Owner preference

[MHMama]

Does anyone else have a pet that prefers one owner over another. In our house, we have a 23 year old daughter, 20 year old son, (the other three are older and live away from home), my husband and myself. Ricky goes to all of us but he comes to me for food, walks, and when it starts thundering outside. When I was in the hospital for the knee surgery, my husband had to bring him to me so he would calm down and sleep better at night. I have to admit, I slept better too after seeing him but that is another story.
MH Mama aka Nancy

[zippy-kat]

Let's see...

Tink (one of the cats) definitly prefers my mom.

Clarice (our other cat) prefers my sis (age 11) and me (age 21). She even talks/calls to us in the same voice she used with her kittens. lol

Sara (our boxer)prefers anyone with a toy or food!

Sophie (the bunny) prefers me!

Thinkin' back to our pets who have already crossed over to the Rainbow Bridge:

Our cocker spaniel preferred mom and myself.

Tom (my first kitty) was MY(!) baby. He didn't want anything to do w/ anyone else. (Doesn't that *ALWAYS* make you feel special?! Gives me warm fuzzies everytime I think of him! He is GREATLY missed!!!!!!)

Max (one of our other kitties) really didn't prefer anyone. He was a bit of a loner and everyone was pretty much equal in his eyes. He may have actually preferred the dog. lol

Jackie (the cockatiel) LOVED my dad. She would talk SO SWEETLY to him!

It always makes me feel *really* special when a deep bond develops. I LOVE IT!!!! Animals are truly wonderful!!!!!

[Daisy's Mom]

My Basset Hound Daisy loves all of us, but I think she prefers me. I am who she sleeps with, who she wakes up if she has to go out, who she runs to first when we get home from somewhere. Although she and my father have a special bond too, I think Daisy and I are best friends and I think that we are closer.

[Pam]

My cats and my dog seems to prefer to be near me if I am home. I think it might be because I am the official "dispenser of the goodies," although Thursday night I was out of town and my husband told me that Bella wouldn't eat anything for breakfast and she wouldn't even go into the yard in the morning to do her business. He was a little worried because he had to leave for work and she would be home alone all day and in her crate for several hours. Finally he went in the yard with her and after a little while "success!"

On the other hand, he has been doing some obedience training with her and it shows. She takes his commands much more seriously than she takes mine, even though I am basically doing and saying exactly what he is. We were talking the other day that she has much more of a "mind of her own" than our other poodles. Sometimes she gives me "the look" as if to say "I hear you but I don't care" just like my kitties!

[Sudilar]

Shiloh loves everyone, but I think she loves me just a little more than anyone else. My daughter tries too hard to get her to love her more than me, but it doesn't work! I pass out the food, take her for walks, take her "out", etc. I also picked her up from the shelter and took her home with me.

Killian is more reserved in his love. He loves the family immensely (maybe my hubby the best because he picked him up from the shelter), but will only play outside with my son (soccer, ball, catch, etc.) and sometimes my husband. When he's out with me or my daughter, he just runs to us once in a while to get hugged and goes on sniffin' and bird hunting and checking out the back 40 (inches, that is). However, all things change when there is snow out. He turns into this play machine out there with all of us!

[AdoreMyDogs]

Graham is very loving to everyone, but he prefers me over anyone else. I can't really tell with Cassie or Ritz. I'm not sure because they are so sweet and they show few signs of preferance.

[jackiesdaisy1935]

Well as usual I will have to confess Daisy loves men, my husband and Grandson in particular, she showers them with kisses. I give her treats, shower her with love, sleep with her, and I think she takes me for granted as her litter mate. I have started trying some decipline with her which I should have done long ago, and it's working pretty well, she will come to me about 75% of the time now.
Perry sees my husband as alpha dog but he comes to me for kisses and loving. He is like a big lovee. I think they both love us very much but in the long run they look to my husband as alpha and me to spoil them, which of course I do.

[aly]

I found Shiloh when I was living with my parents. The instant I picked her up (it took 45 min to catch her though!), our bond formed. Everywhere I was, there she was. She slept on my chest and basically thought I was her mom. She was 7 months old but just under 2 lbs and also acted a lot younger than 7 months. She loved rough housing with my dad and playing around with my sister. She didn't quite understand my mom though. A few months ago when she was staying with my mom, they formed a great relationship. Shiloh knows my mom hates to wrestle and rough house so Shiloh just goes up to my mom and rolls on her back for petting. Outside of my family, Shiloh is very shy and reserved around people.

Silly boy Reece and I formed a bond the second our eyes locked in the shelter. For the first month or two after I brought him home, he would only be around me, and always had to have his body touching me. Now he's quite the flirt. He will go love on anyone as long as I am in the room. The second I get up though, he's right there by my side ready to follow me.

Lolly and I have a strong bond too. She's really afraid of everyone else but me. She is used to my sister and comfortable staying with her, but she'll look around my sister's apartment for me if I'm not there. Reece does it too. Hehe, he looks under the couch and in funny places.

I love my babies!

[ August 11, 2001: Message edited by: aly ]

[Pam]

I just had something happen that will give you an example of how nawtee Bella can be for me and not for hubby. Lots of times when I am taking things out of the dryer she will run up quick as a streak of lightning and grab some little piece of laundry and prance away with it. Just minutes ago I had the dryer door open and she sped over to grab a sock. Hubby walked in at that exact moment. She saw him and let the sock drop back in the basket. He has never done anything to gain this respect except a little obedience training in the back yard with the choker on. He is also the main groomer, doing the clipping while I have just been doing the bathing. I feel like Rodney Dangerfield. I get no respect! Time for me to put that sparkling little necklace on her one of these days!

[RachelJ]

You can tell Hannah idealizes my husband and it is he who she has to sleep next to, but other than that she probably prefers me. I'm the one who is supposed to do her bidding and meet her needs, play with her, and give her a massage. When we watch TV, more than likely she will be on the chair with me. As far as obeying one of us more than the other she pretty much ignores us equally.

Tucker is mostly my dog, although he does gets pretty excited when my husband comes home from work and will cover him with kisses if allowed. Tucker also adores his sister. I think Doggiemommie asked if they were always together because many of the pictures I post are with them together. The answer is yes. When I am working in my home office Hannah prefers to be in the living room or on the chair in the family room. When we first got Tucker, he would stay by me in the office, but it didn't take long before he joined Hannah wherever she was hanging out. So now I spend my day in the office all by myself


[ August 11, 2001: Message edited by: RachelJ ]

[ownerof3dogs]

All three of my dog prefere me because I spend the most time with them and give then the most attention. I'm also the one who feeds and walks them.

[Stenograsaurus]

Both my dogs favor me. I guess they can sense that I'm the biggest dog lover in this house. In the morning if my husband gets up before I do, he'll open the bedroom door and say, Come on, Guys, time to go out. They will both look at him and look at me. I have to get up out of bed and walk to the top of the stairs before they will let him take them out. It's frustrating when I'm laying there thinking, Just 10 more minutes.

[Logan]

My dogs love Helen to death and respond very well to her. But they are with me more, and look to me first because I'm the one who feeds, walks and cares for them. Since there are only two humans in this house, the mom and the daughter, they have their choice! But my working at home, and being here with them alone so much has truly bonded us. Aren't they all wonderful, no matter who they respond to?

[RachelJ]

Originally posted by Stenograsaurus:
<STRONG> In the morning if my husband gets up before I do, he'll open the bedroom door and say, Come on, Guys, time to go out. They will both look at him and look at me. I have to get up out of bed and walk to the top of the stairs before they will let him take them out. It's frustrating when I'm laying there thinking, Just 10 more minutes. </STRONG>

Tucker does the same thing. As much as he likes my husband, he wants me to take him outside.

[Rottie]

Iris definatly likes Becky, my sister, the most.

Raven's preference is my dad.

Carl's favorite is of course, myself.

I haven't noticed that the cats like one person over the other. But maybe that's cause they live mostly outside.