David Honig wrote:
At 09:51 AM 9/26/01 -0700, Tim May wrote:
The point being, dogs are usually either so vicious they are chained or locked-up, or are docile enough to just wag their tails when the nice men in the FBI suits approach.
I've been training dogs for at least 35 years (not counting when I was a kid) and it's pretty easy to have a dog that is both a good house pet, wonderful with kids, and totally alert, totally on guard at all times. Depends what you start with. I suggest Airedales as being willing to fight bears and lions (they are used for that regualarly) and also being great family dogs, albeit needing a _very_ firm hand and _lots_ of exercise. Best have two, then they wear each other out, and provide twice as much security. Pair them with a mellow dog like a Lab and they will drive it crazy.
My cat agrees that dogs are in general useless noisy and annoying but consider how useful they are in secure installations (jails, mil bases, gulags, etc.)
My cats ( all 5) love dogs. My dogs love cats.
For physical security and alarms, dogs are pretty good.
They never really sleep, and don't quit when the power goes out.
Anyway, my cats would probably not like a dog around.
Mine love my dogs - some (actually most) of my cats are feral cats who first made friends with my dogs, then slowly allowed me to approach.
Nor would I.
What can I say? Except I can't imagine life without a dog. Or two, or preferably 5 or so.
(Dogs
are fine, but they take a lot of care and they interfere with trips away from home.)
hmm. well, why don't they go along? or why not cultivate a trusted someone who can feed the dogs?
Dogs are drunk football players.
Hardly.
Cats are considered *public good* and allowed to roam freely,
Hardly. Here, you get a $300 fine for feeding outside cats, $165 for allowing a cat to roam.
Cats also reduce the incidence of allergies (by altering immunoglobin levels differently from other antigens like mites) among children living with them (as reported in _Science_). And of course they have hackernature.
Well, that's the first thing you've said in this vein I agree with. Cats (and dogs) know one fuck of a lot more about you then you know about them. Speak kindly to them. We keep a bin feeder on the porch for cats, just like we keep a bird feeder in the back yard. Don't betray them. Oh, and btw -- cats can also be great watchcats. I have a cat who absolutely freaks when strangers come -- hides away where I can't even find him. If I come home and he's in hiding, then I know. -- Harmon Seaver, MLIS CyberShamanix Work 920-203-9633 Home 920-233-5820 hseaver@cybershamanix.com http://www.cybershamanix.com/resume.html