According to C. Wright Mills, the “sociological imagination” is the “vivid awareness of the relationship between experience and the wider society.” Mills urged for people to perceive situations and circumstances within a wider social context so as to see how their behaviors and interactions affects other people and situations (and vice versa). One object or activity from my daily life that could be seen from the view of the “sociological imagination” is the fact that I own a pet. I have a Labrador retriever that I have had for four years and who is like my best friend. Not only do I enjoy spending time with him (e.g., playing catch or tug-of-war), but I also take very good care of him (e.g., daily walks, shares my bed, and often has homemade meals). I realize; however, that this sort of relationship with a dog is a global standard. As such, this paper will analyze the different ways in which owning a pet dog has historical and social significance.

Historically speaking, dogs were not always used as pets; rather, they were seen more as prey, either for food or their hives (namely wolves) as clothing. According to the Pedigree website, the first evidence of domesticated dogs occurred approximately 12,000-14,000 years ago when humans discovered that wolf cubs would remain subordinate and could also be trained. Even then, dogs were mainly used for hunting, herding, and guarding, and were seen less as “friends.” As time progressed, dogs became more associated with humans and were even seen in some cultures as religious symbols. Interestingly, as humans became more civilized, dogs became less important for sustaining life, and the relationship between human and dog grew closer to what we have today—as companions. Such relationships can be traced as far back as the ancient Egyptians and the Middle Ages (namely in hunting scenes), and then towards the 17th century, nobility (especially in Europe) began to appear in portraits with their beloved canines. “Lap dogs” were especially used in paintings of royal persons because as breeding became popular, owning a dog that was purebred and considered of high value (e.g., Papillon or Shi-Tzu) was a symbol of high status. It is important to understand the history of such a “common” practice because it is clear that owning dogs as pets has not always been the case; thus, by tracing the roots, one can begin to understand what historical contexts underlie the various transformation that lead to this unique relationship we see today. Conversely, not everyone (even in modern society) uses the dog as a mere companion and many of the ancient practices still remain present today. As such, the following paragraph will elucidate more in this sociocultural context.

In regard to social significance, it is important to examine that even though I am own my dog solely for the purpose of companionship; this is still not the case for all of society. Today, many people own pets for a multitude of purposes: breeding, hunting, therapy, showing, service, search and rescue, fighting, racing, police work, entertainment, mascots, and even as food in some societies. This is significant because all of these uses can have an affect on each other. For example, if the breeding of a specific dog becomes popular and regulations are not set into place (as far as standards, etc.), then the breed could become overpopulated, leading possibly to a “less pure” breed. This could then set off a chain reaction, where the value of the dog goes down and those who own the dog for show purposes, may no longer have a “prize” dog anymore. Another example would be when people use dogs for fighting or racing and then abandon them (because they no longer have any use for them), oftentimes rescue organization come to the rescue. These types of operations cost money, so this is where we may see advertisements for charity donations or a plead for adoption of these animals. In addition, some of the animals have to be put to sleep (due to aggression or severe injuries), which could also lead to a rise in human right activism or change in laws regarding animal treatment.

Even with something as innocuous as owning a dog as a pet, it is clear that when the perspective is widened to include the historical and social contexts, it becomes clear that nothing we do can only be fully understood from within a bubble. Everything that each person does has an affect on another person or society at large and learning about these processes can help us better comprehend and appreciate how and why things came to be, how and why they currently are, and how and why they will be in the future.