The Story...
Make an attempt to take time out alone away from pets for
just one quiet day.

Mike Dippel

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The Story...
Make an attempt to take time out alone away from pets for just one
quiet day.

Hah! And why exactly would I do that?

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On 24 Apr 2026, Shurato said the following...

The Story...
Make an attempt to take time out alone away from pets for just one quiet day.

Hah! And why exactly would I do that?

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Great question! We own 2 birds: a cockatiel and a parakeet. The parakeet is generally very quiet and never a pest.

The cockatiel definitely has his moments. Generally he will quiet when covered. On the rare occasion that he continues the incessant squawking, we actually move his cage outdoors. The neighbors don't mind; I live in a 55+ community and the ones on either side of me are deaf <g>.

Mike Dippel
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The Story...
Make an attempt to take time out alone away from pets for just one
quiet day.

Hah! And why exactly would I do that?

I suspect it is akin to parents needing time away from the children. If your pets are not particularly needy, it might not be as much of an issue.


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* In a message originally to SHURATO, Mike Powell said:

The Story... Make an attempt to take time out alone away from pets for just one quiet day.

Hah! And why exactly would I do that?

I suspect it is akin to parents needing time away from the children. If your pets are not particularly needy, it might not be as much of an
issue.

And my calico Lulu has no demands at all. She won't even ask for food.

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Re: Pet Owners Independence D
By: Mike Powell to SHURATO on Sat Apr 25 2026 10:24 am

I suspect it is akin to parents needing time away from the children. If your pets are not particularly needy, it might not be as much of an issue.

I dunno. Pets are usually not bothersome. Children tend to be awful to deal with until they are 9 year old or so unless properly managed (and most these days aren't).

Horses are more or less self-sustainable. They love it when you pay attention to them but they are not going to break down if you are not around. If you are doing barn chores around your horse she might ask you for pats and play but my experience is she is not going to be bothersome about it.

Dogs are more of a mixed bag. Puppies want to play all day long. When they grow up a bit they tone down but they will always require some interaction from you because if they don't get their daily reminder that you love them they lose their minds. That said, 75% of the time you can just have your adult dogs lay at your feet with a toy while you work at the computer and that does it for them.

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I suspect it is akin to parents needing time away from the children. If your pets are not particularly needy, it might not be as much of an issue.

I dunno. Pets are usually not bothersome. Children tend to be awful to deal with until they are 9 year old or so unless properly managed (and most these days aren't).

I suspect that it is pets that people overspoil... especially dogs... that
can become bothersome. Cats less so, and things like turtles, fish, etc.,
not really at all.

Horses are more or less self-sustainable. They love it when you pay attention to them but they are not going to break down if you are not around. If you are
doing barn chores around your horse she might ask you for pats and play but my
experience is she is not going to be bothersome about it.

Most outdoors animals are not going to be too bothersome, either. They are more independent.


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I suspect that it is pets that people overspoil... especially dogs... that

>can become bothersome. Cats less so, and things like turtles, fish, etc.,
>not really at all.

Little dogs mainly get spoiled. Bigger dogs usually less so. They want
to keep you company but they usually stay out of the way.

People who have never owned cats usually don't know cats. I've had a
few and some were the expected elite self absorbed tyoe tht do what
they want but others have been very affectionate and do what you
tell them to like a dog so you never know, but I don't think that
is something that can be taught. It's the cat's basic personality.

Just as a fun fact Re: fish and such, I used to have an aquarium
on a table beside my bed and if I slept in, they would splash
water on me until I woke up and fed them. These were fancy double
tailed show goldfish and maybe a little smarter than the average
but it was a bit of a surprise.. and others in the house saw them
purposely do this so it wasn't just my imagination.. B)

A >> Horses are more or less self-sustainable. They love it when you pay attenti
>> to them but they are not going to break down if you are not around. If you
>> doing barn chores around your horse she might ask you for pats and play but
>> experience is she is not going to be bothersome about it.

My sister owned and bred horses for years and I spent some time
around them but not that much. My experience was not that they
are affectionate and want attention.. more like if you get too
close to them they bite you.. B)
I figured the only reason they paid attention and whickered at
my sister when she entered the barn was because they wanted to
get fed..

But, not they weren't my horses, and I didn't ride them so I
probably didn't know much about what they were really like.

Most outdoors animals are not going to be too bothersome, either.

>They are more independent.

That may also depend on whether they have others around them
or have only contact with their main human so would maybe be
more likely to look for attention.

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Just as a fun fact Re: fish and such, I used to have an aquarium
on a table beside my bed and if I slept in, they would splash
water on me until I woke up and fed them. These were fancy double
tailed show goldfish and maybe a little smarter than the average
but it was a bit of a surprise.. and others in the house saw them
purposely do this so it wasn't just my imagination.. B)

I have never owned fish but over the years I have known many that did and I have spent time around them. Some of the seem oblivious to anything going
on outside the tank, but there are others who watch (and seem to follow)
the people who are outside the tank.

I am not surprised that some of them learn your habits and how to interact somewhat. ;)

Mike


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Just as a fun fact Re: fish and such, I used to have an aquarium

>> on a table beside my bed and if I slept in, they would splash
>> water on me until I woke up and fed them.

I have never owned fish but over the years I have known many that did and I

>have spent time around them. Some of the seem oblivious to anything going
>on outside the tank, but there are others who watch (and seem to follow)
>the people who are outside the tank.

Yes, some claim that Goldfish in a little fish bowl don't get bored
because after the circle the bowl they have forgotten what they
saw the first time around so it's all new to them..

But you can ask most fishermen (fisherpersons?) and many will tell
you that fish that nearly get caught, or get caught and released,
often learn from the experience and are not so easy to catch the
next time around. (Not around the bowl..) B)

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Re: Pet Owners Independence D
By: Rob Mccart to MIKE POWELL on Sun May 03 2026 09:00 am

Little dogs mainly get spoiled. Bigger dogs usually less so. They want
to keep you company but they usually stay out of the way.

I think that happens is that when a little dog causes trouble, somebody will pick him up and save him from the trouble he created. When a small dog angers a big dog the owner is going to pick the small dog up and so the small dog learns he can get away with anything.

Your Rottweiler never learns you are going to pick him up and hold him in your arms if he angers a draft horse.

People who have never owned cats usually don't know cats. I've had a
few and some were the expected elite self absorbed tyoe tht do what
they want but others have been very affectionate and do what you
tell them to like a dog so you never know, but I don't think that
is something that can be taught. It's the cat's basic personality.

I used to have cats and my experience is they regard you as food expending machines at best. Many never get to trust you and many you can't trust. I keep hearing stories about cats that are more affectionate but I have never witnessed them.

My sister owned and bred horses for years and I spent some time
around them but not that much. My experience was not that they
are affectionate and want attention.. more like if you get too
close to them they bite you.. B)
I figured the only reason they paid attention and whickered at
my sister when she entered the barn was because they wanted to
get fed..

But, not they weren't my horses, and I didn't ride them so I
probably didn't know much about what they were really like.

The thing with horses is that they often show their affection in brutal ways and are therefore taught not to do it. If you observe horses in nature you will notice they often scratch each other with their teeth, for example. Most people don't want their horses to bite them all over, so they train them out of it. Horses will also breath into your face and expect you to breath into theirs unless they learn that is not how humans say "hello".

For reference, I don't train these behaviors out of my horses, and I have had bystanders get scared and believe I was being attacked when my favourite mare was getting very intense with the cuddling.

That said, horses are definitively not like dogs and aren't going to love you just because. It is definitively possible to do everything right and get her trust but that does not mean she is going to necessarily love you.

That may also depend on whether they have others around them
or have only contact with their main human so would maybe be
more likely to look for attention.

My favourite mare was bred for slaughter and lived all her childhood with her herd. The guy in charge showed up every now and then but it is not like he was paying that much attention to him. The male in the herd was extremely protective of the foals and you could tell he enjoyed their company. When the foals were pestering the other adults for play he would step in and play with them a bit so they left the others alone.

I would show every week around there and pet this little filly but she definitively didn't grow with much human attention. Now she lives in my barn with another mare and you can tell she enjoys human company greatly anyway.


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Little dogs mainly get spoiled. Bigger dogs usually less so. They want

> > to keep you company but they usually stay out of the way.

I think that happens is that when a little dog causes trouble, somebody will

>k him up and save him from the trouble he created. When a small dog angers a
> dog the owner is going to pick the small dog up and so the small dog learns
>can get away with anything.

Probably true, and people are less likely to get angry at smaller dogs,
sort of thinking of them as helpless little things compared to bigger dogs.

People who have never owned cats usually don't know cats. I've had a

> > few and some were the expected elite self absorbed tyoe tht do what
> > they want but others have been very affectionate and do what you
> > tell them to like a dog so you never know, but I don't think that
> > is something that can be taught. It's the cat's basic personality.

I used to have cats and my experience is they regard you as food expending ma

>nes at best. Many never get to trust you and many you can't trust. I keep hea
>g stories about cats that are more affectionate but I have never witnessed th

I found that certain breeds are far worse than others. Siamese cats
are notorious for not liking people, other than maybe one member in
a family. Gotten at the same time and raised the same I had a Blue
Burmese cat and a 'pure' Tabby.. People think of any cat with some
tiger stripes as a Tabby, but there are bred lines of them with
very specific markings mostly in Briton I think.

Anyways, the Burmese was stuck up and didn't want much to do with
people and ran off one day, probably to someone who fed her better
where the other one loved being around people, cried to be picked
up and wanted to lay on your lap if you were reading or watching TV
and would come when called, even if it didn't really want to..

The thing with horses is that they often show their affection in brutal ways

> are therefore taught not to do it. If you observe horses in nature you will
>ice they often scratch each other with their teeth, for example. Most people
>'t want their horses to bite them all over, so they train them out of it. Hor
> will also breath into your face and expect you to breath into theirs unless
>y learn that is not how humans say "hello".

Yes, although we lived in the country, we only had a couple of acres
and at times two horses, always one, but they were my sister's and
not of much interest to me so I wouldn't have seen the details that
you would see being with them so much..

My favourite mare was bred for slaughter and lived all her childhood

>with her herd.

I don't think we do that in Canada/North America - breed horses for
slaughter. They are mostly either for pleasure riding or racing. If
you mean slaughter for eating, few, if any, here would eat horse meat.

I would show every week around there and pet this little filly but she

>definitively didn't grow with much human attention. Now she lives in my
>barn with another mare and you can tell she enjoys human company greatly
>anyway.

It's good that you are looking after her.. B)

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