Your photo reminds me of a Havanese I spent a lovely two weeks with. Each evening we had a ritual that the dog would lay stretched out along my legs (you can see my toes at the top) and I would brush him and he would fall asleep, so content.
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We do the same thing.
There has been research into this which indicated that “dog people” generally like cats as well, but “cat people” are less likely to like dogs.
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Ohh, bumping on old thread!
I’m a cat person who likes dogs.
Dogs love me, except for the German Shepherd that attacked me when I was 12 (calling my own dog to dinner). I’m grateful that she did not go for my face or jugular.
I love them all!!!
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It’s very difficult for me to pick my favorites-I’d instead say that most all animals that I’ve come in contact with, enjoy my company. I’m always thrilled to be welcomed into their ‘circle’ and never shy away from meeting new pets. Love sleeping with cats, and am happy when dogs decide my lap is where they’d like to take a snooze. If they allow me to groom them, I’m in heaven. There is something so soothing about brushing a cat or dogs fur. The power of touch is another amazing way we can communicate our love for them.
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I love both, but I tend to more frequently sit for cats. Dogs are amazing but they’re just so much more work. I do a lot of sits in the UK and the weather is so ick so much of the year that the thought of having to go out and walk in it multiple times a day is daunting. So I only do dog sits in the UK in summer when chances of not being constantly rained on are higher. When it’s raining all I want is a cozy chair, a cup of tea, and a cat on my lap. lol
I also only sit for larger dogs. I don’t (generally) like small dogs and as a result, I don’t engage with them as much. That’s not fair to any potential dogs I would sit. Better to leave them to people who will dote on them. I also tend to be more likely to do dogs when it’s in a city/country that is very dog friendly so I can take them with me when I’m out and about.
What does this say about our personality if we choose to favor a dog over a cat or vice versa? Does it say anything? As a kid, I loved feeding the stray cats outside of my grandmother’s home. As a kid, I also remember bringing a stray dog home, only to have the owner come the next day to our home and claim the dog which left me feeling sad. Also, as a kid, my family had both dogs and cats and I loved the company of both. I love spending time/taking care of dogs as it allows me to take them on walks and be outside in nature, (which gets me moving/exercise) explore a new area, and meet/connect with other dog walkers. I also enjoy spending time with/taking care of cats as I love watching their curiosity of life outside, whether it is a leaf blowing in the wind or a squirrel climbing a tree. When it comes down to it, I love all animals and detest anyone mean to them.
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Hi @anon49809275 as I read your post, thank you for joining in this really interesting and fun discussion, something came to mind, how you described yourself as a child with animals, that was me.
“stray” dogs taken home (fed and watered with the best there was available in the larder) only to either be picked up by their owners or leave and go home by themselves, I had three of the neighborhood dogs sit and wait for me after school, my parents couldn’t understand where the food was going!
I used to “rescue” any creature I could, especially from our cat, mice in shoe boxes under the bed … and when older I’d cycle a 8 mile round trip at weekends and school vacations to work all day at a riding school where I was surrounded by horses, dogs and stable cats, the reward being an hours free lesson …
Like you and our pet loving community, dog or cat, horse or llama, animals are quite simply my joy …. I believe I was born with a leash in my hand.
Have a wonderful weekend, with a dog or a cat of course 
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Hi @Angela_L I think it is the ‘rescues’ that tug at our heart strings the most. I am sure your cat when you were a kid did not appreciate your ‘rescuing the mice’ from its grasps. 
Were your riding lessons horse riding lessons? That is something that I would learn to love how to do–ride a horse. A few years ago, I took a trip to Jamaica and did a 45-minute horse riding tour (as a true novice) and one of the instructors had to stay with me the entire time. Part of the tour was taking the horses on dirt trails and out into the water on the beach; it was a lot of fun–but I wish I had the independence to do it on my own.
Speaking of leash, meet Lucky…my first time using a leash / harness with a cat. 
The curious wonderment of life outside
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I can identify with so much of this! Admittedly my first “rescue” was a little late. I found a dead mouse in the gutter on the way home from school. I couldn’t leave it there, I felt it deserved a decent burial. So I picked it up and put it in my pocket. By the time I got home I had forgotten it was there, The piercing scream when my mum checked my pockets later reminded me though! She threw it in the bin, but I rescued it again and did eventually bury it.
I also remember feeding an abandoned mother cat and kittens near our house.
The saddest case was when my school put “anti-climb paint” on their roof and porches and all the little birds got stuck in it. My friend and I spent a whole weekend rescuing trapped birds covered in the sticky gloop. Sadly none of them survived. On Monday morning I was gathering signatures in the playground to ban the anti-climb paint. I think they had to remove it fairly quickly.
Other than that I just used to borrow a neighbours dog to take for a walk as often as I could!
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Debbie thank you for sharing, that is so sad about the school paint but good for you … a true animal guardian, you should be so proud. My mother used to scream at the boxes under my bed, I just wanted to save every disadvantage creature I came across and of course my cat wasn’t best pleased, ever. … Our back garden was a rather overcrowded burial ground with tiny “headstones” of every variety, including lollisticks
Yes @anon49809275 horse riding lessons. The best ride I even had was when I was sitting in NZ I did a three hour “Lord Of The Rings” ride out of Queenstown, I’m not a LOR aficionado, I just wanted to ride through the “film set” it was magnificent. Things can look very different from the back of a horse.
I wanted to work with horses or be a vet … I now live vicariously through my daughter and daughter in law, both Veterinary Surgeons and of course I finally got my wish to work with animals through TrustedHousesitters.
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I’m not sure where I got this - could even be this forum. Thought I’d repost as it may give some a laugh.
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I’d say you can love both, if you’re lucky. That’s been true for me and a number of hosts.
I used to think I was more of a dog person, even though I’d previously enjoyed visiting with friends’ cats. But thanks to THS sits, I now adore both.
I’d totally adopt two or three cats without hesitation now if we didn’t already have a rescue dog who’s highly territorial and would make their lives miserable. So I get my cat fix on sits. (My husband stays home with our dog whenever I sit, because he doesn’t love travel like I do.)
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I love them both. Though I do only enjoy certain types of dogs and will only sit for those. Some, I just don’t like, so it’s not fair to sit for them because I know I won’t be as doting, cuddly, etc. with them as I would with others and that’s not fair to them.
I have been getting more cat sits lately. And I truly miss the dog walking. I like the exercise, get out. I am on a cat sit on Lake Ontario right now, trails along the lake. And I love the walk but miss the companionship of a dog. I like when I can let the dog out first thing in the morning in the backyard, but love that it makes me get out and do a long walk. Gets me going. Now, I have had my coffee and fruit, thinking I should do my exercises. But I have so much time on a cat sit. I could go to a winery or see at play but don’t feel like spending $200 on a ticket. I like the schedule a dog sit puts me on.
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Have recently done a couple of sits with extremely affectionate cats. Has made me wish I could have one again.
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I love both equally. My favourite sits are those with dogs and cats. I love to interact with them and really enjoy to watch their interactions and learn about their personalities.
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I love both. Cat sits are easier as cats are so independent You can go out sightseeing and they won’t miss you! But one thing I live about dog sits is the walking. I get to go on lovely walks, discovering new areas and i have a great excuse!
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