Why is it that you can’t have a dog without a double?
Why is it that you can’t have a dog without a double?
The saying “Raise a dog, not a pair” originates from a rather superstitious traditional concept. In Chinese characters, “犬” (dog) and “哭” (cry) have a similar partial structure, and the juxtaposition of two “dogs” easily evokes the imagery of “crying”. The juxtaposition of the two characters “犬” and “”(“犬”), which are similar in structure, tends to remind people of the image of “crying”. Therefore, some people believe that having two dogs at the same time is bad luck. There is no scientific basis for this belief, but in reality, keeping two dogs at the same time will also bring some troubles and burdens to the pet owners, such as the increase in the cost of ownership, the increase in the difficulty of walking the dogs, the problem of reproduction of the dogs as well as the problem of getting along with each other, and so on. Therefore, when deciding whether or not to keep two dogs, the key lies in evaluating the actual conditions of the individual and the family, including financial ability, living environment, time commitment, and whether or not one has the mental preparation and skills to deal with the problems that may be encountered in a multi-pet household.
Dogs are the most loyal friends of mankind, they give us a lot of companionship and joy in our daily life. However, I don’t know if you’ve ever heard the old generation say, “Raise a dog, don’t raise a pair”, what is the meaning of this saying? Today, Dr. Oxygen Pet is here to reveal the secret!
I. What does it mean to have a dog without a double?
The saying “Raise a dog, not a pair” originates from a rather superstitious traditional concept. In Chinese characters, “犬” (dog) and “哭” (cry) have a similar partial structure, and the juxtaposition of two “dogs” easily evokes the imagery of “crying”. The juxtaposition of the two characters “犬” and “”(“犬”), which are similar in structure, tends to remind people of the image of “crying”. As a result, some people believe that having two dogs in the home at the same time brings misfortune or disharmony, signaling the possibility of quarrels, tears and other negative emotions in the family.
Such associations are entirely based on textual morphological coincidences and have no substantial scientific basis. Therefore, as materialistic young people who have received years of compulsory education, one can not pay too much attention to these claims.
However, in conjunction with the reality, owning a pair of dogs does bring some troubles or burdens to our life, so we should also consider it first.
Second, what are the problems of having two dogs at the same time?
1. Increase in feeding costs
Dogs are big eaters, and having two dogs at the same time means that the owner needs to prepare two portions of dog food. And in addition to food, daily necessities such as leashes, toys, crates, food bowls, etc. have to be bought in extra portions, which may be a considerable burden for some pet owners. In addition, if one dog is infected with parasites or contagious diseases, it may also spread to the other, which doubles the cost of the treatment needed.
2. Breeding problems of dogs
If you have both a male and a female dog at the same time, pet owners need to be careful to neuter their dogs in a timely manner, or else they may breed and breed frequently, creating more of a breeding burden.
3. Increased time costs
Dogs are more energetic and need to go out for daily walks and play, and walking two dogs at the same time can be difficult, especially for girls with less stamina who may not be able to accomplish this challenge.
4. The chances of home demolition become greater
Dogs have the habit of imitating each other, and if one dog exhibits housebreaking behavior, then the other dog may go on to imitate it, so items such as sofas, curtains, tissues and carpets in the house, may suffer.
5. Dogs get along with each other
Although two dogs can keep each other company and reduce their loneliness, some dogs are more territorial, so they may also fight, bark, and other undesirable behaviors due to issues such as competition for territory, food, or attention from their owners, requiring pet owners to patiently socialize their dogs.
To sum up, the saying “keep a dog but not two” carries more of the superstitious coloring of traditional culture than a scientific guiding principle. In deciding whether or not to keep two dogs, the key lies in evaluating the actual conditions of the individual and the family, including financial ability, living environment, time commitment, as well as whether one is psychologically prepared and has the skills to deal with the problems that may be encountered in a multi-pet household.