Pets

When I think about artifacts in nonverbal communication, I tend to think about concrete items, like desks, jewelry, paintings, and sculptures.  Did you know that pets are considered an artifact?  They act just like these other items because they too send off messages about their owners.  People choose certain animals to surround them in their home for all different reasons.  A lot of times, owners chose animals that match their personality and they don't even know that they are doing it.  I am going to take this opportunity to fill you in on some messages that people might want to send out when they choose a pet.

I am going to start with big and ferocious dogs.  What is the first thing that you would think if you walked into a house and someone had a Rottweiler or Mastiff laying by the fireplace?  Would you feel a little intimidated knowing that this dog could do damage to anyone in just a matter of minutes?  These two dog are considered to by guard dogs. "A guard dog not only watches and alerts but also threatens the intruder to the point of retreat." (Canine Information Library, 2003) There are a bunch of different breeds that are in this category, like Dobermans, German Shepherds, and Bulldogs, just to name a few  These are very intimidating dogs and most people have them in their house to tell people, "I am protected" and if you try to do anything, I have my big dog right here.  Owning a guard dog can portray different characteristics about a person, for instance single or have small children.  They have that need for protection.  So owning a a big, guard dog like the ones shown below can speak a lot about a person

Bullmastiff

Doberman

There are people out there that own pets to help with a specific need.  Most of these animals are dogs that help people with disabilities.  These are extremely helpful pets that give off a message that their owner needs special care without having to actually say it.  For example, when you are walking in the store and you see a dog in there, you know that the owner has a need for an assistance These are extremely special pets that make life a little easier for some people.  Some different types of assistance dogs are ones that help the hearing impaired, seizure alerting, visually impaired, and immobility. 

Now we all know that probably the most popular form of pet is a dog, but there are many other types of pets out there that send all different types of message.  Lets take a look at lizards and what they say about the type of people that own them.  Reptiles are not your ideal pet, they are not cuddly or even very cute.  However their characteristics are very diverse and interesting.  One reason people might have a lizard is because they take up very little space.  A lizard might portray that his or her owner lives in an apartment or a small house  because you don't need a lot of space to care for it.  Taking care of a lizard doesn't require a lot of time, so if you own a lizard maybe you have a hectic lifestyle and only have time for a little interaction whereas if you had a dog, they require a lot at attention.  Lizards seem to be very easy-going and they say that a pet's personality usually matches the owners.

There are so many different types of pets out there that say so much about their owners.  People have certain animals for different reasons, like protection or therapy.  Others just have them to match their personality.  Some people are looking for companionship.  Whether it is a dog, cat, mouse, snake, pig, or turtle, pet owners choose their animal for a specific reason that displays a specific nonverbal message making all of these things artifacts.



Cited Sources

The Canine Information Library, (2003). Guard Dogs.
        Retrieved from  http://guarddogs.bulldoginformation.com/