David Gonzalez
LV Life Editor
The debate over whether dogs or cats are the better companion for people has gone on for ages, and students at the University of La Verne have strong opinions on the subject.
In an informal survey of 12 students, support for dogs over cats was overwhelming with 11 students preferring dogs over cats.
“Dogs are a man’s best friends,” said Bernice Jimenez, sophomore biology major. “Every time I go home, my dog attacks me with love.”
People who own dogs or prefer dogs over cats are more likely to form friendships, are more agreeable and tend to engage in more outdoor physical activity than those who own or prefer cats, according to the 2018 General Social Survey conducted by the NORC research center at the University of Chicago.
Every person who preferred dogs said that a dog’s affinity for play was a big factor in why they preferred dogs over cats.
Seth Rodriguez, freshman biology major, said that he prefers dogs because they are more active and engaging.
“Dogs are more willing to go outside and play than cats are,” Rodriguez said.
Brooke Aguirre, sophomore kinesiology major, said that she prefers dogs because cats are mean.
“Dogs are just more energized and fun-loving than cats are,” Aguirre said. “Cats are just mean.”
Unlike Aguirre, Rodriguez and Jimenez, sophomore kinesiology major Ricardo McGary prefers cats over dogs.
“I’ve always been around cats growing up and they are a lot more independent than dogs, which I like,” McGary said.
The General Social Survey also found that dog owners tend to be more extroverted than cat owners, who are more introverted.
McGary said that while he has introverted and extroverted qualities, he is more introverted and likes his alone time.
While the trend regarding cat owners was true for McGary, the dog people in the informal survey were mixed with five saying they consider themselves introverted, three calling themselves extroverts and three ambiverts.
“I’m more introverted because I’m more independent and like to do my own thing,” Rodriguez said.
The last quality that dog owners have more than cat owners is their ability to seek comfort to greater extents.
All dog people from the informal survey also said that they love that dogs are easier to cuddle.
“Dogs are just cuter than cats and are better to cuddle with, especially if they’re bigger dogs,” said Celeste Wilkin, freshman business administration major.
The “Personalities of Self-Identified ‘Dog People’ and ‘Cat People’” 2010 study by the University of Texas measured the “Big Five” personality traits among self-identified dog people and cat people. The “Big Five” traits include openness, conscientiousness, extraversion/introversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. The study found the same results as the General Social Survey.
David Gonzalez can be reached at david.gonzalez9@laverne.edu.
David Rafael Gonzalez is a senior journalism major and LV Life editor of the Campus Times. He has been a three-time editor-in-chief and has also served as editorial director, LV Life editor and a staff writer.