宠物

Hello everyone! Welcome to this episode of Simply Natural Chinese. I'm Xiaoyue.

Hello everyone, I'm Leo.

Leo, did you see that little white dog the customer brought in just now?

Yes, I did! Was it the one at the door?

Yeah, it was so cute, all round and puffy, like a marshmallow.

Ha ha, I thought so too. It even ran over and sniffed my shoe.

It's not shy at all, such a friendly personality.

I think that's a Bichon Frise, right?

Wow Leo, you really know your dog breeds! That's right, it's a Bichon.

Because I love dogs, I've learned about quite a few breeds.

So do you have a dog in Hangzhou now?

Not yet. I'd really like one, but I'm just too busy right now.

That makes sense, you have classes with students every day.

Yeah, I'm worried that if I get a dog, I won't have time to keep it company.

That's really a big issue. Dogs need a lot of attention.

What about you, Xiaoyue? Do you have a pet?

I have a cat, a calico.

Cats are great too! Cats are more independent.

Yes, she usually just sleeps at home, I don't need to take her out.

That's perfect for busy people like you who are always recording shows.

Exactly. Did you have any pets when you were a kid in the UK?

Yes! When I was little, we had a big Labrador at home.

Wow, a big dog! What was its name?

His name was Max. He was my best friend.

Max, that sounds like a strong name.

He was super smart. Every day when I came home from school, he'd be waiting for me at the door.

That must have felt so warm.

Yes. In the UK, a lot of families have a big dog.

Is it because houses in the UK all have gardens?

Exactly. With a garden, big dogs can run around.

But in China, most people live in apartments, so more people have small dogs.

I've noticed that. Most of the dogs I see on the streets in Hangzhou are Poodles or Bichons.

Because they don't shed fur, and they're pretty quiet too.

Though I do see a lot of people with Golden Retrievers and Samoyeds too.

Leo, when you're teaching English, do your students talk about pets?

All the time! I've noticed students really love this topic.

Really? What do they say?

Sometimes I have them practice speaking by asking what they did on the weekend.

Do they say they took the dog out?

Yeah. And one student said he celebrated his cat's birthday on the weekend.

Celebrated the cat's birthday? Did they eat cake too?

Yes, it was a meat cake made for cats.

Pets these days are really so lucky, they're like family members.

Exactly. In China, people call pets 'fur babies', right?

Yeah. A lot of young people call themselves 'Dad' or 'Mom'.

In the UK, I've also heard people say 'my fur baby'.

Looks like 'pet servants' are the same all over the world.

Wait, what's a 'pet servant'?

Ha ha, it means someone who cleans up after their pet. You're basically the pet's servant.

Ha ha, that's so fitting! I was Max's pet servant.

So what do you think is the hardest part of having a dog?

I think it's waking up early every day to take it for a walk.

Especially on rainy days or in winter.

Right. Max used to want to go out no matter what the weather was like.

I've also heard from friends who have dogs that no matter how tired or busy they are, they still have to go out for walks.

True. It's tiring, but it also keeps me healthy.

It's also a form of exercise.

But in China, I've noticed people walk their dogs very late.

Because everyone works during the day, so they can only go in the evening after dinner.

No wonder I see so many small dogs gathering in the park at night.

That's their social time.

Small dogs need friends too, just like people.

Do you think having a pet can help with loneliness?

Absolutely. Especially for people working far from home.

Ha ha, are you talking about yourself?

Yes. If I came home to a dog waiting for me, I'd be so happy.

But having a pet costs a lot of money, right?

Yes. In the UK, vet visits are very expensive.

It's not cheap in China either. Vaccines, cat food...

And grooming! I've seen some dogs look completely different after a haircut.

Like that customer's Bichon, it must go to the grooming salon often.

Its fur was trimmed so round, really looked like a marshmallow.

If you don't trim this kind of dog's fur, it quickly starts looking like a 'stray dog'.

So having a pet is a long-term responsibility.

Exactly. You can't buy one just because it's cute and then throw it away when you don't want it anymore.

I couldn't agree more. It's a living thing, not a toy.

If some students want a pet, do you give them advice?

I tell them to try going to a pet cafe first.

Oh! Hangzhou has lots of cat cafes and dog cafes.

Right. Go spend an afternoon there and see if you can take good care of them.

Try the feeling of being a 'temporary owner'.

Ha ha, exactly. See if you really like being surrounded by fur every day.

Some people's skin can also be allergic to fur.

That's really unfortunate.

Leo, have you heard of 'cloud raising cats'?

'Cloud raising cats'? Is it raising cats online?

Yes. You don't have one yourself, but you look at photos and videos of cats online every day.

Oh! I do that too!

Ha ha, you're a 'cloud pet owner' too then.

When I'm watching short videos, whenever I see cute animals, I stop and watch.

It's very relaxing, right?

So relaxing. Way more comfortable than reading work emails.

What kind of animal videos do you like watching the most?

I love watching 'Golden Retrievers with kids' videos the most.

Golden Retrievers are really gentle, like big brothers.

I also like watching cats being mischievous.

Cats can be really weird sometimes, doing things you just can't understand.

I think cats think differently from us.

That's why people say cats are 'aliens'.

Ha ha, no wonder they sometimes stare at a corner blankly.

What do you think is the biggest difference between having a pet in China and in the UK?

I think it's 'space'.

Space?

In the UK, most dogs have their own big lawn.

In Hangzhou, most pets can only stay in the living room.

Right. But China has lots of pet-friendly malls, which is great.

Yes. Now there are many places where you can bring dogs inside to shop.

I even saw a swimming pool specifically for pets.

Ha ha, I've seen those too. And five-star hotels for pets.

That's crazy! Some dogs live better than I do.

That's because owners are willing to spend money on their 'kids'.

If you go traveling, what do you do with your cat?

I ask a friend to come feed her at home, or I send her to a pet hotel.

Pet boarding is also a big expense.

Yeah. So you really need to budget before getting a pet.

Besides money, there's also time.

If you have to work overtime often, I really don't recommend getting a dog.

That would be too lonely for the dog.

Exactly. Dogs are always waiting for their owners.

When I think of how Max used to wait for me, I find it really touching.

Does he still remember you now?

He's gone. He lived for 14 years.

Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that.

It's okay. He had a very happy life. When he passed, the whole family was there.

That's the hardest part of having a pet — saying goodbye.

Yes. Their lives are much shorter than ours.

But because they're short, every day feels more precious.

That's also a lesson I teach my students: learn to cherish.

Besides cats and dogs, what other small animals do kids like?

A lot of kids like having hamsters.

Hamsters are so tiny, they look like little balls.

But hamsters have even shorter lifespans.

Yeah, only two or three years.

So raising a hamster is many kids' first lesson about 'life'.

Leo, if you had a pet, what would you name it?

If I ever get a cat, I want to call it 'Coffee'.

Coffee? Why? Because you want a coffee-colored cat?

No, it's because I can't start my day without coffee.

Ha ha, that's a very good reason.

Then why did you name your cat 'Xiaohua'?

Because she's a calico cat! She has orange, black, and white all over.

Sounds like a very Chinese-style name.

I've also heard of dogs named 'Laifu' or 'Wangcai'.

What does 'Wangcai' mean?

It means bringing in endless wealth and good fortune.

Wow! Then I want a dog named 'Wangcai' too.