Why are dogs thought of as pets when you do not treat oxen like pets?

Answer

Dogs are domesticated animals. That means they can be trained and disciplined and they can become close to us like children. They get friendly and personable with us. Oxen can't do any of these things. Oxen are only beasts of burden and work.

Answer

Dogs have been bred for thousands of years for characteristics that humans desire, especially concerning their friendliness and affection to people, show quality, loyalty, intelligence, etc. Oxen are bred for characteristics such as strength, size, etc. They have been used by men for thousands of years, but haven't changed a great deal and aren't bred for pet characteristics.

Answer

In some countries dogs are viewed as food animals the same as we view cattle. In other countries cattle are sacred - so it just depends on the culture.

Answer

Another reason might be that it's really, really hard to teach an ox to fetch, roll over, play dead and so on.

- Imo it's worthy of note that my cows are pets. They come up to the fence and eat out of my hand and I can hug the bull and he likes it. Animals become 'petty' if they are treated with kindness and understanding. If the most an ox ever gets is being strapped into a harness and flogged to get it to move, it's hardly going to love the person responsible.

Answer

To treat an animal as pet or as food resource or as a working animal goes in the person and in some degree in the local cultural traditions. The humans may seek companionship (pets), assitance (working animals) or easy to get food (slaughter animals) and it is a person's intention towards the animal what decides the animal's destiny, not any other reason or cause.

First answer by anonymous. Last edit by WikiWand. Contributor trust: 193 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 140 [recommend question]

Can you answer other questions about housepets?