s rarely more content than when he and Namath are relaxing on the sofa with a bowl of popcorn, watching ESPN” (Katz 396). In fact, a research shows that sixty-six percent of the respondents would not date someone who disliked their dog (Anderson 21). The respondents look for certain qualities in companions, and apparently they do not differentiate too differently in the way they search for those characteristics whether if in a human or animal. “Our personalities are often reflected in our choices; this is especially true in respect to major life decisions, which applies to selecting a companion animal” (Anderson). Dogs and other companion animals have so much influence over one’s life as to prefer an animal over a human, the family life of Americans is simply in danger of falling completely apart if it has not already fallen somewhat apart.
