Do you have any pets? I love dogs!
I do, a cat! Over the last few decades in Japan, we've started to adopt pets as more than utilitarian and more into our family system.
Yes, my little doggy is like a family member to me!
was the first species to be domesticated and has been selectively bred over millennia for various behaviors, sensory capabilities, and physical attributes.
Their long association with humans has led dogs to be uniquely attuned to human behavior and they are able to thrive on a starch-rich diet that would be inadequate for other canid species. Dogs vary widely in shape, size and colors. They perform many roles for humans, such as hunting, herding, pulling loads, protection, assisting police and military, companionship and, more recently
Pet ownership in Japan
Over the last few decades, pet ownership in Japan has gradually moved from a predominantly utilitarian function to a concept that more fully incorporates pets into the family system. In the minority of cases, pets are now considered to be family members. To many Japanese, pets are as well loved as children, and may even serve as a substitute for those who choose to forgo child-rearing.
Spiritual hierarchy.
In the context of spiritual hierarchy, pets occupy the space directly below humans,