Purdue University states that “The Human-Animal bond is the dynamic relationship between people and animals in that each influences the psychological or physiological state of the other” (“Center”). The Human-Animal bond is essential to the well-being of society. Animals can affect people in many different ways, specifically by providing companionship. This bond has existed for thousands of years, though people’s relationship with animals is much different today than it was in the past. The main reason that the relationship has changed is the concept of owning pets, which is relatively new (Reinisch). The concept of pet ownership has changed the way people see animals because instead of thinking of animals as …show more content…
Because of domestication dogs are able to learn what their owner’s preferences and inclinations are. Dogs can also learn to tell what their owner’s mood is from their voice. Dogs can be trained because they are able to understand verbal and physical commands (Bradshaw). These capabilities are part of why people love dogs and bond with them so easily.
One factor in the bond between a human and their dog is the time they spend together. The more time spent together, the stronger their attachment will be. Also, pleasant physical contact like feeding and playing strengthens their bond. While these factors can strengthen the bond between a dog and their owner, punishment and negative interactions can weaken the bond between a dog and their owner (Estep).
In order for an owner and their cat to have a good relationship they have to have compatible personalities, mutual attraction, an ease of interaction, play, affection, and social support (Viegas). Cats have the ability to remember when their owner complies with their wishes and when their owner is nice to them, so the more a cat’s owner complies with their wishes and the nicer an owner is to their cat, the more their cat will comply with their owner’s wishes (Viegas). This ability shows how similar an animal’s relationship with its owner is to the relationship between two