Deb D’Andrea, Nederland.  Throughout my life I’ve been fortunate to have so many great creatures by my side, mostly dogs and cats, with the occasional horse, bird, fish, spider or snake joining me on my life journey. People think I’m a dog person basically because most people here have only known me since I’ve had my three dogs; but cats have also been by my side, with Whiskers being my childhood cat.

I guess one reason I have a tendency to gravitate more towards dogs now in this stage of my life is because of the work I do, house sitting and caring for other pets; and I like to travel with my fur kids. I’ve found it’s easier to travel with dogs, as from my experience, cats prefer and are more comfortable hanging out at home or within their territory. Granted my last two cats Puff and Merlyn loved riding on the dash of my car and going for a drive.

I’ve had several friends who like to travel train their cats to walk on lead so they can take them along. This training process can offer hours of entertainment as cats definitely do not accept the whole halter / leash experience as willingly as dogs do, but if you want to travel with your cat, it’s a necessity.

All my dogs have been and are leash trained, for several reasons; including to make traveling so much easier. Of course, having a dog or cat leash trained comes in very handy in cases of emergency when everyone has to load up quickly and getting to the crate isn’t an option.

While all the cats in my life have been huge cuddles and loves, the dogs in my life have always shared a pillow with me, or for that matter, practically kicked me off the bed. Dogs and cats have different ways of sharing their affection, with the majority of dogs doing back flips when their person comes home versus most cats who may give you a tail flip. My Girls are always thrilled to see me return home, it’s really like a surprise birthday party filled with tail wags, kisses and hugs before running outside to take care of business.

Of course, dogs aren’t for everyone. They demand more attention, playtime, walks, training and overall responsibility, similar to that of a child. There are some breeds that are content to just hang out all day, while others demand constant attention and exercise. My Girls love to go for walks, sniffing who’s been in the neighborhood and meeting friends along the way. So, while I do enjoy the company of cats; at this stage in my life, dogs are the ones by my side.

Till next time. Deb D’Andrea, founder of 4TheLuvOfDogz, provides mobile Canine Massage, Canine Agility and Petz Nanny Services for dogs, cats, birds, fish, horses, and other critters. 4TheLuvOfDogz home-made dog treats and K9Birthday Cakes are available direct. Contact Deb at 720-675-7078 or email at info@4theluvofdogz.com for more information.