By Wang Zhuoqiong (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-09-21 07:52

Man's best friend? More like family, actually

Wang An'an has his photograph everywhere - on her work desk, her MSN account, her car and her family album.

She rushes back from work every day to have dinner with him.

Dinner over, they sit side-by-side watching television or go out for a walk in the garden.

She calls him "Sunday" lovingly because she met him for the first time on a bright Sunday in May.

"He is a very important part of my life and my family," says Wang.

The 26-year-old holds a bachelor's degree and works as an advertising agent, earning about 4,000 yuan ($520) a month.

Sunday has brown hair and dark eyes, and is a one-year-old Chow Chow, or Songshi Quan.

Wang may not fit the profile of a typical dog owner, but she shares a common positive attitude with Beijing's residents toward man's best friend, shows a survey conducted by Renmin University of China.

The three-month survey covered 1,050 people - 357 dog owners and 693 who don't have a dog. About 40 percent of the interviewees were from nuclear families, 23 percent from extended ones and about 6 percent were single.

Seven out of every 10 dog owners are men. Most dog owners are high school graduates, aged between 40 and 50 years, and earn 1,000 and 3,000 yuan ($130 and $390) a month.

Moreover, the majority of the dog owners are retired and live in houses ranging from 50 to 80 square meters.

Fourteen-year-old Keke is the sixth member of Yang Chuanhua's family. She is the apple of every family member's eye. She barks to draw attention when the telephone rings or when the washing machine starts leaking.

"My mother-in-law is more than 80 years old. Keke helps her with many things," says Yang, 61, a senior editor with a Beijing publishing house.

Yang's family is among those who have a dog because it induces a sense of affection, companionship and spiritual relaxation, says the survey. About 50 percent of dog owners consider their pets an indispensable member of the family, 42 percent just as a pet and about 4.8 percent as a doorkeeper.

"There is a fine line between pet owners and non-owners," says Wang. Most of the dog owners think their pets help them in more ways than one. About 30 percent of the interviewees think having a dog helps build a sense of responsibility and 35 percent believe it cultivates a sense of love and care.

Since Wang is an only child, she was spoiled and absorbed with herself, she says. But having a dog transformed her into a new person - one who is more caring and sympathetic to others. "Dogs and cats can purify one's heart," she says. "My dog has made me a person with responsibility and sympathy."

But some dog owners' love for their pets is offset by the trouble of raising one.

Tang Yagang has raised dogs since his childhood. Since he grew up in the countryside, dogs have always been his family guard and playmates. Now as a postgraduate student in Beijing, he says raising two dogs is both a bitter and sweet experience.

"For me, having a dog means a huge responsibility. It brings more trouble than happiness. But at the end of the day, you gain patience, which helps you at work and among friends."

Taking daily care of dogs is not as troublesome as disputes with neighbors or passers-by that arise because of some irresponsible owners who do not train or discipline their dogs.

Seventy percent of the interviewees hadn't had dog-related disputes with neighbors or other people. But the rest had been through that experience with owners sometimes because their pets either attacked or frightened people, or irritated them with their constant barking at odd hours.

About 25 percent of the people who don't own dogs think raising them has no positive effect. And their attitude toward dog ownership hurts not only dogs, but also their owners.

Tang says some of his neighbors looked at his dog as if they were seeing a beast, as if the very next moment it would bite them. "These people run as if their life is at stake. That hurt me sometimes."

Tang's neighbors certainly didn't follow the saying "Love me, love my dog". Instead it used to be just the opposite. One of his neighbors hated dogs so much that he used to beat them at every single opportunity.

To avoid such hassles, Tang moved to a big house with a courtyard near the Fifth Ring Road. "Now I can walk my dogs wherever and whenever I want," he says.

The survey shows dog owners and non-owners in Beijing agree on the responsibilities of a person who has a dog. Relations between the two can improve if owners clean their pets' dejecta.

"My mom and I both always walk our dog with its leash on and carry a plastic bag to pick up its waste," says Wang. They also know it's not proper to take the elevator with their dog when another person is in it.

Teaching dogs good habits is vital, too, Tang says. The government should educate dog owners and non-owners alike on public responsibility.

What about the money spent on raising dogs? It depends, according to Tang. Expenses could be manyfold but often polarized.

About 30 percent of the interviewees spent 50 to 100 yuan a month on their dogs. The expenses include food, health checks and hairdressing. But the expenses can go up to 800 yuan a month.

Dog owners say medical bills are the costliest. Wang and Yang both have taken their dogs to pet hospitals thrice for surgery. The total expense on each pet was as high as 3,000 yuan.

That may be a big financial setback but they consider it a necessary expenditure. "Compared to the joy and happiness a dog gives us, the amount is small."

      1   2     

      1   2