It’s simple: dogs are better than cats. There are so many reasons this is true. For starters, dogs are better than cats because they’re much friendlier. Dogs are happy to see you when you get home, but cats only want you home so that you can feed them and clean their litter box. 

Dogs also teach responsibility better than cats. Dogs rely on people more than cats do. They need to be bathed, taken outside and groomed. Cats can bathe and groom themselves; they don’t need you. Cats also don’t need to go outside because they don’t need as much exercise. If you have a dog then you know that they teach great responsibility which is a skill you can use later on in life. 

While there is more work that goes with raising a dog, this means you can get closer to your dog than you can with a cat. You can create a sentimental bond with a dog that you couldn’t have as well with a cat. Cats don’t need you as much so they won’t associate with you as much. Sure, they’ll want to be pet every now and again, but that’s about it. If they don’t want to associate with you, you don’t want to associate with them, making your sentimental value towards them less. 

Also, dogs are more useful. Have you ever heard of a drug sniffing cat? Or a military cat? They’re so much more difficult to train because of how stubborn they are.

Dogs also come in many more varieties. While there are 71 standardized breeds of cats, they don’t vary as much as dogs do. Cats biggest difference between breeds is their color, but dogs have so many more traits that make them different. First of all, there’s a big difference in variety; according to Psychology Today there are 339 dog breeds, which means there are a lot of differences. Dogs are bred for different things, some are bred for fighting, others hunting, some for tricks and so much more. Dogs range in size, color and personality. So there really is a dog for everyone. Live in a small house and don’t have a lot of space? A chihuahua sounds like the dog for you. Live on a big open area and enjoy rabbit hunting? Sounds like you need a blue creek beagle. Have a lot of kids running around and you need a dog that is gentle? You should get a Newfoundland. 

These are just a few of the reasons why you should have a dog. If you really want a cat, go for it. Enjoy spending your life slaving away preparing meals for a picky eater and cleaning up feces. But if you’d like, you could get a dog. They’re fun, energetic and bring memories for the rest of your life.