" Companion Species"
The Concept of "Companion Species" was first brought to use by Cybrog Donna Haraway. She used the term as an exploration into the historical emergence's of animals who are not meat animals, lab animals nor wilderness animals but , animals who are part of a very particular historical relationship.[ Haraway 2007 8-12]
In her Companion Species Manifesto , Haraway considers dogs as the most significant example of companion species , the Cyborg being but a toddler in our inter species relations. Furthermore, Haraway also uses the term companion species instead of "companion animal " because she opines that humans have been affected by many species that do not fall into the animal catergory , such as insects bacteria.[ Haraway 2007 :8-9]
Cellphones, for example can be considered as being a "companion specie" because when they cry we answer and attend to them as a mother would to a child, they must be picked up . They must be fed by being plugged into a charger, they must be protected and cared for , in return they provide you with the information you want and the entertainment you need. They grow alongside humans and adapt to to fit their needs, as humans adapt to fit the needs of the device. This weeks blog will take the form of a photo essay, in which one will document the stories and personal narratives of relations between pets and humans more in particular the relation between dogs and humans that Haraway alludes to.
Dog companions with the old
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| When your days are darker than the midnight sky , it is always best to lean on that one friend who will never betray you. The one who loves you more than he loves himself . Photo 1 |
Dog research has proved that the relationships that older people have with their companion animals , in particular their dogs show how animals can improve and help a person's emotional and physical well-being.
The old man in the above picture seems to be very lonely , lonely due to the loss of his beloved wife. He looks somewhat reminiscent of the lovely summer days and , windy autumn afternoons he shared with his beautiful wife walking their dog . He looks like he yearns for human contact, but not just any human contact but the warm embrace of his loving compassionate wife. His dog seems to understand his yearnings as he too misses his wife's warm touch, but the pair seem to understand that they have to now look out for each other because, well , it's just the the two of them now , the trio has been separated by the inevitable and now the they must continue the journey of life without the other part of the puzzle. His relationship with his dog is more than a master - subordinate relationship , it takes the form of a brotherhood .
Dog companions with Children
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| Hey Phuma ! lets act like we cant see them taking a picture of us ok dude ... Photo 2 |
Tshepo my two year old nephew in photo 2 is one such lad that enjoys playing with his pitsy pups Timone and Phumba . Well at first when he was exposed to these creatures he used what the psychologists term the flight response , he fled so quickly because he did not understand how and why these "stuffed toys" moved and barked. As he became more acquainted to these creatures he become more fond of them , because they simply responded with love though they were just pups Timone and Phumba's interactions with Tshepo were much different than those of myself or my brother or anyone else for that matter.
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| Can you smell that its the smell of winter , I do not know about you but i'm ready for winter # Winter Must Fall Photo 3 |
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| Dont even think about it his my Human. Photo 4 |
Meet Buble my Uncle's Maltese poodle in photo 3 and 4. He is one of the brightest and most gentle dogs ever , he is exceedingly playful and enjoys clever games of dexterity such as "pull the hidden toy under the cabinet with your paw".
This curious, quick-moving sprite does not need much outdoor exercise, but he surely does enjoy dashing around the yard and more especially around the parks in the estate in which he lives.
Maltese are generally peaceful with the the world, though some lines (and individuals ) are more confident and outgoing, and some like Buble are more standoffish or cautious.
More than most other breeds, Maltese need a great deal of companionship and do not like being left alone for more than a few hours. They tend to express their unhappiness through destructive chewing and barking. Well in Buble's case it was easier for him to surrender his "last born attention seeking position" in the family because well ,there was a new human baby who had been introduced to the family, meaning he now has someone to fuss and care over just like a big brother would , meaning from these actions he will not be lonely. Buble became very over protective over Baby L seen in photo 4 . His protectiveness became so serious that he would sit/ guard the door in whichever room the baby was in, especially when baby L took a nap during the day, anybody who dared disturbing his new buddy would have to first deal with him the " bodyguard" before they could even attempt to get to him. Buble and Baby L are inseparable , their relationship cannot be broken , and its amazing to watch them grow because their relationship gets stronger.
Sources Consulted
Haraway, D. 2007. The Companion Species Manifesto: dogs, people and significant otherness. Chicago Prickly Press.
[http://www.helpguide.org>emotional-health]
accessed 14 April 2016.
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